How to get up Penang Hill: everything you need to know

There are three different ways to get up Penang Hill: walk, jeep, or funicular (and soon to be four, with the building of a cable car). Here we provide all the information about each option so you can decide how you want to get up Penang Hill for those fantastic views over the island.

From almost any location on Penang Island, if you take a glance upwards, your eyes will eventually settle on Penang Hill. This large, jungle-clad area is a collection of separate peaks with the highest, Western Hill, rising over 800m above sea-level.

When the first arrivals from Great Britain landed in the late eighteenth-century, the relatively cool climate up on Penang Hill was the perfect place for them to retreat to, and several buildings were established at the top for relaxation, recreation and convalescence. At the time, the only way to reach the top was either on foot, on a sedan chair hauled by servants, or on the back of a horse.

Nowadays, Penang Hill is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Penang. If you’re planning to get up Penang Hill yourself, you can still choose to walk up, but the days of sedan chair and horseback are long gone. Keep reading to learn what has replaced those options and what is the now the best way to get up Penang Hill.

1. Take the funicular up Penang Hill

After a couple of false starts, the Penang Hill funicular railway was opened in 1924 and greatly simplified the journey from Air Itam to the top. Over a hundred years later, it’s still the easiest route up Penang Hill, but it’s also by far the most popular (and busy) approach.

It’s certainly an exciting way to travel: some sections of the funicular (as you go through the tunnel just past the viaduct) are the steepest in the world, and the view back down the track towards the rest of the island is both stunning and thrilling. It almost feels like you’re on the starting blocks of a ski-jumping ramp.

For many years, passengers had to disembark at the Middle Station and change trains but, after an upgrade in 2010, the trip is now completed in one hop with the journey time reduced from 30 minutes to just 5 minutes.

What was once a romantic journey is now somewhat more functional, with modern air-conditioned Swiss-built carriages, large queues, and passengers packed in like sardines. If you’re able to afford the fast-track tickets, they’re worth the money, otherwise be prepared to queue, especially at weekends and public holidays. Waits of over an hour aren’t uncommon.

2. Walk up Penang Hill

To (literally) follow in the footsteps of the eighteenth-century visitors, there’s no more rewarding way to reach the top of Penang Hill than walking up, using one of several hiking trails.

There are various walking paths up Penang Hill, starting from Air Itam, Penang Botanic Gardens, and Air Itam Dam. However, the most direct route (shortest and steepest) is following the Heritage Trail. This is one of the best walks in Penang, which climbs and weaves around the funicular track

Click here for the Penang Hill walk guide
START: Thean Kong Thnuah Temple
Total ascent: 691 meters
Time: allow 2 hours

But be warned that this walk shouldn’t be taken lightly; you’ll need a decent level of fitness, plenty of stamina and water, good hiking footwear and high levels of perseverance. There are countless steps and you will be ascending 691 meters.

The first section of the walk is particularly challenging, with a constant climb up steep steps before reaching the Middle Station. Once here, the views towards George Town and the mainland open up, and the gradient becomes just a touch friendlier as you gradually approach the summit of Penang Hill.

Despite the challenges, this is a diverse and rewarding walk, with the promise of an easy funicular ride back down to the bottom when you’ve finished. There’s also beautiful flora and fauna to appreciate en route, and you may also spot a monkey.

VIEW WALK GUIDE + MAP

3. Take a jeep up Penang Hill

If the walk up to Penang Hill sounds slightly too energetic, and you don’t fancy battling the queue at the funicular station, the third option is to hire a jeep from this point. The pick up used to be next to the Penang Botanical Gardens entrance, but while the cable car is being installed, the road is closed.

One jeep costs RM160 for 4 people. There’s no queue or need to pre-book as there’s nearly always one waiting to take passengers (although if you wish, you can prebook via WhatsApp +0612 454 1255). The trip is 5km and follows the road known (not surprisingly) as the Jeep Track.

It’s an interesting trip up, passing by several colonial buildings and bungalows, giving you some idea of what life was like living here in years gone by. Some of the drivers act as unofficial tour guides and will point out various points of interest along the way.

You’ll be dropped off at the Upper Station. As the jeeps can accommodate four or five people, and the fare is per vehicle, not per person, the cost works out favourably if you’re travelling in a group. It’s also a great option if your group includes people with limited mobility and would prefer not to stand in a long queue or walk up.

Plans for the future

In June 2024, the initial work began to build a cable-car from the Penang Botanic Gardens to the Upper Station of Penang Hill, offering an alternative to the funicular.

It’s expected to take several years to complete, so the cable-car isn’t an option for now, but it’s interesting that, even after all these years, the appeal of getting up Penang Hill is still as strong as ever.