Rapid Ferry (formerly Penang Ferry)

RapidFerry, the Penang ferry service (1 May 2015)


Penang Ferry, now known as Rapid Ferry, is the ferry service between Pengkalan Raja Tun Uda in George Town, on Penang Island and Pengkalan Sultan Abdul Halim in Butterworth on the Penang Mainland.

Until the Penang Bridge was opened to the public in 1985, this was the main connection for people to go between across the channel. At its narrowest, the channel is only 3.2 kilometers across.

Updates on the Penang Ferry Service

21 December 2021
The Star reports that the Penang ferry service will get a RM100 million makeover with four new ferries at a cost of RM16 million each, to be in service by mid-2023. Another RM30 million will be spent to upgrade Raja Tun Uda Terminal in George Town and Sultan Abdul Halim Terminal in Butterworth.

According to Penang Port Sdn Bhd chief executive office Datuk Sasedharan Vasudevan, the entire ferry terminal areas will be transformed into a vibrant public transport hub with retail outlets, hawker stalls and a business centre. The waiting area will feature amenities as found in airports, with air-conditioning, wifi, phone charging docks, passenger lifts, and universal access for the disabled.

The new ferry boats can take 250 passengers, including two wheelers. Each ferry will be 35 meters long, which is smaller than the old ferry, which is 55 meters. Dutch company Damen Shipyards Group won the tender to build these ferries.

Penang Port New Ferry Operations
© Penang Port.

Updates on Penang Ferry Service

30 March 2022
The Star reports that the ferry terminal upgrading project is on course. As of March, 60% of the upgrading works have been completed, and the project is expected to be wrapped up by August. The waiting areas would be carpeted, air-conditioned, and equiped with wifi. Facilities would be similar to an airport terminal.

21 December 2021
The Star reports that the Penang ferry service will see a RM100 million makeover, including the arrival of a fleet of four new ferries costing RM16 million each.

29 Dec 2020
The Star reports that fast ferry boats are employed as a temporary measure to ferry passengers across the channel, between the Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal and Pangkalan Sultan Abdul Halim, which the ferry terminals are refitted for high-tech water buses and vehicular ferries.

23 August, 2019
The Star reports that Transport Minister Anthony Loke giving a commitment that the systems upgrade for the Penang ferry service will begin in 2020. It would be undertaken by Prasarana Malaysia Berhad, the owner and operator, and would include the introduction of catamarans as well as tourist ferry services.

1 May, 2018 The Star reports that Rapid Ferry takes over the Penang ferry services on this day. With that, the ferry services was given the name Rapid Ferry. Rapid Ferry Sdn Bhd is a public transportation company under Prasarana Malaysia Bhd. It took over the Penang ferry services' assets and operations from Penang Port Commission (PPC). The ferry service has been operated by Penang Port Sdn Bhd since the corporatisation of Penang Port in January, 1994. Withy the takeover, the two ferry terminals would likewise be leased to Rapid Ferry. Penang Port Commission remains the port authority and would oversee the activities and operations of Rapid Ferry.

6 May, 2015 The Star reports that the state government is planning multiple ferry terminals on Penang Island following the willingness of the Penang Port Commission (PPC) to hand over ferry services to the state government. The plan is to build ferry terminals at other parts of Penang Island so that there could be ferry services between Butterworth and George Town, Gurney Drive, Gelugor and Bayan Mutiara near Queensbay Mall. The plan is to have high-speed passenger-only ferries as well as those that can also transport vehicles, as contained in the Transport Master Plan. According to the report, the Penang Chief Minister had also asked for the permit to buy another 30 ferryboats to be used in providing the additional services.

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History of the Penang Ferry Service

I have come across a number of websites/blogs claiming that the Penang Ferry services began in 1920 or in the 1920's. That's not exactly correct. Vehicular ferry services began at the end of 1925, but passenger and goods ferry services began much earlier. It was started by two Chinese brothers - the Beng Brothers - in 1894. During that time, the two present ferry jetties have not been built yet.

A Penang Ferry with Komtar in the background (22 October 2006)


The Beng Brothers used boats to transport people and goods between Fort Pier and Mitchell's Pier. Neither of these piers are still standing today. The Fort Pier, also called Kedah Pier, is located off Fort Cornwallis, beside present-day King Edward Place while Mitchell's Pier, also called Bagan Tuan Kechil Pier, is somewhere around present-day North Butterworth Container Terminal.

The Penang Harbour Board, the predecessor of Penang Port, took over the management of the ferry services in 1924, and by the end of the following year introduced services for vehicles. In the beginning, the ferry used Church Street Ghaut Wharf, which was later demolished, and replaced by the Church Street Pier, which is restored and still standing today. In the old days, the Church Street Pier only had a simple metal roof, it is nothing like what it is today.

Boarding the Penang Ferry (1 May 2015)


Passenger deck, Penang Ferry (22 October 2006)


In addition to the Penang Harbour Board ferry services, the Federated Malay States (F.M.S.) Railway also ran its own ferry services, exclusively for the use of train passengers. The F.M.S. Pier was built in 1901, four years before the Federated Malay States Railway Station was built. It juts out of Weld Quay, across the road from the F.M.S.R. building. At 644 feet (196 meters) in length, it is the longest pier on Weld Quay.

Most of the ferries plying the channel today were built in the mid-1970s. There are two types, one with the lower deck for vehicles and the upper deck for passengers, while the other have both decks for vehicles. They are all given names of islands. Pulau Angsa (1981), Pulau Rawa (1975), Pulau Talang Talang (1975) and Pulau Undan (1975) have an upper deck for passengers while the lower deck is for vehicles. Pulau Kapas (1981), Pulau Payar (2002), Pulau Pinang (2002) and Pulau Rimau (1980) have both the upper and lower decks for vehicles.

Ferry vehicular deck (29 January 2009)

Ferry Schedule

Ferry services no longer run 24-hours today. The first ferry from George Town leaves at 6:28 am and from Butterworth at 6:16 am. The last ferry from George Town leaves at 1:00 am and from Butterworth at 12:40 am. Depending on time of day, there is a ferry every 10-20 minutes.

Fare

You are charged only for trips from Butterworth to George Town. The fare is RM1.20 for adults and RM0.60 for children aged 5-12. School children in uniform likewise pay RM0.60 while the disabled carried a disabled-person IC ride for free.

Vehicular ramps at Pengkalan Raja Tun Uda (22 October 2006)

Ferry or Bridge?

If you are driving to Penang, the Penang Bridge gets you in much faster regardless the time of day. During rush hours, both the bridge and the ferry will be congested, but it is usually worse with the ferry, and it connects with the commercial part of George Town. During rush hours, waiting time for vehicles to board a ferry can be over half an hour, making it not the most practical choice if you are driving in or out of Penang Island.

The fare for vehicles is also not that attractive. At RM7.70, it is 10% higher than the bridge toll. Moreover, the ferry does not accept Touch 'N Go smart cards (which further reduces bridge toll for the card users to RM5.60).

Pulau Payar, one of the ferryboats of RapidFerry (29 January 2005)

Reference

List of Ferry Services in Malaysia

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