By bus
The state-run SKMK and Transnasional is the largest bus company, and runs all the city and regional buses, as well as most of the long-distance buses. It operates from the central bus station city and regional buses and the Langgar bus station long-distance buses. All the other long-distance bus companies operate from Jalan Hamzah external bus station. On arrival in Kota Bharu some of the buses will drop you at the central bus station , but they don't depart from there. Transnasional is the easiest to deal with, as it has ticket offices at all the bus stations. Long-distance departures are from Langgar bus station but, just to make thing confusing, a few evening buses also go from central bus station. Ask which station your bus departs from when you buy your ticket, and book as far ahead as possible, especially for the Butterworth and Penang buses. There are several buses to Butterworth RM30 , five or six hours, the buses to Penang RM34.70 , six hours and 15 minutes with one long stop 60-75 minutes at Gerik. Buses to Penang leave in the morning at 9 am and in the evening. There are also regular buses to Kuala Terengganu RM16 , three hours and Kuantan RM33 , six hours. Apart from that, there are also buses to Kuala Lumpur RM40 , nine hours, Johor Bahru RM65 , 12 hours, Singapore 13-14 hours, Melaka RM55 , 10-11 hours, Seremban RM48 , 10 hours and Ipoh RM35 , seven hours. Other destinations are Alor Setar, Jerantut, Jitra, Gerik, Temerloh, Dungun, Kemaman, Kangar and Kerteh. The other bus companies cover many of the same routes and are worth trying.
From the Thai Border town of Sungai Kolok, there is a red city liner bus 29 departs from the central bus station for RM5.10, which runs the 36km stretch. Just wait along the Malaysian side of the border along the covered walkway and flag it.
