Perak has two airports that are commonly used by visitors to the state: Ipoh and Pangkor airports. There are a very limited number of international flights at either airport, and these tend to be only from Singapore or Sumatra in Indonesia. Most visitors from outside of the region access Perak via Kuala Lumpur.

Sultan Azlan Shah Airport in Ipoh is located near Gunung Rapat. Until recently it was served by Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia. Both these carriers stopped services from Ipoh in 2006 and it is unclear if flights will start again. At the moment, the only flights to and from Ipoh are with Indonesian carriers on the Medan (Sumatra) to Ipoh route. Located six kilometres from the city, transport options consist of taxis.

There are a few flights each week to Pangkor from Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, operated by Berjaya Air. The airport here is a small, functional facility.

Most visitors to Perak access the state via Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Kuala Lumpur International Airport, located in Sepang district, is one of the busiest in Asia handling some 35 million passengers a year. It’s a modern airport, having only opened in 1998, and has all the facilities you would expect of a major international airport. There are a good range of eating options as well as lounges, excellent transportation and even an animal hotel.

There are routes from Kuala Lumpur to destinations around the globe and the many airlines operating here include: Cathay Pacific, Emirates, KLM, Lufthansa, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways and AirAsia, Malaysia’s low-cost carrier.

Perak can be reached by bus from other destinations in Malaysia. Ipoh is on the Kuala Lumpur/Butterworth route and there are regular services. The bus station in Ipoh is located at Silveritage Galleria on Gopeng road. There are a good number of routes from here, including one to Hat Yai in Thailand. Elsewhere there are a plenty of regional bus routes, including regular buses to Lumut (the access point for Pangkok Island). There are a number of bus companies operating and a range of fare classes and prices.

rail service is currently going through a major period of upgrading, introducing electrified trains to run from Kuala Lumpur to Ipoh. The railway station in Ipoh is worth visiting even if you are not planning to take a train, as it’s an impressive structure. The vast white Moorish building was opened in 1917 and is nicknamed the ‘Taj Mahal of Ipoh’. Ipoh is on the major rail route to Kuala Lumpur, and there are also services to Singapore and Butterworth.

Malaysian Railways run a good rail network, connecting all major cities and towns. There are a range of fares and passes. If you are planning to do a number of trips, the KTM pass allows for unlimited travel and has all the benefits of first-class travel at economy rates. There are also youth rates available on production of a recognised youth card such as ISIC or a Youth Hostel Card.

There are boats available for travel to Perak’s islands. For Pangkok, there are services from Lumut running every 20 minutes in the high season from 06:30 to 20:00. In the low season, this reduces to every 90 minutes starting at 07:15 and running until 18:30. 

Perak has a reasonable road network; the old Route 1 connects Ipoh with some nearby towns as well as Kuala Lumpur, while the newer north-south expressway is a much faster road. It is also possible to get long distance taxis around Perak from the Ipoh bus station. This can be a good way to get about.