Travelling to a new place can be an exhilarating experience, filled with endless possibilities and exciting adventures. One common question for many travellers, especially families, is how to navigate the city to make the most of their trip. Fortunately, Kota Kinabalu offers a variety of transportation options that make exploring its lush greenery and breathtaking landscapes a breeze.
Whether you choose public transport or the convenience of driving, there’s something to suit every traveller’s needs. For families, our specially selected Family Tours in Sabah offer a stress-free way to experience the best of Kota Kinabalu as you travel comfortably with your preferred mode of transportation.
Ready to explore? Check out these exciting transportation options for your next adventure!
Car Rentals
Sabah offers many unique tourist spots, and hiring a rented vehicle allows you to reach all these places without worrying if you can call for a taxi to get to your next location. You can have unlimited pit stops to enjoy the beautiful scenery or check out local restaurants that you find along the way at your leisure.
Whether you are travelling as a family, with friends or alone, using a car rental service is a convenient way to explore the city's interesting places to your pace.
Click Here to book your car rental in Kota Kinabalu!
Motorbikes & Scooter Rentals
Are you a light traveller who likes to design your own itinerary? Escape the urban road and travel to the outskirts of Kota Kinabalu city to see nearby towns and the countryside of Sabah on a motorbike!
There are plenty of natural attractions and hiking trails to explore just a stone's throw away from the city, and riding a motorbike is the fastest way to visit them. Skip the traffic and feel the breeze on your skin as you hop from one destination to another! And if you are on a leisure trip in the city, choose a scooter to travel from one shopping mall to the next.
Alternately, you can go green and explore nature while riding a bicycle. Our Kiulu Countryside Cycling Day Ride is the perfect activity for small groups of family or friends.
Click here to book your motorbikes and scooters rental in Kota Kinabalu!
Private Charters and Transfers
Options are also available if you want to charter a private vehicle from the airport or if you want to visit attractions on your itinerary. Packages vary from half-day rentals to overnight, and it includes a reliable captain to chauffeur you to your destination.
Choose from various vehicles, such as vans, coaches and even luxury MPV, to cater to your group size. Having a private vehicle rental definitely has its perks—not having to worry about how and where to park the vehicle is one, but the biggest benefit would be the comfort of travelling with a friendly local driver to navigate the fastest and most efficient route to get you from one place to another.
Click here to find local operators for private vehicle rental!
E-hailing Services
Another convenient and reliable method of transportation in Kota Kinabalu is e-haling services. Choose from the many operators available such as Grab or AirAsia Rides, which offer safe and readily available services at a very reasonable fare. Best of all, you can quickly and easily order a ride anytime and anywhere in the city.
Taxi & Bus
For inter-district travels, public transportation such as taxis and buses are available too. Big express buses that fit 40 passengers have several departures daily to Sandakan, Tawau, Keningau, and other major towns in Sabah.
Travelling to neighbouring districts is also easy with 12–15-seater vans going to Ranau, Kota Belud, Beaufort, and Kudat on an hourly basis. Just head to the 3 major taxi and bus terminals in Kota Kinabalu to start the journey to your destination.
Boat
The Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park consists of 5 beautiful tropical islands with white sandy beaches, and it is located mere 10 minutes away from the city centre. Scheduled return boat transfers and inter-island boat transfers are easy to get—just head to Jesselton Point Boat and Ferry terminal to get your tickets.
Click here for hassle-free booking and boat transfer arrangements in Kota Kinabalu!
Train
Go down memory lane and take a heritage train ride on Borneo's only rail transport system!
The railway consists of a single 134-kilometre line from Tanjung Aru in Kota Kinabalu to the rustic town of Tenom. This multi-stop train showcases the beautiful landscape of Sabah as the journey transitions from the cityscape into the rural scene.
You will be using a modern diesel train with fully air-conditioned coaches from Tanjung Aru station to Beaufort station. From Beaufort to Tenom, you will hop onto Sabah's century-old steam train for an exciting journey into the interiors.
