George Town: how to get there and around
Airports, stations, ports, where the hotels are and what the numbers say, from public data rather than a brochure.
George Town is a city of 158,336 people in Malaysia (Penang), 14 m (46 ft) above sea level. The nearest large airport is Penang International Airport (PEN), 14 km (9 mi) from the centre. It has 1 railway station on record, including Macallum station.
Key facts
Open George Town in Google Maps
Daylight in George Town runs from about 11 h 51 min a day in late December to 12 h 28 min in late June (computed for 5.41° latitude), which matters more than the forecast when a day is built around one flight or one crossing.
Getting there
George Town is served by 2 airports with scheduled flights within 100 km. The closest large one is Penang International Airport (PEN), 14 km (9 mi) from the centre, whose 10,997-ft runway is long enough for long-haul wide-body aircraft. The alternatives are Sultan Abdul Halim Airport (AOR, 87 km).
Flights to George Town: every airport, routes and times
By rail: stations on record include Macallum station. Trains to George Town
Buses to George Town · Driving and car hire
Nearby cities, and how to get between them
- Medan, 275 km (Indonesia) — flights
- Kuala Lumpur, 294 km — flights · trains · buses · car rental · tours
- Kampung Baru Subang, 284 km — trains · tours
- Petaling Jaya, 292 km — trains · tours
- Ipoh, 124 km — trains · buses · car rental · tours
- Shah Alam, 291 km — trains · tours
- Bukit Rahman Putra, 279 km — trains · tours
- Kota Bharu, 225 km — trains · buses
- Kuantan, 376 km
- Kota Kuala Muda, 20 km — tours
Twin towns and sister cities: Adelaide, Bangkok, Phuket, Medan, Xiamen, Xi'an.
Common questions
Which airport serves George Town?
Penang International Airport (PEN), 14 km (9 mi) from the centre, plus 1 other airport with scheduled flights within 100 km.
How big is George Town?
About 158,336 people live in George Town, across 306 km² (GeoNames and Wikidata).
What time zone is George Town in?
Asia/Kuala_Lumpur, currently UTC+8.
What currency is used in George Town?
The Ringgit (MYR). Traffic drives on the left.
Which cities are near George Town?
Medan (275 km), Kuala Lumpur (294 km), Kampung Baru Subang (284 km), Petaling Jaya (292 km), Ipoh (124 km).
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 14 September 2026. Hotel and hostel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.