The North–South Expressway Northern Route is an interstate controlled-access highway running parallel to the northwestern coast of Peninsular Malaysia.

The expressway runs in a north–south direction close to the northwestern coast of the peninsula, connecting several major towns including Bukit Kayu Hitam, Changlun, Jitra, Alor Setar, Pendang, Gurun, Sungai Petani, Butterworth, George Town, Seberang Perai, Juru, Bukit Tambun, Simpang Empat, Nibong Tebal, Bandar Baharu, Bagan Serai, Taiping, Changkat Jering, Kuala Kangsar, Ipoh, Simpang Pulai, Gopeng, Tapah, Bidor, Sungkai, Slim River, Behrang, Tanjung Malim, Lembah Beringin, Bukit Tagar, Bukit Beruntung, and Sungai Buaya, Rawang, Sungai Buloh, while also providing access to several rural villages on its path.

The RTC rest and service area is located near Simpang Pulai Layby north bound of the North–South Expressway Northern Route.

In July 2010, the operator, PLUS Expressways, announced that the government had awarded contracts to build a fourth lane on a stretch from Rawang to Jalan Duta.

The expressway proceeds southwards concurrently along the old Federal Route 1, which has not been upgraded and is still a limited-access road.

The route then enters the heart of the town of Changlun, where it intersects with a few local roads with traffic lights.

After the toll plaza the expressway continues southwest, entering the district of Kota Setar and interchanging with route 1 near Kepala Batas.

The expressway crosses the bridge over the Muda River, which marks the border between the states of Kedah and Penang.

Further southwest is the Sungai Dua Toll Plaza, where the ticket system ends and the toll-free section begins.

This interchange marks one terminus of the Butterworth Outer Ring Road (expressway 17), which goes west towards Bagan Ajam.

The expressway interchanges with route 149 at Bukit Tambun, connecting several industrial areas nearby.

The expressway continues directly southwards into Larut, Matang dan Selama, interchanging again with route 1 as well as 3146 to the northwest of Taiping.

After the river the expressway goes uphill, through the Menora Tunnel that is about 800 metres (870 yards) long, then downhill into the Kinta Valley.

The system ends to the south of Tambun, where commuters on the southbound local lanes collect their tickets or tap into the system at the Ipoh South Toll Plaza, while northbound motorists entering the local lanes pay their tolls.

Bending back southeast the expressway interchanges again with route 1 at the town of Gopeng after crossing into the Kampar district.

The cutting ends in the Batang Padang district just before the next interchange at Tapah with route 59, which connects directly to Cameron Highlands.

Further south within the same district, the expressway interchanges with route 1 thrice – at Sungkai, Slim River and Behrang.

[7][8] A separate ticket system is in place between Hutan Kampung and Sungai Dua, due to the toll-free section in Penang.

The toll rate for the ticket system for passenger cars excluding taxis as of 2011 is 13.6 sen per kilometre.

They provide free first responder services including small fixes for broken down vehicles, towing and also act as traffic police when there is an incident.

[1] PLUS also provides traffic information to commuters through variable-message signs located on some sections of the expressway, and on Twitter @plustrafik in Malay.

Every rest area and layby includes, as a bare minimum, car parks and public toilets.

Depending on location, laybys can also include petrol stations, a surau, and rarely, food courts, independently operated restaurants as well as automated teller machines.

The first segment on this expressway, from Bukit Kayu Hitam to Jitra, was opened on 1 April 1985, originally as part of Federal Route 1.

The first controlled-access highway segment, from Ipoh to Changkat Jering, was opened by the then Sultan of Perak, Azlan Shah on 28 September 1987.

[citation needed] The expressway's portion between Rawang and Tanjung Malim, divided into the Rawang to Sungai Selangor section and the Sungai Selangor to Tanjung Malim section, was constructed by Ho Hup Construction Co Sdn Bhd and Panzana Enterprise; the latter company was a fully Bumiputra-owned contractor.

[19] FT 276 Sintok, Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) , Akademi Binaan Malaysia FT 60 Federal Route 60 – Temerlok, Pantai Remis, Segari West Coast Expressway – Beruas, Sitiawan, Terong, Temerok, Ayer Tawar, Lumut, Pantai Remis, Changkat Keruing, Seri Manjung, Teluk Intan, Sabak Bernam, Kuala Selangor, Jeram, Banting, Klang.