People arriving by ferry in Penang disembark at either the Pengkalan Raja Tun Uda jetty or the Port Swettenham pier. There are ferry services between Penang Island and several destinations including Butterworth, Langkawi and Medan.
Butterworth - Penang Ferry Services
Those taking the ferry from Butterworth would have first arrived there by train or bus. From there, you can take the ferry across to George Town. The fare is RM1.20 for adults one way (service from George Town to Butterworth is not charged). This takes you to Weld Quay in George Town, from where you can get connections to other parts of the island. The Rapid Penang Bus Terminal is right outside the ferry terminal. You can check the Rapid Penang Bus Routes here.
The ferry service with Butterworth uses Pengkalan Raja Tun Uda at Weld Quay, also known as the Jetty. In addition, there are also ferry services between Penang, Langkawi and Medan. These services use the pier at Port Swettenham. Look for the signboard pointing to the ferry services to Langkawi and Medan.
Langkawi - Penang Ferry
Langkawi Ferry Services operates a ferry service between Langkawi and Penang daily. At time of writing, there is a direct service leaving Penang at 8:15am with a return journey from Langkawi at 5:15pm. Another service, with a stopover at Pulau Payar, leaves Penang at 8:30am with a return trip leaving Langkawi at 2:30pm. Trip takes about 2 hours 45 minutes. The ticket is RM55 (adult) and RM40 (child) one way, and RM105 (adult), RM75 (child) for two-way return. Ticketing counter number is 04-2642088 (Penang) and 04-9663779 (Langkawi)
Medan - Penang Ferry
There is also a ferry service between Medan and Penang operated also by Langkawi Ferry Services. Passengers should check in one hour before departure. The ferry leaves Medan at 9:00am in the morning for Penang, and takes 6 hours. At the same time, another ferry leaves Penang at 9:00am for Medan. The fare, excluding surcharge and embarkation fee, is RM110 (adult) and RM60 (child) one way, and RM180 (adult), RM100 (child) two way. Contact number is 04-2642088 (Penang) and +62-61-4521666 (Medan).
Arrival by Cruise Ship
A small number of people arrive in Penang by cruise ship. These ships berth at Port Swettenham, the same place as the ferry services to Langkawi and Medan.
If you are arriving by ferry at the jetty or Port Swettenham pier, you can easily find food of all varieties nearby. From the jetty, you can find some small Chinese coffee shops along Pengkalan Weld, the main road, especially in front of Chew Jetty. There are some more stalls on the opposite site of Pengkalan Weld.
A short walk takes you down to Lebuh Pantai, where there's the Sri Weld Food Court, in front of the junction with Lebuh Bishop. There, you can get a great variety of hawker food. There are also several Chinese coffee shops in Lebuh Gereja and Lebuh China where you can easily get something to eat.
Where to refuel?
If you came by car aboard the ferry, the nearest petrol station is a Shell Station along Pengkalan Weld.
Where to stay?
Both hotels and budget accommodations are a distance from the jetty. Check the Penang Travel Tips pages on Hotel and Budget Accommodation to find out more.
Where's the bus & taxi?
Easy. The bus terminal and taxi stand are right in front of the jetty at Pengkalan Raja Tun Uda where the ferry stops. That is the main public bus terminal for Penang. You can take the buses from here to practically anywhere in Penang. Penang Travel Tips recommends taking Rapid Penang buses. They are the newest and cleanest and have the most extensive coverage. You can check the Rapid Penang Bus Routes here.
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Where to find food?
Where to refuel?
Where to stay?
Where's the bus & taxi?
