Train or Flight to Kuala Lumpur With Kids: Why We Prefer a Hybrid Family Travel Strategy
Planning a trip from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur with kids and wondering whether to take the train or flight?
For our recent family trip, we decided to try both:
🚆 taking the ETS train to KL from Johor Bahru
✈️ and flying back from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore.
After experiencing both transport options with 2 young kids, we realised each method has its own pros and cons — and surprisingly, we ended up preferring a hybrid travel style instead.
In this guide, we’ll share:
- our honest train vs flight comparison
- travel time considerations
- cost breakdowns
- comfort level for kids
- tips for travelling to KL with kids
If you’re deciding between taking the train or plane from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur, here’s our honest family travel experience after trying both.
Why We Decided to Try Train + Flight
We’ve flown to KL multiple times before, but with young kids, airport travel can sometimes feel more tiring than expected.
Even though the actual flight is short, the FULL journey usually includes:
- reaching airport early (~2 hours before departure time)
- check-in
- security clearance
- waiting time
- boarding
- immigration
- transfer into city
By the time we reach the hotel, everyone is already exhausted 😅
This time, we wanted to experience the train journey instead — especially after hearing how comfortable the ETS train can be for families.
Instead of choosing one option completely, we decided to:
- 🚆 Take the train TO KL
- ✈️ Fly BACK to Singapore
And after trying both, we genuinely think this combination gave us the best balance.
Train vs Flight vs Hybrid Cost Comparison
💡 Disclaimer: Prices fluctuate depending on season, booking timing, school holidays, luggage add-ons and promotions. The figures below reflect our own booking experience during this trip and are meant as a rough family travel guide only.
| Travel Style | Estimated Cost Per Pax | What’s Included | Our Thoughts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🚆 Full Train (Return) | ~SGD68 (Economy) / ~SGD114 (Business) | Singapore ↔ JB KTM JB↔KL train tickets | More relaxing and spacious for families with kids |
| ✈️ Full Flight (Return) | ~SGD130+ per pax | Return flights between Singapore and KL (excluding baggage/airport transfers) | Faster overall but airport process can feel tiring with kids |
| 🔀 Hybrid (Our Choice) | ~SGD140 per pax | Singapore to JB KTM 🚆Business Class Train to KL ✈️ Flight back to Singapore | Best balance of comfort + convenience for our family |
For reference:
- KTM Shuttle Tebrau SG → JB: ~RM15.70 per pax
- KTM Shuttle Tebrau JB → SG: ~RM5 per pax
- ETS Business Class One Way: ~RM172 / SGD57
- ETS Economy Class One Way: ~RM104 / SGD34
- Our Scoot flight home was approximately SGD87 per pax one way
Why We Personally Preferred The Hybrid Option
For us, the hybrid combination worked best because:
🚆 Why We Preferred Taking The Train To KL
1. Easier Start To The Holiday
The train journey felt far less rushed compared to airport travel.
Instead of:
- rushing through terminals
- long waiting times
- multiple airport procedures
…the train experience felt calmer and more relaxed.
2. The Boys Could Move Around & Nap Better
This was honestly one of the biggest advantages.
On the train:
- the boys had more space
- they could walk around slightly
- they could snack more comfortably
- napping felt easier compared to plane seats
And any parent knows:
A well-rested child = a much smoother trip 😂
3. The JB Stop Didn’t Feel Like Wasted Time
Initially, we wondered if transiting via Johor Bahru would feel troublesome. But surprisingly, it became part of the experience itself.
Before boarding our KL train:
- we had time to eat
- let the boys stretch and play
- buy snacks and drinks
So instead of “wasting time”, it actually helped break up the journey nicely.
👉 Join us here for reminder on ticket release day. Tickets gets snapped up fast:
Heng Trails Telegram Channel
👉 Get ideas for what to do in JB:
Malaysia Guide
👉 Train Ticket Booking Link:
Booking Link
4. Direct Arrival Into KL City
Another huge plus:
🚆 the train arrives directly into the city area.
Compared to airports which are further away, arriving centrally meant:
- easier hotel transfers (~15 mins grab to hotel)
- less travel fatigue
- fewer transport transitions
After travelling with kids, simplifying transport matters A LOT.
You may also like:
👉 Review of Electric Train Journey from JB to KL
👉 Train Ticket Booking Link:
Booking Link
What Helped Keep The Boys Entertained During The Journey
Long travel days with kids can honestly go either way 😅
One thing that helped us a lot during both the train and flight journey was bringing along some compact travel activities for the boys.
Because there was naturally more downtime during:
- waiting periods
- train rides
- airport transfers
- meal breaks
…it really helped to have something easy and mess-free to keep them occupied.
For this trip, we packed our usual travel activity setup from Bezecrafts including our personalised travel pods which are designed for on-the-go play.
What we personally like about using travel pods during trips:
- compact and easy to carry
- keeps small toys organised
- easy to bring onto trains and flights
- helps reduce screen time during travel
- convenient for restaurant waiting time too
The boys especially enjoyed using them during the longer train ride where they had more space to sit, snack and play comfortably.
As parents, we’ve learnt that having a few “survival activities” ready during travel can honestly make the whole journey much smoother 😂
You may also like:
👉 Best Travel Activities for Kids
Why We Preferred Flying Back To Singapore
Even though we loved the train TO KL…
we actually preferred flying BACK home.
Why?
Because after a holiday, travelling with:
- shopping bags
- snacks
- souvenirs
- tired kids
…feels very different 😅
1. Less Transitioning With Luggage
If we took the train back, we would still need to:
- transit again at JB
- manage luggage transfers
- move shopping bags around
After a long holiday, this felt much less appealing.
Flying direct from KL to Singapore simply felt smoother for the return journey.
2. Automated Immigration Made Things Faster
Returning to Singapore by flight felt easier because immigration clearance was very efficient for us.
This helped reduce:
- waiting time
- tiredness
- post-trip stress
After days of activities and shopping, convenience became more important.
3. Easier With Shopping Loot
Let’s be honest 😂
Family trips usually end with WAY more items than we originally planned.
Flying back felt easier because:
- we could manage luggage more directly
- less carrying around between transport modes
- less worrying about multiple transitions
Especially with kids, simplifying the “final stretch home” matters a lot.
Our Final Verdict
For our family:
🚆 Train = More Comfortable
✈️ Flight = More Efficient Returning Home
And because both have different advantages, we genuinely feel the hybrid approach gave us the best experience overall.
This combination gave us:
👉 a more relaxed start to the trip
👉 and a more efficient journey home
Would we do this again?
Definitely yes.
Especially for families travelling with younger children.
Helpful Blog Posts For Your KL Family Trip
If you’re planning your own KL family getaway, these guides may help too:
👉 Best Family-Friendly Hotels in Kuala Lumpur
👉 Best Indoor Playgrounds in KL for Kids
👉 Our Penang Family Itinerary With Kids
👉 Singapore to JB KTM Train Guide
👉 Best Things To Do in KL With Kids
Recommended KL Activities
We usually book attractions through Klook because prices are often cheaper than onsite rates.
Klook.comApply Promo Code “Hengxklook” for up to 10% off activities, transfers and hotels
Hotel Booking Recommendations
For family stays, we usually prioritise:
- central location
- spacious rooms
- easy mall access
- kid-friendly amenities
You can compare hotel prices here:
💡 Apply Code “HENGXAGODA for discount off hotel bookings on Agoda
👉 Read our hotel review here:
Renassiance Hotel Kuala Lumpur
Join Our Telegram Channel For Travel Deals
We regularly share:
- travel promotions
- attraction discounts
- hotel deals
- family travel hacks
👉 Join us here:
Heng Trails Telegram Channel
Watch Our Full Train Journey on YouTube
We filmed parts of our train experience too!
🎥 Watch here:
Heng Trails YouTube Channel
You’ll get to see:
- train boarding
- family seating
- food moments
- kids reactions
- our honest train experience
Final Thoughts
Travelling with kids changes how you view transport completely.
Sometimes the “fastest” route isn’t necessarily the easiest.
For us, slowing down slightly at the start of the trip with the train made the journey feel much more enjoyable. And flying home helped us end the holiday on a more convenient note.
That’s why the hybrid method worked so well for our family.
If you’ve tried train vs flight to KL with kids before, we’d love to hear your experience too 😊
