I was sad to discover from Yun Qing’s blog that the night train from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore is no longer available to travelers in the region.
I used this train while visiting Malaysia and Singapore a while back. Thinking about the train from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore makes me smile. It was one of those bitter-sweet travel memories where not everything went according to plan.
Why we used the night train from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore
During this trip, we visited Penang and then spent a few days in Kuala Lumpur. Singapore, one of my favorite cities in the world, was our next destination. After considering the various transport options, we had decided that the night train from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore would be the best choice for us. The one significant advantage of the night train was that it saved us from booking a hotel room and we would waste no time traveling – what could be better than going to sleep in one country and waking up in your next destination the next morning?
Being told disappointing news
We checked out of our hotel the morning and spent a day sightseeing in Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia is a country with high temperatures. By the end of the day when we made our way to the KL Sentral Station, we were not only tired but also hot and sweaty. We were looking forward to our premier class cabin on the train. We had booked premier class which had been affordable, even considering our weak currency. According to our research, our cabin would have a small bathroom with a shower, toilet and a basin. I was looking forward to having a lovely shower and feeling refreshed for the rest of our journey to Singapore.
This was not meant to be.
As we were waiting at KL Sentral Station, the customer services announced that there would be no premier class carriage with the night train. All premier class passengers’ tickets would change to economy class. We would get a refund for the price differences once they arrive in Singapore.
When we had done our research before our trip, the premier cabins had showers. The economy class carriage had no showers, just toilets. I was disappointed.
There was not much we could do. We decided to just use the economy class tickets.
How it turned out
Apart from not having a shower, everything was comfortable and clean. We had bunk beds with curtains.
Our beds were comfortable and a while after leaving Kuala Lumpur, the conductor switched the lights off and we tried to sleep.
We stopped at a few places along the way. People boarded and left each time. As I am a light sleeper, these movements woke me up a few times. My partner, a deep sleeper, slept through to Singapore.
We arrived in Singapore at the Woodlands Train Checkpoint early the next morning, took a train to our hotel and still had the full day left to explore this beautiful city. It still worked out perfectly!
How did we find the overall experience?
Overall, using the night train from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore was a pleasant experience. Given a chance, I would have used it again, so I am sad that travelers between these two countries can no longer use this as a transport choice.
Have you ever used the night train from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore? Or have you used other transport options between these two cities? Share your experience in the comments!
Rhiannon says
08/05/2017 at 11:44Oh no! That really sucks about the shower after an active sweaty day! I would have been SO dissapointed but the beds look quite nice compared to some of the sleeper trains and busses I have ended up on!
Sabs says
11/05/2017 at 19:38Hmm, maybe I should have counted our blessings instead of being unhappy about not getting a premier cabin!
Lizzie Jones says
08/05/2017 at 13:30You’re a really great story teller. I absolutely love long train journeys, and I’m one of those people who pass out straight away on any sort of transport, so a train with a bed is like my kinda heaven!
It’s such a shame that other people won’t get to experience the same trip that you did but it’s lovely that you’ve got the memory and can hunt out other train journeys that you love too!
Sabs says
11/05/2017 at 19:38You sound like my partner! He can even sleep while standing up!
Sam | Alternative Travelers says
08/05/2017 at 21:07I’ve also slept on night trains in Europe before and they were always interesting experiences! Something about going to sleep in one place and waking up in a different one. Though I never slept too well on them with the motion of the train so I’m not sure if it’s something I’d repeat again soon – at least they’re better than overnight buses though! Too bad this night train isn’t running though anymore! It’s always nice to have the option!
Sabs says
11/05/2017 at 19:37I actually find the train’s motion makes me sleepy!
Amanda Keeley-Thurman says
08/05/2017 at 22:18I love trains. A night train sounds fun. Sad that it isn’t available anymore.
Sabs says
11/05/2017 at 19:36So am I!
Stacey says
09/05/2017 at 04:18I’m sorry you aren’t able to use that train anymore. It sounds like you ended up having a great trip. Thanks for sharing about your trip! Your pictures are beautiful, too!
Sabs says
11/05/2017 at 19:36Life is full of surprises, we must always try and make the most of it!
33andfree says
09/05/2017 at 05:12This would have been a great way for us to get to Singapore when we were in KL. Glad you got to do it before it stopped.
Sabs says
11/05/2017 at 19:36Now I can’t even say you can try it next time!
Bistra Yakimova says
09/05/2017 at 08:59Didn’t have the opportunity to try it. Although there are some things that didn’t go according to plan, I still regret the fact the line is gone. Sometimes we have to lose things to appreciate their availability once…
Sabs says
11/05/2017 at 19:35That is so true. But hopefully they will reinstate it some time in the future
Flo says
09/05/2017 at 16:49It’s really too bad that this is no longer available! Any idea why? It sounds like a unique (and clean) way to get from KL to Singapore.
Sabs says
11/05/2017 at 19:34Unfortunately, I have no idea why! I think saving on hotel costs while traveling is the best thing about a night train!
Kerri says
10/05/2017 at 02:32I’ve never travelled on a night train. Like you, I would have been disappointed with not receiving what I had booked. The money difference wouldn’t have bothered me, but the additional comfort would have been nice.
Sabs says
11/05/2017 at 19:34I must admit that as nice as the train ride was, I would have really appreciated the privacy of a private cabin.
John says
10/05/2017 at 19:10Sounds like a fun train ride. Shame that there were not premier cabins for your trip, but it sounds like the economy was still pretty nice. I don’t know if I could sleep with all of those people getting on and off though.
Sabs says
11/05/2017 at 19:33I am a very light sleeper, so if you are not it may not be that bad for you!
Danijela WorldGlimpses says
11/05/2017 at 11:08Oh, such a lovely experience you’ve had. Without the shower, true, but still one nice, clean sleepover. 🙂 And such a shame that the train doesn’t exist any more, it sounds like it really was one good line!
Sabs says
11/05/2017 at 19:31It was a pretty cool experience, just a pity more people won’t get to experience it now.
FLAMINGO Krishan says
11/05/2017 at 16:42Hi
Again, I am here. Thanks for your wonderful sharing and discussion. Your opinion and idea really very great. Thanks for your suggestion. Keep on good work. All the very best to you further ahead.
Cheers!!!
Krishan Kargwal
http://www.flamingotravel.in
Sabs says
14/05/2017 at 13:11Thank you!
oursweetadventures says
13/05/2017 at 05:47We did a few overnight trains while in Europe and we enjoyed them a lot and found them quite convenient as well. One time we did the bunk beds and another we did the reclining chairs. Both options were ok but the private cabin with bathroom would be very nice!
Sabs says
13/05/2017 at 15:47I would love to try the night trains in Europe!
Daniela || Ipanema travels to says
13/05/2017 at 16:39Oh, I never travelled in a night train. It makes me now jealous. I would do it even without the shower 🙂
Sabs says
14/05/2017 at 13:07There are still other night trains in Europe you can try!
Stephanie Fox says
15/05/2017 at 15:37Such a shame that you can no longer do this as it sounds ideal, waking up in a new place! The bunk beds dont look too bad, but I’d have been so disappointed too at the lack of shower! At least it didnt spoil your trip 🙂
Sabs says
20/05/2017 at 13:22I think it is important that we remain flexible when traveling, otherwise we will ruin our own experiences by being too rigid!
Stefinia says
04/06/2017 at 15:02That is sad news indeed… why did they cancel the night train between Kuala Lumpur to Singapore?… The economy class looks comfortable too… like you said its a great feeling sleeping in one country and waking up in the morning at another country and definitely saves time as well!!
Sabs says
06/06/2017 at 21:22I have no idea why they decided to cancel the night train. Would love to know!
David says
22/05/2018 at 11:18The bunk beds look comfy. The lack of shower would have been disappointing.
Sabs says
22/05/2018 at 21:15The bunk beds were quite comfortable. I would actually not mind doing a similar train trip again. But, yes, a shower would have been nice.