How to go to...

By train
Padang Besar is served by Keretapi Tanah Melayu's (Malayan Railway) Senandung Langkawi which runs daily between Kuala Lumpur and Hat Yai via Butterworth in Penang. Trains for Kuala Lumpur and Butterworth depart at 16:45 while trains for Hat Yai leave at 09:47.

State Railway of Thailand's daily International Express between Bangkok and Butterworth via Hat Yai also passes through Padang Besar. It leaves Padang Besar for Bangkok at 16:45, and for Butterworth at 08:20.

Padang Besar railway station - located behind the row of shops on the main road - has both Malaysian and Thai immigration facilities. Passengers must leave the train and go through the respective immigration procedures before re-boarding the train.

Please note that Thailand is one hour behind Malaysia. When it is noon in Malaysia, it is 11:00 in Thailand.

By bus
Direct express buses operated by Transnasional link Padang Besar directly with Kuala Lumpur and Penang or Butterworth. Express buses depart from Jalan Masjid in Padang Besar. Local buses connect Padang Besar and Kangar.

By road
Padang Besar is about 35km north of Kangar, the capital of Perlis. Federal Route 7 links Kangar with Padang Besar and driving time is about half hour to 40 minutes.

To Thailand
The Malaysian immigration checkpoint is located at the edge of town. It is quite easy to drive from Thailand into Malaysia or vice-versa. Just make sure your insurance is in order. There is a distance of several hundred metres between the Malaysian and Thai checkpoints, with a duty free shopping complex in Malaysian territory in between. Most people do not walk but catch motorcycle taxis (RM3) which can be found in abundance in town and will bring you through the two checkpoints into the centre of Thai Padang Besar.