Transport in Penang

The island city of George Town is physically connected to mainland Seberang Perai by two road bridges and the oldest ferry service in the country.

The North–South Expressway and Keretapi Tanah Melayu's west coast line – two major arteries along western Peninsular Malaysia – run through the state.

[11][12] In 2006, the Penang state government, under Chief Minister Koh Tsu Koon, attempted to revive the public bus system by reassigning routes to designated operators.

[18] Opened in 2018, the hub integrates Rapid Penang and interstate bus services, linking to the adjacent Butterworth railway station and the Sultan Abdul Halim Ferry Terminal.

[23][24] In 2010, the Penang state government, under Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, proposed the construction of 200 km (120 mi) of cycling paths throughout George Town.

[25] Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) operates the West Coast line, which traverses the length of western Peninsular Malaysia.

It is the main airport for northwestern Malaysia, with services to major regional cities including Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Bangkok, Taipei, Hong Kong, Xiamen, Shanghai, Doha and Dubai.

[40] Swettenham Pier, located within downtown George Town, accommodates cruise ships and serves as a key entry point into the city.

[41] The pier is capable of accommodating some of the world's largest cruise liners, such as the Queen Mary 2, and also hosts occasional visits from warships.

[46] Among others, the study recommended converting major roads into exclusive bus lanes, particularly along economically dense corridors connecting downtown George Town to Bayan Lepas and Butterworth to Bukit Mertajam.

[46] In 2002, the Penang state government, then led by Chief Minister Koh Tsu Koon, proposed a RM2 billion monorail project for George Town.

The proposed monorail project garnered support from successive Malaysian prime ministers Mahathir Mohamad and Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Two years later, AJC Planning Consultants, in partnership with Halcrow Group and Singapore Cruise Centre, were tasked with conducting new studies for this masterplan.

[51] Halcrow presented its findings in 2012, which included strategies for public transport, highway development, an accessibility report and recommendations for institutional reforms.

These findings laid the groundwork for the Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP), which proposed a RM10 billion light rapid transit (LRT) system and trams, as well as three new highways and an undersea tunnel to connect George Town and Seberang Perai.

[51][55] In 2015, the Bayan Lepas LRT was announced, alongside the appointment of SRS Consortium as the Project Delivery Partner (PDP) for the PTMP.

[63] In 2019, then federal Minister of Finance Lim Guan Eng announced a cable car system to complement the existing Penang Hill Railway, which had seen a ridership of 1.74 million in 2018.