There are 2 ways to get around Penang Island- use grab or the rapidPenang bus .
I took the rapid penang bus all the time and that the best deal- clean and aircon. Bring lots of ringgit bills to pay for the fares but I decided to buy the weekly pass with is only $30 ringgit and can go anywhere and anytime….so convenient
Best place to take the bus is at the Jetty Bus station- nice and clean and has all the schedules. You can take the tourist bus which is free- the Cat bus
CAT Free Bus
- CAT George Town Loop 1 (CT1) is a free bus service that makes a loop within the inner city of George Town.
- CAT Air Itam (CT 1A & 1B) is a free bus service in Paya Terubong and Air Itam. It moves in a loop, with CAT Air Itam A going in a clockwise direction and CAT Air Itam B in the anti-clockwise.
- CAT Bukit Mertajam (CT2) is a free feeder bus route that forms a loop starting and terminating at the Bukit Mertajam Bus Terminal.
- CAT Balik Pulau (CT3) is a free feeder bus route that forms a loop starting and terminating at the Balik Pulau Bus Terminal.
- CAT Nibong Tebal (CT4) is a free feeder bus route that forms a loop starting and terminating at the Nibong Tebal Bus Hub.
- CAT Tanjung Tokong (CT5) is a free feeder bus route that plies a route between Pulau Tikus and Tanjung Tokong.
- CAT Batu Kawan (CT6) is a free feeder bus route between the Design Village Bus Hub and Simpang Ampang Railway Station.
- CAT George Town Loop 2 (CT7) is a free feeder bus service that makes a few loops outside the inner city of George Town.
- CAT Bertam (CT8) is a free feeder bus route in Kepala Batas.
- CAT Bayan Baru (CT9) is a free feeder bus service in the Bayan Baru township.
- CAT Alma (CT10) is a free feeder bus service in Alma, Bukit Mertajam.
- CAT Sungai Dua-USM (CT11) is a free feeder bus service in Sungai Dua.
- CAT Seberang Jaya (CT12) is a free feeder bus service in Seberang Jaya.
- CAT Nibong Tebal (CT4) is a free feeder bus route that forms a loop starting and terminating at the Nibong Tebal Bus Hub.
- CAT Tanjung Tokong (CT5) is a free feeder bus route that plies a route between Pulau Tikus and Tanjung Tokong.
- CAT Batu Kawan (CT6) is a free feeder bus route between the Design Village Bus Hub and Simpang Ampang Railway Station.
- CAT George Town Loop 2 (CT7) is a free feeder bus service that makes a few loops outside the inner city of George Town.
- CAT Bertam (CT8) is a free feeder bus route in Kepala Batas.
- CAT Bayan Baru (CT9) is a free feeder bus service in the Bayan Baru township.
- CAT Alma (CT10) is a free feeder bus service in Alma, Bukit Mertajam.
- CAT Sungai Dua-USM (CT11) is a free feeder bus service in Sungai Dua.
- CAT Seberang Jaya (CT12) is a free feeder bus service in Seberang Jaya.
- Rapid Penang Routes
- On this page, I provide a general idea of each bus route. To know more about the route, click on the link, to get more information about the route, along with detailed maps of the route.
Pulau Tikus Free Shuttle Bus: This was the second free shuttle bus in Penang. It has since been replaced by CT5.- EB80: Intercity bus service from Penang Sentral in Butterworth to Parit Buntar in Perak.
- Penang Sentral-Sungai Petani Bus: Bus service from Penang Sentral in Butterworth to Sungai Petani in Kedah.
- AT: Airport Transit
This is a bus service between the Weld Quay Bus Terminal and the Penang International Airport. - BEST: Bridge Express Shuttle Transit
This is a park-and-ride bus service between Seberang Perai and Bayan Lepas. It is intended for transporting commuters to work at the Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone. From 20 July, 2015, commuters pay a fee of RM50 per month for using this service. - Bus 10: Jetty to Botanic Gardens
Bus 10 takes you across George Town, from the Jetty to the Botanic Gardens. Along the way, you pass through the city centre and makes a detour to the Gurney Roundabout (so, you can take it to Gurney Drive). - Bus 11: Jetty to Jalan Tan Sri Teh Ewe Lim
Bus 11 is a city route that is used mostly by locals commuting to work. It connects the Jetty to the densely populated suburbs of George Town such as Dato Kramat, Jelutong and Green Lane. - Bus 12: Jetty to Bandar Sri Pinang
Bus 12 is a city route covering the densely populated southern coastal suburbs of George Town, such as Macallum Street Ghaut and Bandar Sri Pinang. - Bus 13: Lotus’s Penang to Paya Terubong
Bus 13 is a suburb route covering the densely populated townships on the outskirts of George Town. - Bus 101: Jetty to Teluk Bahang
Bus 101 covers the northern coast of Penang Island. From the Jetty, it passes through the northern suburb of Pulau Tikus before continuing to Tanjong Tokong, Tanjung Bungah, Batu Ferringhi and Teluk Bahang, all the way gate of the Penang National Park. If you are visiting the beaches of the north coast, this is the route to take. - Bus 102: Penang International Airport to Teluk Bahang
Bus 102 starts at the Penang International Airport and ends at the Teluk Bahang roundabout. This is the ideal bus for tourists who book their accommodation at the north coast beach hotels. For the convenience of tourists, the bus also makes stops at the Sungai Nibong Express Bus Terminal (where you can take long-distance buses to other states) and the Komtar Bus Interchange. - Bus 103: Komtar to Bagan Jermal
Bus 103 is a city route covering the northern suburbs of George Town, from Komtar in the city centre to Bagan Jermal and back, passing through Pulau Tikus. - Bus 104: Tanjung Bungah to Komtar via Northam Road
Bus 104 connects the city centre with the northern residential suburb of Tanjung Bungah. Parts of its route overlaps that of 101, the difference being, Bus 104 enters the minor roads of Tanjung Bungah (and go no further than that), while Bus 101 stays on the main road (and goes all the way to Teluk Bahang). - Bus 200: Jetty to Penang State Mosque
Bus 200 is a commuter bus route used mostly by the locals. It connects the Jetty to the Penang State Mosque, where George Town meets Ayer Itam. - Bus 201: Jetty to Paya Terubong via Air Itam
Bus 201 is a commuter bus route used mostly by the locals. It connects the Jetty to the working class neighbourhoods of Air Itam and Paya Terubong, in the heart of Penang Island. - Bus 202: Jetty to Paya Terubong via Farlim
Bus 202 is a commuter bus route used mostly by the locals. It is similar to Bus 201, except that, it goes through Farlim instead of Air Itam Village. - Bus 203: Jetty to Air Itam via Farlim
Bus 203 is a commuter bus route used mostly by the locals. It passes through both Farlim and Air Itam Village (which buses 201 and 202 don’t). - Bus 204: Jetty to Penang Hill Lower Station
Bus 204 starts at the Jetty and ends at the Penang Hill Lower Station roundabout. This is the bus to take if you are on your way up Penang Hill. - Bus 206: Lotus’s Penang to Jetty
Bus 206 bridges the central and southern suburbs of George Town. It passes the densely populated Jelutong and Green Lane suburbs to end at Lotus’s Penang in Gelugor. - Bus 301: Jetty to Relau via Sungai Dua
Bus 301 serves the south-central neighbourhoods of Penang Island. It starts at the Jetty and ends at the fast-developing suburb of Relau. - Bus 302: Jetty to Batu Maung via Bukit Gambir
Bus 302 covers the eastern seaboard of Penang Island. This rather lengthy route passes through the fast-developing suburbs of Relau, Sungai Ara and Bayan Lepas, within sight of the airport but doesn’t stop there. - Bus 303: Jetty to Bukit Gedung
Bus 303 also covers the eastern seaboard of Penang Island, but takes on a different and slightly shorter route to Bus 302. It passes through Bayan Baru and end at the working-class neighbourhood of Bukit Gedung. - Bus 304: Bukit Gedung to Gurney Drive
Bus 304 goes from Bukit Gedung to Gurney Drive, linking the southern neighbourhoods of George Town with the shopping and food precinct of Gurney Drive. - Bus 305: Sungai Nibong to Teluk Tempoyak via Batu Maung
- Bus 306: Penang International Airport to Penang General Hospital
- Bus 307: Jetty to Batu Maung via Bayan Baru
- Bus 308: Sungai Nibong to Gertak Sanggul
Bus 309: Bukit Gedung to Queensbay Mall: Presently non operational route.- Bus 401: Jetty to Balik Pulau via Bayan Baru
- Bus 401E: Jetty to Balik Pulau via Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway
- Bus 403: Balik Pulau loop
- Bus 404: Balik Pulau to Pantai Aceh
- Bus 501: Balik Pulau to Teluk Bahang
- Bus 502: Pekan Genting to Jetty
- Bus 601: Butterworth to Kepala Batas
- Bus 602: Butterworth to Tasek Gelugor
- Bus 603: Butterworth to Kuala Muda
- Bus 604: Butterworth to Taman Desa Murni
- Bus 604A: Sungai Dua (Mainland) to Kepala Batas
- Bus 605: Butterworth to Permatang Tok Gelam
- Bus 606: Penaga to Bukit Mertajam
- Bus 608: Butterworth to Penaga
- Bus 610: Kepala Batas to Tasek Gelugor
- Bus 701: Butterworth to Bukit Mertajam via Jalan Baru
- Bus 702: Butterworth to Bukit Mertajam via Permatang Pauh
- Bus 703: Butterworth to Seberang Jaya
- Bus 707: Taman Pelangi to Bukit Mertajam
- Bus 708: Bukit Mertajam to Junjong, Kedah
- Bus 709: Butterworth to Machang Bubuk
- Bus 801: Butterworth to Nibong Tebal
- Bus 802: Bukit Mertajam to Nibong Tebal
- Bus 803: Nibong Tebal loop
- Bus 804: Nibong Tebal to Paris Buntar, Perak