From Singapore by Train

Singapore - Penang, August 25th 2011

This trip was part of my solo adventure crossing international borders of 5 countries in Southeast Asia by any means. I'm writing about the whole adventure on SEA Trip by Any Means. You can follow me there. "SEA" stands for "Southeast Asia" just like in "SEA Games". The term "by any means" I adopt from Nat Geo Adventure's program. "By any means" here means "by any mode of transportation." I know I haven't done anything in comparison to Charley Boorman's adventure. But, I did travel (not tour) by plane (inevitably), train, bus, car, boat...

Here's my story about the train journey from Singapore to Butterworth, and then to Penang by ferry. May you enjoy. You can click here for map details.

The Woodlands Checkpoint Station itself was quiet. I had prepared to have my breakfast at the station, but it turned out there weren't any restaurant or canteen or even a mini market around. Luckily again, I had Marie Regal biscuits and milk with me.

So here I sat munching Marie Regal while wondering how would the immigration check-in be like. After being in Singapore just for 2 days, the interior here looked dirty. To Jakarta standards it would be clean, of course. When I took this picture I didn't read the sign that said taking pictures is prohibited. So... don't blame me, okay?

Our passport and ticket were strictly checked. Our baggage were also carefully scanned. Then we had to walk through a long corridor until we entered into another room for next document check. My turn didn't take as long as the Western couple in front of me. The immigration staff seemed not to make much haste on me. He even seemed to me pleased. Maybe he was happy, because I had many Malaysian stamps on my passport. Hahaha.

 Now I'm officially in Malaysia but physically in Singapore. I already read the notice in the waiting room that said taking picture is forbidden. But I saw a fellow passenger in front of me making a video recording with his pocket camera. So I thought, maybe once I'm out of the room, it's okay to take pictures. In order to make this angle, I held up my cellphone camera and shot. Just seconds after, I heard a man yelling. I turned my head. A man in uniform looked straight at me and shook his hand.

"I'm sorry!" I said, and hurriedly returned my cellphone into my handbag. You can blame me now. But just partially, okay?

 This is where I sat. It's the 2nd class. I booked the ticket (149.67 RM) online through KTM Berhad. I don't have any complaint about the station, the train, and the crews on board. However, I find the customer service of KTM Berhad not helpful. Since I live in Indonesia, it would be costly to contact KTM Berhad customer service by phone. But on the other hand it takes days to receive an email reply. And then when I did get a reply, the reply didn't answer my questions. So I had to rewrite my email to clarify the information I needed. And then it would need another couple of working days which could take a week. When I posted on KTM Berhad's Facebook Wall, I didn't get any feedback from KTM Berhad themselves. I was also disappointed when I booked the ticket for my next journey legg: Butterworth (Malaysia) to Ratchaburi (Thailand).

This is the 1st class. It looks that there's not so much difference except for the reclining seat and a TV. I doubt the TV did really work.

 On the train, I checked my photos, and then read Paul Theroux. But I really was exhausted that time because of lack of sleep 3 nights in a row while I forced myself during the day. Thus, I slept most of the time during the 13 hours train ride. Unlike the train in Vietnam or China, do expect to arrive late at your destination on this train. The further your destination is, the greater you should expect.

Since I had expected to find a restaurant or a canteen at Woodlands Checkpoint Station but found none, I didn't bring anything to eat with me. So I bought Nasi Lemak on the train for 7 RM including a bottle of mineral water. The taste was just so and so. Still, I was grateful it was fresh, unlike the Satay Combo from Air Asia Indonesia. Eeewww... that's traumatic.

And then, this was my dinner. It's white fried rice. It tasted better than the Nasi Lemak in the afternoon. It was also fresh, and cheaper. I was actually charged 4 RM. But I didn't have small changes and neither did the crew. So the crew gave me a discount. I just paid 3 RM. Tralalala... lalalala....

Blurry, blurry. Exhausted, exhausted. With haste I grabbed my Nokia and shot. It was drizzling and there were holes in the roof. Can you guess the sign saying "Butterworth" on top there? This is the last station. The path beneath my feet, the shelter above my head, confirmed I was no longer in the spotless country (and city) of Singapore.

From the station, under the rain, I had to drag my bag and myself, all through the way out of the station, and up, up, up... the stairs, to get to the boarding place for getting on the ferry that will take us to Penang Island. Oh my... It really was an exercise before midnight. Once again I laughed at myself who tried to avoid the escalator in Changi International Airport. "There you go," I said to myself.

 Welcome to Malaysia, and yeah, Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri.

 This is the ferry that brought us from Butterworth to Penang Island. The ferry ride took only 20 minutes, but the waiting took almost an hour.

I made a video recording with my Nokia N86. So please excuse the blurry scene. In case you are interested: 

I got off the ferry into the rather dark and rather quiet port. Praise the LORD, there was just one taxi available and I got it. After I got on, I saw my driver signaling to the other passengers to go outside the port.