Tanah Rata bus terminal: buses, times and getting around

Quick pick:

• Fastest ride up: from Ipoh, about 2 to 3 hours⁴
• Cheapest from KL: the slow daily bus via Raub, RM23²
• Most choice back to KL: Kurnia Bistari Express, leaving between 9.00am and 3.30pm³

The route from KL to Tanah Rata bus terminal

The usual way in is the express bus from Kuala Lumpur, from a city train station to the terminal door.

1. 01

   Get to TBS in Kuala Lumpur

   Most buses to Cameron Highlands leave from Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (TBS) in Bandar Tasik Selatan. KTM Komuter, the Sri Petaling LRT and KLIA Transit all stop there.

2. 02

   Book your seat

   Some buses, such as Unititi, can be booked online. Booking sites such as CheckMyBus send you to the Unititi Express website to finish.

3. 03

   Ride up to the highlands

   Buses leave TBS between 8:30AM and 3:30PM and take 4–5 hours.

4. 04

   Arrive in Tanah Rata

   Most buses from Kuala Lumpur end at the terminal in Tanah Rata. The taxi station is about 100 m east, on Jalan Besar.

5. 05

   Carry on by tourist bus or taxi

   Tourist buses run every two hours to Kampung Raja, and taxis are hired by the hour.

Tanah Rata is the main town of the Camerons and a favourite of backpackers², so it’s an easy place to sleep when you arrive by bus. Compare areas and prices in the best hotel picks by area, or read up on what Tanah Rata town offers.

For every other way up from the city, see the detailed KL route guide.

What you pay

Express fares from KL run RM35 to RM55³, depending on who you ask. Baolau showed RM54.82 for a trip on 23 October 2026¹ (checked October 2026), before its service fee.

Routes compared

Ipoh is the shortest ride up. KL, Penang and Jerantut each take a good half day on the bus, and Singapore is an overnight run.

Coming from Ipoh, note that Amanjaya isn’t in the centre. The T30a, T30b and 116 buses run every 30 minutes² to Amanjaya from Medan Kidd bus terminal, near the train station.

How do you get around Cameron Highlands?

You get around Cameron Highlands by tourist bus, taxi or tour, all starting from the bus station in Tanah Rata. The old local buses have been replaced by company-owned tourist buses².

• Tourist bus: it stops in Brinchang, Kea Farm, Tringkap and Kuala Terla² on the way to Kampung Raja. You can ask the driver to drop you anywhere along the main road².
• Taxi: taxis are hired by the hour, mostly from Tanah Rata², at the taxi station on Jalan Besar, just east of the bus station.
• On foot: Tanah Rata is the starting point for Gunung Beremban, the Bharat tea plantations and most of the numbered hiking trails².

If you’d rather not juggle bus times, a half-day tour covers the Mossy Forest and the tea estates in one go.

5 hours

Day tour

Cameron Highlands and Mossy Forest Half Day Tour

4.7 (600 reviews) on Klook, checked October 2026

• Pickup included
• Free cancellation

From US$18.35

See dates on Klook

4 hours

Day tour

Cameron Highlands Half-Day Mossy Forest and Tea Plantation Tour

4.4 (42 reviews) on Klook, checked October 2026

From US$19.75

See dates on Klook

Tips and common mistakes

• Penang buses stop short. The bus from Tanah Rata to Penang drops at Sungai Nibong, not George Town², so allow for a local bus or taxi on the last stretch.
• Say your stop on the Ipoh bus. Buses from Ipoh stop at Kampung Raja and Brinchang, so tell the driver if you want to get off there².
• Ipoh’s terminal is out of town. Amanjaya is 10 km from the city centre², so leave time to get there.
• Carry a Touch ’n Go card in KL. RapidKL buses take only Touch ’n Go cards, with no cash or bank card option⁵.
• Book ahead in high season. BOH Tea names November to January⁴ as the busiest stretch, especially around the holidays.
• Eat before the long ride. The cameron highlands restaurant guide covers places to eat around town.

Questions people ask