By road
Bukit Kayu Hitam is the northern end of the tolled North-South Expressway Route E1 which spans Peninsular Malaysia. Once it crosses the Thai border into Sadao, it becomes the toll-free National Highway 4 which goes all the way to Bangkok via Hat Yai.
Bukit Kayu Hitam is 48km north of Alor Setar, about 150km from Penang and 470km from Kuala Lumpur.
For those heading to Langkawi, take the North-South Expressway to Changloon just the next town and turn into the new highway which goes all the way to Kuala Perlis in Perlis to catch the ferry to the island.
By bus
To/from Thailand: For those heading to Hat Yai and other destinations in Thailand, you will have to cross the border into Sadao for connections. Please note that it is quite a distance to walk from the bus terminal on the Malaysian side to the Thai side of the border. Because of all this, it is much more convenient to take a bus directly to Hat Yai or your Malaysian destination if coming from Hat Yai rather than change buses at Bukit Kayu Hitam. Most long distance buses between Malaysia and Thailand use the Bukit Kayu Hitam-Sadao crossing but do not pick up passengers here.
To/from Malaysian destinations: Ekspres Bandar runs two direct buses daily between Bukit Kayu Hitam and Kuala Lumpur's Jalan Duta Bus Terminal. Tickets cost RM40. Buses leave near the Malaysian immigration complex.
There are many more options at Changloon also spelled Changlun, 8km south of Bukit Kayu Hitam. Among the bus companies with direct links to Kuala Lumpur are Transnasional Tel: +60-4-9241561, Etika Ekspres and Konsortium Bas Ekspres Semenanjung Tel: +60-4-9241561. You will have to catch a taxi between Bukit Kayu Hitam and Changloon. From Changloon, you can also catch a local HBR Liner bus to Alor Star.
By taxi
Taxis congregate at several locations in Bukit Kayu Hitam, especially near the Malaysian checkpoint and the district council stalls in Bukit Kayu Hitam town. Because of the distance between the Malaysian and Thai checkpoints, many people take taxis between the two. Malaysian taxis will usually stop just short of the border, which is within easy walking distance to the Thai checkpoint.
To Thailand: Taxis to Hat Yai between RM30-50 and other towns in Thailand can also be found at the duty free shopping complex between the Malaysian and Thai immigration checkpoints. You will also see many signboards offering taxi services to Hat Yai along the expressway before reaching town. Taxis are also available on the Thai side in Sadao.
Most Malaysians drive to Bukit Kayu Hitam, leave their car in Malaysian territory and take taxis into Thailand to save themselves the hassle of getting Thai insurance for their vehicles. One popular place to park is at the Duty Free shopping complex. To get there, drive through Malaysian immigration as if you were driving into Thailand, then turn into the Duty Free complex parking space. There is a Hat Yai taxi counter near the exit of the car park with fares clearly displayed.
To other parts of Malaysia: For those arriving from Thailand, Malaysian taxis can be found just inside Malaysian territory after crossing the border gate, ready to bring you to through the Malaysian immigration checkpoint about 1km away and onward to any Malaysian destination. You can pay for one seat and wait until all seats are taken before the taxi moves, or pay for the whole car. Please agree on a price before boarding the taxi.