Sightseeing with CAT

CAT stands for Central Area Transit. It is the free shuttle bus that loops around the inner city of George Town, passing many important sights. The CAT Route is ideal for sightseeing the Inner City of George Town, and it's free! The route covers sights within the George Town UNESCO World Heritage Site, including the Central Business District of Beach Street, civic district of Light Street, traditional shopping street of Penang Road and the heritage sights along and off Pitt Street. View Penang: MPPP Rapid Penang CAT Free Shuttle Bus Service in a larger map

CAT Free Shuttle Bus Sightseeing Itinerary

Your sightseeing tour with the Rapid Penang CAT Free Shuttle Bus starts at the Weld Quay Ferry & Bus Terminal.

As the bus starts to move, look to your left. You will see the clan jetties.

The first junction is at Chulia Street Ghaut. The bus turns right and go a short distance up Chulia Street Ghaut. Then it turns right again, at Victoria Street (Lebuh Victoria). Look out for Yeoh Kongsi, a small clan temple, on your left, at the junction.

At the next junction, the bus turns left and go up China Street Ghaut. Look to your right. You see old warehouses attached to George Town Dispensary. As the bus reaches the junction with Beach Street, look to your left for the Ban Hin Lee Bank Building, one of the earliest buildings to be designed by a local architect. The bus turns right and go along Beach Street. This is George Town's Central Business District. There are bank buildings on both sides. They pass in quick succession.

The bus will probably make a stop in front of the Standard Chartered Bank Building, near the police station. Watch for the Queen Victoria Clocktower in front of you. As the bus makes a turn into Light Street, watch for Fort Cornwallis on your right, and the State Assembly Building on your left. Next, you see Padang Kota Lama parade field on your right, followed by the stately City Hall and Town Hall.


The bus next turns left and go down Pitt Street. Look for the Penang Supreme Court building on your right. The bus makes a right turn into Farquhar Street. Turn to your left to see the St George's Anglican Church. You might want to disembark here if you wish to visit the Penang State Museum, a short distance after the church. Other sights here includes the Church of the Assumption, St Xavier's Institution and Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion.

As the bus turns left into Penang Road, look to your right to see Segara Ninda, a Malay heritage house turned budget hotel. Penang Road and adjacent Campbell Street were the main shopping streets of George Town in the 1970's, though today it is a little past its prime. Look out for Central Police Headquarters complex to your right. If you want to taste the best cendol in Penang, get off the bus here, and walk up to Keng Kwee Street.

The bus turns left and go down Prangin Road. Look to your right to see Komtar. The bus now turns right and go along Jalan Ria and enters Komtar. Here the bus makes a stop at the Komtar Bus Terminal. It then emerges on the other side of the mammoth complex at Magazine Road.

The bus turns right at Magazine Circus (which is not a roundabout anymore) and enters Penang Road again. Look to your left for Ong Kongsi, another clan temple.

The bus next turns left to Burmah Road. A short distance it turns right down Transfer Road. At the next traffic light, it turns right again, down Hutton Lane. Hutton Lane is the location for first and original Eden restaurant, which now has outlets all over Malaysia. However, the food at the original Eden is not as good as it used to be.

The bus now turns right into Penang Road again. If the sights seem familiar, it's because you've passed it earlier. Now it turns left into Prangin Road again. Instead of turning right into Jalan Ria one more time, this time it goes straight along Prangin Road. Look out for Prangin Mall, the biggest shopping mall in the Inner City. At the next junction, the bus turns left into Carnarvon Street. There used to be lots of coffin shops and book shops along this street, but the majority has closed down.

The bus turns right to Kampung Kolam. Then it turns left to Pitt Street again. We are entering the Muslim quarters of George Town. Look at the buildings. They look like something out of South India. You might want to get off the bus here, if you wish to explore the heritage sites. Otherwise stay on the bus and see the Kapitan Keling Mosque and the Goddess of Mercy Temple pass by.

The bus turns left down Farquhar Street again, and once more you see the St George's Church and Penang State Museum on your left, and the Penang Supreme Court on your right. As the bus re-enters Light Street, look out for the Logan Memorial and Dewan Sri Penang on your left.

Again we pass by Padang Kota Lama and at the roundabout, the Queen Victoria Clock Tower, both on your left. The bus goes down Beach Street a short distance (see the Islamic Council Building on your left), then turns left down Downing Street. HSBC and Bangunan Tuanku Syed Putra are on your right.

At the next junction, the bus turns right and reenters Weld Quay, on its way back to the Weld Quay Ferry & Bus Terminal.

Disclaimer

The information provided here is accurate at time of writing, and may have been updated by the bus service provider without the author's knowledge. Please use the information as guidance and check with Rapid Penang at their information kiosks for the latest route details. The author endeavours to update the information on this page from time to time, but regrets any inaccuracies if there be any.

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