How to Get to Batu Caves from Kuala Lumpur

Batu Caves is one of the most famous Hindu shrines outside India and also one of the most visited attractions in Malaysia. Located about 13 kilometers from the center of Kuala Lumpur, these caves are noted for their subway mausoleums and the golden statue of Murugan, the God of War, which flanks the entrance to the sanctuary and welcomes visitors from its 43 meters high.

Because of its proximity to Kuala Lumpur, you can reach Batu Caves in different ways, either on an organized tour or traveling on your own by train, bus, cab or even in a rented car, but whichever option you choose, you can participate in one of the best activities to do in and around the Malaysian capital.

Visiting Batu Caves is one of the best activities to do from Kuala Lumpur and one of the most outstanding alternatives is to do it in a private organized tour. These experiences can take you to visit the caves and also the National Mosque, which holds about 15,000 people and is considered the largest in the country.

During this type of tour, you can also discover the golden statue of Murugan, the God of War, which is located at the entrance and is approximately 43 meters high. Also, inside Batu Caves you can walk through the limestone caves, which are part of a network of four subway mausoleums that were recognized by Unesco as a World Heritage Site.

Some of these organized tours also include a visit to the Thean Houn Temple, famous for its pagoda-style shrine, and the Chinatown Market, which worships the region's populous Chinese community. Here you can not only learn about the local culture, but also taste the food from the street stalls and buy handicrafts.

On the other hand, being a private excursion, you will have the freedom to manage your time and even make changes to the itinerary, if any of the sites are not of interest to you or you prefer to stay longer in some of the attractions of the circuit. These organized alternatives will also be ideal if you plan to visit Kuala Lumpur with children or family, as you will be able to have a minivan for your whole group.

Details of interest

• Price: approximately 41 euros per person.
• Duration of the trip: about 4 hours.
• Advantages of this option: you will get to know one of the most popular sites in Malaysia at your own pace and with a tailor-made itinerary.
• Disadvantages of this option: it can be a bit expensive compared to the other alternatives, which are usually very economical.

Traveling by train from Kuala Lumpur to Batu Caves is one of the traditional and at the same time the most economical alternative you can find. As in the rest of the Southeast Asian countries, the Malaysian railroads are very developed, so you can find very effective services at good prices.

The train that will take you to the caves is the KTM Komuter train to Pulau Sebang station. Once you take it at Kuala Lumpur station, you must get off at Batu Caves and walk about three blocks to the statue of Murugan that marks the entrance to the subway mausoleum. The train ride lasts approximately 30 minutes and another advantage is that it will give you a great flexibility of schedules.

Also, the train ride from Kuala Lumpur to Batu Caves passes through other nearby sites worth visiting, such as Sentul, an intermediate district in the Malaysian capital where you can find, among other attractions, the Performing Arts Center, which is one of the most famous theaters of this destination and has a very particular architecture, so it is usually included in the tours of the best tours of Kuala Lumpur.

Being the cheapest alternative you can find to visit Batu Caves, you can get tickets from 1 euro per section.

Interesting details

• Price: approximately 1 euro per person per section.
• Duration of the trip: about 30 minutes.
• Advantages of this option: it is the cheapest alternative among all those available and, in addition, it is a very efficient service, due to the development of the railroad in Malaysia.
• Disadvantages of this option: it is the slowest alternative, although it offers a lot of schedule flexibility.

If you want to opt for a comfortable alternative that respects a good cost-benefit ratio, you can use a cab to get to Batu Caves from Kuala Lumpur. Although this subway mausoleum is located in Gombak, north of the Malaysian capital, it is very common for visitors to opt for this option, especially if they plan to visit this destination with children, family or a lot of luggage.

A cab tour allows you to manage your own pace, choose your schedule flexibly and also plan an itinerary that can take you not only to Batu Caves and the Murugan statue but also to Genting Highlands, the National Mosque, Thean Houn Temple, Chinatown and the nearby sites you wish to include in the circuit.

In general, you will be able to get a cab in the city center and also in the areas near the train and bus terminals. Keep in mind that in Kuala Lumpur, as in the rest of Southeast Asia, it is very popular to haggle over prices, so I advise you, before getting into the vehicle, combine a rate with the driver, which will serve to avoid misunderstandings or high prices.

Interesting details

• Price: approximately 6 euros.
• Duration of the trip: about 15 minutes.
• Advantages of this option: you will be able to make your own itinerary and travel in comfort, which will be ideal if you plan to visit Kuala Lumpur with children or a lot of luggage.
• Disadvantages of this option: you will have to coordinate the fare in advance, as haggling is very popular in Malaysia.

Unlike other tourist sites, where the outskirts of big cities are accessible by bus, using this means of transport to visit Batu Caves from Kuala Lumpur, apart from the fact that they are relatively close, is not very effective. Since there are no direct routes, you will be forced to combine services, which could delay your trip and make it tiring.

The best alternative, if you want to travel by this transport, is to opt for the service of line 03 from Kuala Lumpur to Wisma Sime Darby and, from there, combine with the bus line 173 to Padang Awan, a stop located about ten blocks away from the entrance to Batu Caves.

Also note that this route will take approximately 50 minutes, although you will depend on the frequency of services, which are very varied. This could be an obstacle to a short stay in this destination. If you plan to visit Kuala Lumpur in 2 days, here is a list of activities that might interest you to make the most of your itinerary.

On the other hand, despite the proximity between Kuala Lumpur and Batu Caves, the hop on-hop off tour buses from the Malaysian capital do not reach the subway mausoleum, although they will drop you off at some stops near the departure points of the public transport buses, such as the Petronas Towers or the Perdana Botanical Gardens.

Details of interest

• Price: approximately 2 euros per service and per section.
• Journey time: about 50 minutes.
• Advantages of this option: you can use the stops around some of Kuala Lumpur's main attractions as a starting point.
• Disadvantages of this option: you will have to make combinations of services and depend on the frequency of buses.

Renting a car in Kuala Lumpur to tour the city and its surroundings is not a very common alternative, but if you are one of the travelers who prefer this modality, you can access an exclusive and flexible option that will allow you to manage your own time, build an itinerary and include, besides the visit to Batu Caves, other stops in your itinerary.

Although traffic in Kuala Lumpur is much more orderly than in other major cities in Southeast Asia, the good rail services offered by Malaysia mean that a car is not strictly necessary to move between cities. However, this mode may be useful if you plan to travel in a group or with a lot of luggage, since you will not have to carry suitcases on public transport.

Also keep in mind that during the tour you can combine the car tours with the best tours in Kuala Lumpur, which will allow you to save time in the transfers, since many of the attractions are located far apart from each other.

If you want to use the rented car only to visit Batu Caves, you should rent it in the center of Kuala Lumpur and take Highway 1, through which you can reach your destination in about 15 minutes through Jalan Ipoh and Sentul.

Interesting details

• Price: car rental costs approximately 35 euros per day.
• Travel time: about 15 minutes.
• Advantages of this option: you will have the flexibility to combine the Batu Caves tours with transfers to the best excursion sites in Kuala Lumpur.
• Disadvantages of this option: in some places in the center of Kuala Lumpur and its surroundings you will find it very difficult to find parking, so you will have to opt for paid alternatives or move away from the busiest places.

Batu Caves offers a unique experience all year round, but the best time to visit is when the weather is mild, during the dry season, and during festival dates. In general, the dry season runs from March to October, and is ideal for exploring the caves and enjoying the sights without the interruption of the rains, which are quite frequent.

During these months, the weather is more predictable and temperatures are more pleasant, making it easier to climb the 272 steps leading up to the main shrine and topped by the 43-meter-high statue of Murugan, one of the mausoleum's main attractions.

If, instead, you are looking to enjoy the Thaipusam celebration, which usually occurs between January and February, this period may be the best time to visit Batu Caves. During this Hindu festival, the caves become the stage for sacred processions and rituals, giving you a unique cultural experience. However, keep in mind that this event attracts significant crowds, so the influx of tourists may be higher.

On the other hand, if you prefer to avoid the crowds and enjoy a quieter atmosphere, the months of November to February are recommended. Although it is the rainy season, the beauty of the caves in this humid environment and the moderate temperatures can compensate for the possibility of experiencing some rainfall, plus you can participate in one of the best guided tours in Kuala Lumpur away from the crowds.

The answer, as in all cases, will depend on your travel conditions. If you have no budget limitations, a private organized tour will be the best alternative, because not only will you have a personalized itinerary that will allow you to visit Batu Caves at your own pace, but you will also be able to visit other nearby places that are just as interesting as the subway mausoleum and the statue of Murugan.

On some organized tours, you can also enjoy the gastronomy of Kuala Lumpur, either in the restaurants near Batu Caves or in the street stalls of Chinatown.

However, if you do not want to compromise your budget and want to save money, but still opt for an efficient alternative, you can use the alternatives by train or cab. Both have an excellent cost-benefit ratio and will also allow you to get to Batu Caves quickly and comfortably. If you are traveling in a group or with your family, perhaps the cab is a better alternative, although the train will allow you to discover a very traditional option.

On the other hand, keep in mind that, unlike other cities where the bus is one of the best options, in Kuala Lumpur, at least to get to Batu Caves, this means of transportation is not very comfortable, because, as there are no direct services, you will have to waste time in combinations. Likewise, the other option available is a rental car, which is flexible and convenient, but rare due to its cost and the difficulty in finding parking.

The best of each of the alternatives to get to Batu Caves