Public transport

Public transport

Penang Hill Railway boarding place at ground station

Penang boasted an efficient public transport network right up to the 1970s. Electric trams, trolleybuses and double deckers used to ply the streets of Penang. The Penang Hill Railway, a funicular railway to the top of Penang Hill, was an engineering feat of sorts when it was completed in 1923, and is still in use today.

Penang Hill Railway track

The Penang public bus service today is generally unsystematic and do not have a reputation of reliability. Therefore, the usage of public transport is still low, exacerbating the traffic jams in the city during rush hours. The city council has, however, provided free shuttle bus services for short intra-city travel to lessen the congestion.

Route 304: Gurney Drive - Komtar - Bukit Gedung

In April 2006, the local authorities announced a revamp of the public bus service to bring about a more reliable and efficient network without any visible progress. On 20 February 2007, the government announced that Rapid KL would operate the public bus service in Penang under the new entity called Rapid Penang which is formed for this purpose. The service started on 31 July 2007 with 150 buses covering 38 routes on the island and mainland.

There are two main bus terminals for inter-state express coaches. One is located at the ferry terminal in Province Wellesley (Butterworth), and a newer one at Sungai Nibong on the island.

Interior view of a Rapid Penang bus

Komtar bus terminal

Rapid Penang website
http://www.rapidpg.com.my/

Taxis in Penang have not conformed to the meter system as exhorted by the federal authorities, citing unprofitability. A new ruling implemented on 1 August 2006 made it compulsory for taxis to use the meter system. Although taxi drivers have been repeatedly warned by the state government and the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB), the meter system is still not adhered to by taxi drivers in Penang.

A quaint mode of transport, the three-wheeled trishaw, still operates in certain parts of George Town. However, with the advent of modern transport, the trishaw has increasingly become a mere tourist attraction.

-information courtesy of wikipedia-