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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 Pengkalan Weld (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.

Sightseeing with Rapid Penang CAT Free Shuttle Bus

Find out what you can expect to see when you take Rapid Penang CAT Free Shuttle Bus for sightseeing Penang.

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 (Prangin Road) 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 Pengkalan Weld (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
  • New! Rapid Penang Tourist Passport

    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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