Penang Sentral

Penang Sentral (11 December 2017)

Penang Sentral (GPS: 5.39548, 100.36511) is the main transportation hub for Penang State as well as northern Peninsular Malaysia. It is located in Butterworth, Seberang Perai. It went into operation on Thursday, 22 November, 2018, as the hub for rail, intercity/express bus, stage bus, taxi, Grab and sea transportation.

My wife and I at Penang Sentral (28 November 2018)

Layout of Penang Sentral

Penang Sentral is a 9-storey building. Level 1 (ground floor) is the bus terminus. It is separated into two parts. The west side is for stage buses (Rapid Penang), while the east side is for intercity/express buses. The two parts are separated by a wall.

Stage Bus Terminus (Level 1, West Side)

Stage bus terminus at Penang Sentral (28 November 2018)

Commuters at the Rapid Penang stage bus terminus at Penang Sentral (28 November 2018)

Rapid Penang stage buses at Penang Sentral (28 November 2018)

Passengers at the stage bus terminus at Penang Sentral (28 November 2018)

Rapid Penang stage bus at Penang Sentral (28 November 2018)

Timetable at stage bus terminus, Penang Sentral (28 November 2018)

Escalators to level 2, Penang Sentral (28 November 2018)

Intercity/Express Bus Terminus (Level 1, East Side)

InterCity/Express Bus Terminus, Penang Sentral (28 November 2018)

On Level 2, the online Bus Ticketing Counter is on the east side while Taxi Services is on the west side. In between the two ends are shops, the Information Counter, as well as the linkway to Rapid Ferry.

Bus Ticketing Counter, Penang Sentral (28 November 2018)

Information Counter, Penang Sentral (28 November 2018)

Level 2 atrium, Penang Sentral (28 November 2018)

Shopping arcade, Penang Sentral (28 November 2018)

Bakery, Penang Sentral (28 November 2018)

Escalators connecting Levels 1 and 2 at Penang Sentral (28 November 2018)

Linkway to Rapid Ferry, Level 2

Passengers emerging from the linkway to Pangkalan Sultan Abdul Halim Rapid Ferry Terminal (28 November 2018)

Linkway to Pangkalan Sultan Abdul Halim Rapid Ferry Terminal (28 November 2018)

Directional sign to Penang Sentral (28 November 2018)

Entrance to Penang Sentral from Rapid Ferry Linkway (28 November 2018)

Taxi Services, Level 2

Taxi Services is on the west end of Level 2. To take a taxi, first queue at the service counter, inform the clerk your destination, pay your fare, and you are given a coupon with which you proceed to the taxi stand to board your taxi. The Taxi Services counter is open 24 hours a day.

Taxi Services, Penang Sentral (28 November 2018)

Taxi Services hall, Penang Sentral (28 November 2018)

Taxi coupon counter (left) and claims counter (right), Penang Sentral (28 November 2018)

Door to Taxi stand, Penang Sentral (28 November 2018)

Taxi stand, Penang Sentral (28 November 2018)

Level 3 of Penang Sentral has its main entrance, which is the drop off area for passenger cars. No parking is allowed here. There are shops here, a food court called Makan Street and an open deck.

Main entrance and drop-off area to Penang Sentral at Level 3 (28 November 2018)

Drop-off area, level 3, Penang Sentral (28 November 2018)

Information counter, level 3, Penang Sentral (28 November 2018)

Makan Street is the food court at Penang Sentral. I personally find it to be quite small. There are stalls selling various local dishes.

Makan Street food court, level 3, Penang Sentral (28 November 2018)

Open Deck at Penang Sentral. From here, visitors can view the ferry terminal (28 November 2018)

One of the washrooms at Penang Sentral (28 November 2018)

A multi-storey car park occupies levels 5-8.

The multi-storey car park at Penang Sentral (28 November 2018)

How to go to Penang Sentral

By Bus
The Penang Sentral Bus Terminal is served by Rapid Penang bus 601, 602, 603, 604, 605, 608, 701, 702, 703, 709 and 801. If you are coming from the Weld Quay Ferry & Bus Terminal in George Town, you can take a ferry across.

By Ferry
Upon arriving at Pangkalan Sultan Abdul Halim, take the linkway to Penang Sentral. There is a signage showing its location.

By Car
You can drive up to the drop-off / pick-up main entrance of Penang Sentral on level 3, or to the car park on levels 5-9.

About Penang Sentral

Developed by Malaysia Resources Corporation Berhad (MRCB), Penang Sentral covers a 12.8-hectare plot of land in the Bagan Dalam neighbourhood of Butterworth. Penang Sentral replaces the Butterworth Bus Terminal and becomes the new home for Rapid Penang stage buses in Butterworth.

Penang Sentral is being touted as the "gateway to the Northern Corridor of Malaysia" by its developers, namely Koridor Utara, MRCB, Pelaburan Hartanah Berhad and Penang Sentral Sdn Bhd.

The whole development of Penang Sentral will cover an area of 12.8 hectares and will cost anywhere in the region of RM2.7 billion. The floor area of the complex is 6 million sqft (557,418 sq meters). The first phase, with a price tag of RM300 million, involves the construction of a new bus and taxi interchange connected to the railway station and ferry terminal.

Penang Sentral was unveiled in 2007 as part of the Northern Corridor Economic Region initiative by then prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. Although it was expected to be completed in 2011, that deadline came and went, and even today (2013), an interim terminal is located where the actual Penang Sentral should be. Land acquisition issues were the main factor delaying the project.

Updates on Penang Sentral

30 March 2024
Transport Minister Anthony Loke announced that the Cabinet has approved the construction of the Mutiara LRT Line, with its terminus at the Penang Sentral LRT Station (S0).

18 February, 2020
NST reports that Phase 2 of Penang Sentral is expected to go full swing next year. It entails the development of an office tower and a retail mall. The total project, which is expected to be completed in 10 to 12 years, will also include a business hotel, small office home office units and serviced apartments in future phases.

8 August, 2018

The Star reported that the first phase of Penang Sentral will be operational in October 2018. It took 11 years to complete just the first phase. 28 January, 2015
The Star reported Penang Federal Action Council chairman Datuk Zainal Abidin Osman saying that work on the stalled Penang Sentral transport hub project will resume the following month, and the terminal targeted for completion for the first quarter of 2017. It will be the largest integrated transport hub in the northern region.

20 February, 2014
It was reported in the New Straits Times that work on Penang Sentral was expected to begin by the fourth quarter of 2014. The project would be a joint-venture between MRCB (49%) and Pelaburan Hartanah Berhad (51%). Representatives of the two parties met with Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng at Komtar.

Penang Sentral (11 December 2017)

Temporary Transport Terminal, Penang Sentral (11 December 2017)

Passengers at the Temporary Transport Terminal, Penang Sentral. (11 December 2017)

Rapid Penang bus at the Temporary Transport Terminal, Penang Sentral. (11 December 2017)

Ticket office of the Temporary Transport Terminal, Penang Sentral. (11 December 2017)

Express bus kiosks at the ticket office of the Temporary Transport Terminal, Penang Sentral. (11 December 2017)

Penang Sentral is on the Map of Butterworth

Penang Sentral Bus Terminal (3 August 2013)

Temporary terminal for Penang Sentral (1 May 2015)

A Rapid Penang bus at Penang Sentral (3 August 2013)

List of Bus Terminals in Penang and Bus Terminals in Malaysia

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