How to Cross the Border from Thailand to Malaysia: Train, Bus, Shuttle, Taxi or on Foot

During our tour through Southeast Asia, it quickly became clear for a number of reasons: we wanted to cross the border from Thailand to Malaysia overland.
But as we started planning, several questions came up: Which route would be best for us?
What kind of transport could we use to cross the border – or is it even possible to walk? What do we need to keep in mind for entering and exiting the countries?
And most importantly: would all of this go smoothly with a baby? At the time, our daughter was just nine months old – which made the travel preparations especially exciting.

Despite extensive research, we found very little helpful information online about how to cross the border from Thailand to Malaysia overland.
That was our motivation to write this experience-based guide.
In this post, we’ll share how our border crossing went – including all the key details on transport, formalities, travel time, and practical tips.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFOREHAND

Several foreign governments currently advise against overland travel between Thailand and Malaysia.
The reason: ongoing conflicts in some southern border provinces, where clashes between separatist groups and security forces occasionally lead to violence, including terrorist attacks.

If you find this too uncertain, we recommend crossing the border by air instead.
The flight network between Thailand and Malaysia is extensive and affordable, with frequent connections between major cities such as Bangkok, Krabi, Phuket, Kuala Lumpur, and Penang.

STARTING POINT IN THAILAND

Originally, we had planned to take the night train from Surat Thani to Malaysia.
However, due to a last-minute change in our travel plans, there was no night train running on our chosen date.

So we spontaneously decided on an alternative: we rented a car and drove to Hat Yai – the largest city in southern Thailand.
There, we returned the rental car, as crossing the border by car was either not possible or not permitted by the rental company.

Continuing our journey the same day wasn’t possible timewise, so we decided to spend the night at the Hatyai Signature Hotel.
What we experienced during our (sadly far too short) stay in the city can be found in our post "Thailand Round Trip with a Baby - Route, Tips & Highlights".
‍When we arrived in Hat Yai, we still didn’t have a clear plan for how we would cross the border – but we had plenty of optimism and trust. And we’d definitely need both the next day… but more on that later.

We simply asked at the hotel reception how we could best get to the border – specifically to Padang Besar train station on the Malaysian side – and what we needed to be aware of. The friendly receptionist immediately pulled out a laminated sheet with fixed prices for a taxi ride to the border. Perfect!
Especially since we were traveling with our young daughter, this was the ideal solution for us.
Of course, a private taxi is significantly more expensive than, say, a bus ride (we paid around €35 to €40), but the flexibility and comfort were absolutely worth it.
Honestly, we probably would have chosen this option even without a child.

Since we had to return the rental car at Hat Yai Airport, we arranged with the receptionist to give our phone number to the taxi driver.
He was supposed to pick us up directly at the airport the next morning. We paid for the taxi in advance at the hotel.

With the essentials taken care of, we wanted to use the remaining time to explore a bit of Hat Yai.
Of course, we were aware of the current travel advisories regarding the area – but we can honestly say that we never felt unsafe or uncomfortable at any point.

CHOOSING THE BEST TRANSPORT OPTION

As mentioned earlier, we chose what was probably the most expensive, but also the most flexible and fastest option: taking a taxi.

Alternatively, you can travel from Thailand to Malaysia by coach or minivan (for up to 9 people). Tickets for buses and shuttles are easy to book online via the platform 12go.asia.

Another option is traveling by train. There are both daytime and overnight train connections between Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur that pass through southern Thailand.
One important thing to note: no train crosses the border directly.
This means you’ll need to get off at the border, walk across it, and then catch a connecting train on the other side.
Train tickets can also be conveniently booked through 12go.asia.

PROCESS OF CROSSING THE BORDER FROM THAILAND TO MALAYSIA

As agreed, the taxi driver – who unfortunately didn’t speak a word of English – picked us up at Hat Yai Airport the next morning and drove us to the border in about an hour.

We had assumed he would drop us off directly at the Thai border checkpoint, where we’d cross on foot and then catch another taxi on the Malaysian side to Padang Besar train station. So we were quite surprised when he suddenly pulled into a gas station and, using gestures, tried to explain that we should switch to the rather old-looking car parked next to us.

The door opened, and an older man – also without any English skills – immediately started transferring our luggage.

With the official travel warnings still in the back of our minds and a bit of unease in our stomachs, we had little choice: trust – everything would be fine.

And that’s exactly how it went! The new driver took us through the various stages of the border crossing in his car:

1. Thai Exit:Our first stop was the Thai border checkpoint. Our passports were checked, and the departure cards – which you receive when entering Thailand with a tourist visa – were collected.
2. Luggage Check:
   We then continued to the luggage control area. Here, we had to unload all our bags – except for the stroller – and put them through a standard baggage scanner.
   After that, everything was packed back into the car.
3. Malaysian Entry:
   Next stop: the Malaysian border station. Our passports were checked again, and we received our entry stamps.
   Important Tip: Don’t forget to complete the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) online before entering the country – this must be done within 3 days prior to arrival!
4. Biometric Screening:
   After a short drive, we passed a large "Welcome to Malaysia" sign. The final stop was biometric screening, where we had to scan our fingerprints.

The entire border crossing took around 30 to 45 minutes. If you're crossing on foot, you should expect it to take significantly longer.
During our visit, it was surprisingly quiet – we were often the only ones at each checkpoint.

Good to know: Once you've crossed the border, your Thai SIM card usually stops working – meaning no internet access.

Since we had forgotten to tell the driver that we wanted to withdraw cash and buy a new SIM card after the crossing, he took us straight to Padang Besar train station in Malaysia, about 10 minutes away, and said goodbye there.

CONTINUING OUR JOURNEY IN MALAYSIA

Trains at Padang Besar station usually run every two hours. Since we missed our train by just a few minutes and there was no ATM at the station, we decided to play it safe: we asked a nearby taxi driver to take one of us to the nearest ATM. We can't say whether the Grab app works in this area, as we didn’t have internet access at the time.

The short trip to the ATM took about 30 minutes. Back at the station, we had enough cash to buy new SIM cards and grab a quick bite at the station’s only small “restaurant” – there’s no dining car on the train to Butterworth.

We bought our train tickets at the ticket machine, as the ticket counter was closed.

Good to know: There’s a time difference between Thailand and Malaysia of +1 hour.
That means you’ll need to set your watch one hour ahead when crossing the border – something to keep in mind, especially if you're catching a train.

Conclusion: Our Border Crossing – Simple and Totally Doable!
And just like that, we had successfully crossed the border from Thailand to Malaysia – even with a baby in tow!
Despite the little “taxi surprise” (or maybe because of it), everything went smoothly.

Looking back, we’d probably do it the exact same way again. The combination of a taxi ride and being personally guided through each checkpoint was the perfect solution for us – especially with a baby.

That’s why we can truly encourage all adventurous travelers to consider crossing the border overland.
If you bring a bit of trust and flexibility, you’ll be rewarded with an experience that’s both exciting and genuinely authentic!

WANT EVEN MORE TRAVEL TIPS, INSPIRATION & HIGHLIGHTS FOR YOUR TRIP TO MALAYSIA? THEN DON’T MISS OUR OTHER BLOG POSTS PACKED WITH PRACTICAL ADVICE, TRAVEL INSPIRATION, AND MUST-SEE PLACES ACROSS MALAYSIA:

• Traveling Malaysia with a Baby - Tips, Facts & Our Experiences

USEFUL LINKS & RECOMMENDED TRAVEL GUIDES FOR YOU

• Find affordable Transfers with 12Go.com
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