Hop On Free Central Area Transit
MPPP Rapid Penang CAT Free Shuttle Bus (23 January, 2009)
© Timothy Tye using this photo
MPPP Rapid Penang CAT Shuttle Bus Map
City Hop On - Livery of the shuttle bus (23 January, 2009)
© Timothy Tye using this photo
Central Area Transit (CAT) signage (23 January, 2009)
© Timothy Tye using this photo
Ferry Bus Terminal (Stop No. 2) signage (23 January, 2009)
© Timothy Tye using this photo
MPPP Rapid Penang CAT is a free shuttle bus service that ply the streets of George Town. It was launched on Friday, 23 January, 2009. CAT, which stands for Central Area Transit, is an initiative of the Penang Island Municipal Council (MPPP) and Rapid Penang. It covers a route from Weld Quay to Penang Road and back. Along the way, it makes 19 stops at strategic points of interest. The service runs from 6:00 am in the morning until 12:00 am midnight. Apart from the route around Komtar, the shuttle service ply roads within the core and buffer zones of the George Town Unesco World Heritage Site.
Rapid Penang has prepared three air-conditioned buses which were specially painted with the CAT livery for easy recognition. In front of the bus as a "Hop On Free" sign. On the sides are the words "City Hop On" and "Central Area Transit". The 19 bus stops along the route have also been properly signaged. The bus stops are numbered to help visitors identify their location vis-a-vis the tourist attractions of the vicinity.
Penang Travel Tips lauds the introduction of this free shuttle service and gladly provide our resources to help make it successful. Through the Rapid Penang CAT Free Shuttle Bus services, visitors to George Town will be able to explore the sights in comfort without even paying a sen to move around.
Please feel free to print out for your own personal use
The Route
The Central Area Transit Shuttle Bus starts at the bus stop No.1 at Weld Quay. From there, it goes along Weld Quay, making one stop at the Ferry Bus Terminal. Then it continues and turns right at Chulia Street Ghaut. At the next junction, it turns right into Victoria Street. At the end of Victoria Street, it turns left into China Street Ghaut. At the next junction, it turns right into Beach Street (Lebuh Pantai). There are two bus stops at Beach Street, in front of OCBC and in front of Standard Chartered.
From Beach Street, the Central Area Transit Shuttle Bus continues into Light Street, turning left at the roundabout. From Light Street, it turns left into Pitt Street (Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling), then right into Farquhar Street, at the Penang Supreme Court. Bus stop No. 6 is in front of the Penang Museum. From Farquhar Street, it continues into Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah (Northam Road) and then turns left into Penang Road. It goes along Penang Road until the junction with Jalan Dr Lim Chwee Leong (Prangin Road), where it turns left. Next, it makes a right turn at Jalan Ria to enter Komtar. It stops at the Komtar Bus Terminal, and then exits Komtar, turning right at Magazine Road.
From Magazine Road, the Central Area Transit Shuttle Bus turns right into Penang Road again, where there's a stop in front of Ong Kongsi. From there, it continues along Penang Road and turn turns left into Burmah Road, and then right again at Transfer Road. At the next traffic lights, the bus turns right into Hutton Lane. At the end of Hutton Lane, it turns right into Penang Road once more time, continues along Penang Road and then turns left into Jalan Dr Lim Chwee Leong again.
Next, the bus turns left and enters Carnarvon Street. It goes along Carnarvon Street until the junction with Kampung Kaka, where it turns right. It goes along Kampung Kaka, and into Kampung Kolam, where it makes a stop. From Kampung Kolam, it enters Pitt Street. At St George's Church, it turns left into Farquhar Street again, and then makes a right turn into Light Street. It goes along Light Street until the roundabout, and then turns into Beach Street. Following that, it turns left at the next junction into Downing Street. The bus makes a final stop at Downing Street before reentering Weld Quay to restart the journey.
Bus Stops and Sights
The following are the numbered bus stops and the sights to see along the way. It will be impossible to visit all the sights listed. My suggestion is you do a bit of homework. Read about each of the sights to select those you wish to visit (click the links for details with maps). Then take the bus to each stop. Visit some sights, walk along the way, and then catch the next bus at a subsequent bus stop.
1 - Pengkalan Weld
Port Swettenham
Church Street Pier
2 - Feri
Pengkalan Tun Raja Uda
Wisma Yeap Chor Ee
Wisma Kastam
3 - Little India
Pinang Peranakan Mansion
Chung Keng Kwee Ancestral Temple
Penang Heritage Trust
San Wooi Wooi Koon
Old OCBC Building
1886 Building
Kongsoon House
Ghee Hiang
4 - Imigresen
Immigration Building
Standard Chartered Building
HSBC Building
Royal Bank of Scotland (formerly ABN Amro Bank)
Logan's Building
Whiteways Building
5 - Bank Negara
Bank Negara Malaysia
House of Yeap Chor Ee
Town Hall
City Hall
Fort Cornwallis (inc. Francis Light Statue & Lighthouse)
Cenotaph
Dewan Sri Pinang
6 - Muzium
Penang Museum
St George's Anglican Church (inc. Francis Light's Memorial)
Church of the Assumption
Supreme Court
Logan Memorial
Convent Light Street
St Xavier's Institution
7 - Lebuh Muntri
St Francis Xavier Church
Hainan Temple
Francis Light's Tomb
Segara Ninda
Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion
8 - Lebuh Campbell
Benggali Mosque
Chowrasta Market
Penang Bazaar
9 - Komtar Pusat
Komtar
Prangin Mall
Pacific Komtar
10 - Komtar Utara
Ong Kongsi
Komtar
Masjid Jamek Simpang Enam
Gama
Church of Our Lady of Sorrows
11 - Jalan Kedah
Masjid Titi Papan
Dato Koyah Shrine
Saw Khaw Lean Heah Kongsi
12 - Chowrasta
Chowrasta Market
Penang Bazaar
Penang Road Cendol
13 - Komtar Timur
Prangin Mall
Masjid Pintal Tali
Ghee Hin Hall of Heroes
Prangin Canal
Sia Boey
14 - Lebuh Carnarvon
Li Teik Seah Building
Penang Tourism Information Centre
Penang Islamic Museum
Sun Yat Sen Penang Base
Campbell Street Market
15 - Kampung Kolam
Kapitan Keling Mosque
Noordin Family Tomb
Khoo Kongsi
Cheah Kongsi
Lim Kongsi
Yap Kongsi
Choo Chay Keong Temple
Hock Teik Cheng Sin Temple
Acheen Street Mosque
Gudang Acheh
16 - Mahkamah
St George's Church
Kuan Yin Teng
Sri Mahamariamman Temple
Supreme Court
Chinese Chamber of Commerce
Bank Negara Malaysia
17 - Dewan Sri Pinang
Dewan Sri Pinang
Town Hall
City Hall
Supreme Court
Logan Memorial
Cenotaph
18 - Kota Cornwallis
State Assembly Building
House of Yeap Chor Ee
Foo Tye Sin Mansion
Fort Cornwallis (inc. Francis Light Statue & Lighthouse)
19 - Lebuh Downing
General Post Office
Islamic Council Building
HSBC Building
Standard Chartered Building
The free shuttle bus allows you to explore George Town, but now you can explore the entire Penang State for only RM20.00, for a whole week! Get the Rapid Penang Tourist Passport, available at selected outlets. It allows you unlimited travel on the buses for a whole week. For details, click on Rapid Penang Tourist Passport.
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