This month, Air Asia, Jetstar Asia and Tiger Airways start flying to Kuala Lumpur from Singapore. But just how necessary are these new travel options? We break down the benefits and setbacks of travelling to KL in our first-ever ‘Planes, trains and automobiles’ column 

BY PLANE
The good It’s convenient, and the numerous connections mean you could hop on and off as and when you like: Malaysia Airlines runs seven times a day, Singapore Airlines six, and Tiger Airways, Jetstar Asia and Air Asia once daily. Pricewise, the 55-minute journey – at approximately S$350 return on regular airlines (and roughly a third to half the price on the budget ones) – doesn’t cause too much of a dent. After all, what price can you put on convenience? 
The bad That said, as the saying goes, money is the root of all evil. And in this case, it’s the deciding factor between travelling by plane, train or bus. Even if the budget flights are pegged lower than the shuttle service run by Malaysia and Singapore airlines – Air Asia has singled out one-way fares as low as RM$150 (S$75) – it’s still a hard cost to justify. Oh, and with the regular airlines you’ll have to pay more to book a confirmed seat, or risk getting bumped off during peak periods, not to mention the scarcity of decent refreshments. While time (or the saving of) may be a major motivating factor, read on for the likely reality… 
The ugly Would somebody explain how a 55-minute plane ride ends up taking almost four-to- six hours door to door? While these delays can be blamed on the out-of-the-way location of KL’s airport and increased airport security checks, it still doesn’t smooth over the fact that you could have rented a car, driven up, made a few Ramly Burger pit stops, and made it to your hotel in that time. 
Charlene Fang 

BY TRAIN
The good The KTM night train (departs 10pm and arrives at 7am) lets you stretch your legs out and nap in a bunk bed for a good nine hours instead of being strapped in a seat for five hours (if you travel by bus), and you won’t have to waste time on security checks (as with the plane) either. The train also takes you directly into KL Central, where it’s easy to catch an LRT train to elsewhere in the city. Deluxe sleepers – that come with an en-suite bathroom – come to S$112 one-way, while regular sleepers cost S$38. 
The bad While the bunk beds are reasonably comfortable, it fits only people of a certain size and height (good luck to you if you’re taller than 1.8m). Pack some toilet paper as well; the train does not provide any. And for the finicky, a clean pillowcase is advised. You’ll also have to plan your trip at least two weeks in advance because tickets (weekend trips for the regular sleepers especially) sell out quickly. 
The ugly It won’t be a smooth ride, so unless you enjoy being rocked to sleep, chances are you won’t get a sound rest. Our advice – take the lower bunks so you feel less disturbance; it costs a few dollars more, but will be worth the comfort of knowing you won’t get thrown off the top bunks should the train screech to a halt. 
Jaclyn Tan 

BY BUS
The good It’s cheap – depending on the bus company and bus amenities, roundtrip tickets will cost anywhere from S$50 for a no-frills ride (try Transnational, www.nadi.com.my) to S$110 for luxury (read: individual TV screens and Delifrance sandwiches served on board) with the likes of Nice++ Bus (6256 5755). And it’s fast: a lead-foot driver will get you from one place to the other in five hours or less, including two bathroom pit stops, and border passportstamping and customs. No wonder this is the most popular mode of transport between the two cities. 
The bad In case of rain or bad traffic, the trip may take upwards of six hours. Not so fun if you decided to take the bare-bones buses; if sitting still for that amount of time won’t drive you nuts, then the carpet-and-lace-clad bus interior may. Conversely, if the bus driver is too speedy, sitting in the back or in the very front is a terrible idea – you’ll feel every bump along the way. 
The ugly Rest stop toilets. Need we say more? 
Cecilia Wong

Photo Lester Ledesma