KembaraGD: Part 1 (Hat Yai, Thailand - 21st to 22nd February 2014)

Khamis, 13 Mac 2014

Part 1 (Hat Yai, Thailand - 21st to 22nd February 2014) - Journey to Padang Besar.

If want to see:

Part 2,
itinerary.

Jika ingin membaca dalam Bahasa Melayu:

(Please refer new schedule for KTM Intercity & KTM ETS at KTMB website, because the schedule has changed begin October 2015, thank you).

21/02/2014 (Friday)

A journey without planning, just to release stress. To ride KTM InterCity train to Padang Besar, Perlis and further to Hat Yai, Thailand. After thinking about it, decide to do it, then on 10:30 am just take my scooter went to KL Sentral to buy ticket to Padang Besar (Train 20 Senandung Langkawi) for that night trip at 2130 (9:30 pm). Initially plan to buy economy class fare (normal RM24, after discount 25% KTM iCard Tiger Card become RM19 only) but has already finished. So bought seated 2nd class (normal RM44, after discount RM35). Also bought back to KL ticket on the next day (Train 21 Senandung Langkawi, please refer graphic below).

KL Sentral to Padang Besar KTM InterCity train ticket.

Padang Besar to KL Sentral KTM InterCity train ticket.

Actually it can be bought online, but discount card only can be used at the KTM's counters.

KTM Tiger iCard Discount Card.

My tip, let become member of KTM Tiger iCard Discount Card (for Malaysian only, for Singaporean there is KTM Lion iCard Discount Card, same privilege but different price (SGD$25 is not mistaken). With only RM20 per year, you can get discount of 25% on your KTM InterCity & KTM ETS fare (not your ticket, calculation is below). But the discount not include KTM Komuter. So return seated 2nd class tickets from KL to Hat Yai will break even your yearly fee.

Discount calculation is like this: if ticket from KL Sentral to Padang Besar, normal price for seated 2nd class is RM44 (which is RM36 for fare + RM8 for fixed additional charge*). So ticket price after 25% discount is RM 35 (which 25% from normal fare (RM36 - 25% (RM9) ) RM27 + RM8 for fixed additional charge).

* Fixed additional charge rate are as below:

RM4 for seated economy class;

RM8 for seated 2nd class;

RM14 for below sleep berth 2nd class;

RM20 for above sleep berth 2nd class;

RM8 for seated 1st class;

RM21 for below sleep berth 1st class;

RM30 for above sleep berth 1st class;

So do not confuse with 25% discount, it not on ticket but on fare. So for Padang Besar - Hat Yai case, normal price is RM13, but after discount is RM12 (not RM10 if discount be counted on ticket price)... Remember above formula.

One more, KTM's trains tickets should be rounded to next Ringgit (no cent if buy the ticket from KTM's counter).

Then I went to Low Yat Plaza to buy power bank, because it a long journey... I need to use my iPhone5 to take picture (sorry for easy, simple and safety, I do not use DSLR camera for backpacking), to write blog draft and other things, just to make sure the iPhone5's battery life can support along the journey. While at Low Yat, just remember, if I already bought 2nd class ticket, why don't I buy directly to Hat Yai???

Pineng's power bank 11200 mAh

After bought a power bank Pineng brand for capacity of 11200 mAh for RM99 after discount, I quickly went back to KL Sentral, but unfortunately, the Padang Besar - Hat Yai ticket had been locked by system (because of short distance journey) and can not be bought. The clerk said that I should try to buy at night, just before the train will be departed from KL Sentral. If I cancel my current ticket then change to KL Sentral to Hat Yai, it will cost me more. It a gamble, crossed finger, hopefully the ticket will there. What is in my mind when I bought the KL - Padang Besar ticket, may on my mind set, still want to buy economy class which is only to Padang Besar only... What sso ever, actually I already lost about RM11 one way journey (RM22 if on return journey), maybe got some hikmah (lesson) to my in future.

Back to home for Friday's Prayer, then packed up my bag, among things that will bring together:
1. Bag Pack Deuter Futura 28 liter;

2. Passport;

3. Thai money (Baht) - around ฿ 422 (422 Baht) which I kept from previous trip;

4. Prayer mat & ablution spray bottle (it a must, since become a haji);
5. 5 gang extention (just to standby);

6. Travel blanker, air pillow & eyes cover (in the train, light can not be switched off, hehehe);

7. Power bank & cabels;

8. Plug adapter (Thai plug socket is different from Malaysia);

9. Some cloths, slipper & towel;

10. Toiletries & plastic bags;

11. Sweets, crackers & waters.

I need to go KL Sentral early because Padang Besar-Hat Yai return ticket has not be bought yet. I just rode by motorcycle after Maghrib & parked there, because I will back to KL Sentral at the end of journey.

Park your motorcycle (I borrow my wife kapcai (which is low powered motorcycle, my wife just 100cc) at KL Sentral is so easy, just near to station & the most important, free of charge, especially at temporary motorcycle parking (but it look like permanent parking to me) at road side Arrival Hall of ERL (which area got RHB Bank, Starbucks, Subway, Kenny Roger's Roaster & Secret Recipe). But it is an open area and disclose to wheather. Actually at KL Sentral have two more motorcycle parking, one at in front of MIDA, SSM & Axiata buildings (after a slip road to Bukit Persekutuan (Federal Hill)/Muzium Negara (National Museum)/Jalan Mahameru, opposite of ex Jalan Travers Police Station). But have to pay RM1.00 only but still an outdoor parking. One more option is at parking area under Suasana Sentral (near the food court). Indoor and free of charge, but remote & quite place. So the choice is yours, or just use the public transport or if drive a car, part at parking area (last choice).

Alhamdulillah I managed to buy Padang Besar to Hat Yai ticket but Hat Yai to Padang Besar need to buy at Padang Besar or Hat Yai because it is short journey trip and less 24 hour from the time, the systems still lock it, it can not be bought at KL Sentral but can be bought at either stations. I just think to buy at Hat Yai (just want to have Thai's ticket for souvenir.

Padang Besar to Hat Yai KTM InterCity train ticket.

I have my mass Isyak prayer at KL Sentral musholla (prayer room) on 20:45 (8:45 pm) and then straightly go to Departure Gate A (on 21:00 / 9:00 pm) for departure. There are a lot of people. The gate was opened on 21:15 (9:15 pm) and on 21:35 (9:35 PM) (train should be move on 21:30 (9:30 pm) Senandung Langkawi train moved leaving KL Sentral.

At Departure Gate A in KL Sentral.

On the seat in the train.

Seat picture.

Coach picture

Journey map.

22/02/2014 (Saturday)

Train 20 Senandung Langkawi is the only direct train trip to Hat Yai from KL and it also a night trip, so better get sleep to get rest for next day journey. In additional, there not so much we can see in night. But, as usual, like normal conventional train journey, your sleep will not not comfortable especially if you sit on seat. There are many stations where the train will stop over (not so much as past). What I can confirmed, the train was stopped at i Bagan Serai at 04:00 (4:00 am) because of a quite long stopover. Also a stopover at Bukit Mertajam (BM) for the first time at 05:00 (5:00 am). It still on time if refer to train time table. For the information, Senandung Langkawi train will stopover at BM twice, because at first, it will go to Butterworth (track to Butterworth is not on main track but on branch track), then it will back to BM to main track further to Padang Besar. At 05:35 (5:35 am) the train arrived at Butterworth, I went out from the train for a while, because it make a long stopover (about 1/2 an hour). The station is very different than before, about 5 years ago, the station was just a small station with wooden building but now it abou 6 times bigger, after double track being executed, many stations renovated as bigger and more modern station. Alhamdulillah.

While the train back to BM, azan been heard from my iPhone5 on 06:20 (6:20 am), so I performed my Fajar solat as solat on seated on train, bus or aeroplane (insya Allah, I will share to you how to do it in special posting). Abolition (wuduk) also I used spray bottle (also I will share in a special posting), no ned to be wet.

The journey was carried on, BM, Sungai Petani (both were still in dark when the train arrived). At 07:30 (7:30 am) the train arrived at Gurun, first station when the surrounding already bright. Very scenic view of Jerai Mountain. The station also quite modern than before (even has not fully finished yet). Sorry, forgot to take picture of Jerai Mountain because at the time, the iPhone5 was been charged. But, at this section of track, there was still single track (only at Gurun section).

At 08:00 (8 am) the train arrived at Alor Setar. The old station looked lower than the new station. At least, the old one has not be demolished, alhamdulillah.

At 09:00 (9 am) Arau was the stopover. I can saw Perlis State Mosque and Arau Palace from the train. Scene of paddy field from Gurun to Bukit Keteri (after Arau and just before Padang Besar) very beautiful. Thanks to Allah...Subhanallah, alhamdulillah, Allahu akbar.

View of uniquely Perlis also very interesting. I think no need to write here, let videos below become the witness. Even I feel like autumn season in four seasons country, after saw organised rubber estate, some of the trees got brownish leaves and some other do not have even one!!!

At 09:25 (9:25 am) finally the train arrived at Padang Besar station. Need to out from train to do immigration & custom procedure. Directly went to Malaysian Immigration counter, my passport been scanned (as usual), but I asked to immigration officer to stamp my passport (with is not usual for Malaysian passport in Malaysian Immigration, normally passport just be scanned only), as for my memoir (as my passport still have 28 empty pages & will be expired in 10 months).

Just finished on Malaysian side, now to Thailand side, not far, only about 10 meters. But, as other Thai bureaucracy, as I enter to Thailand using passport, the officer direct me and other passanger (with hard voice) to fill Arrival/Departure Form first but do not prepared the form on the place where the form should be on, the need to ask to him for the form. It not the problem but after immigrarion procedur settled, he just throwed the passport. No menace!!! Here I want to remember, the portion of Departure Form will return to you, and should be kept as when we will out from Thailand, there will not be problem (if this piece of paper lost, you are in big trouble). Alhamdulillah at Padang Besar (also at Khuan Don/Wang Prachan (Wang Klian,Perlis), (Sungai Kolok (Rantau Panjang, Kelantan) & Tak Bai (Pengkalan Kubor, Kelantan)) this portion will be stapled together, but on my experience at Sadao/Dan Nok (Bukit Kayu Hitam, Kedah), there was not. So, please keep it savely as well as your passport.

After that, there were a women with hijab (Siamese), maybe she is regular here, offer to us to be our money changer to change our RM (Malaysian Ringgit) to ฿ (Thai Baht). I asked how much do I get if I want to change RM100? She showed her calculator the number of 970. That mean RM100 will get 970. It a better rate that at KL Sentral, which I surveyed before departed from KL, which rate was RM100 to ฿ 945. But, the best I ever got was at Padang Besar town on Thailand side when my 2014 Chinese New Year trip on 02th February 2014 ago, which I got ฿ 982 bagi RM100. At last, I change RM50 to get ฿ 490 (got profit ฿ 5, hehehe, it just a value of Malaysian 50 sen)...

My stomach already "singing", just remember I do not have my breakfast, so I went up to upstair to eat rice with beef and plain water. Ohh, very cheap, just only RM4.50 je. Normally price of food at train station quite higher than other place.

Once in Malaysia area...

Once in Thailand area...

As I and other passanger waited the train to enter to Thailand, on next platform, Train 35 International Express (operate by ROT on KTM's track on Malaysia side) from Bangkok to Butterworth arrived.

Just take Padang Besar, Perlis, Malaysia & Padang Besar CIQS Complex (Malaysia) town pictures from the station.

At the first, I think to buy return to Padang Besar from Hat Yai ticket for that afternoon trip at this Padang Besar station, but 1. I did not found the ticket counter (it is my first time at this train station) and 2. some people say (while waiting train to enter Thailand), Thailand ticket price is cheaper. OK... Better buy at Hat Yai...