Penang can be easily access by air, sea or land. By air.  There are daily flights from major capitals of the region with direct links with Singapore, Bangkok, Hadyai, Nagoya, Phuket, Medan, Xiamen(China) and Madras. The flights are operated by Malaysia Airlines. The airline also operates about 24 daily flights between Kuala Lumpur and Penang.

The Bayan Lepas International Airport is situated about 20km from Georgetown. Taxis which follow the coupon system will take the passengers from the airport to the various destinations in Penang for a fixed fare. Airport limousines are also available. The fare for the limousines are slightly higher.

By sea. For people who wish to enjoy the sea breeze and beautiful scenery of the channel they can opt to take the ferry from the mainland to Penang.  The ferry service is available for both passengers and cars daily. The tickets are purchased at the Butterworth terminal and the rates are applicable for a return journey.  The fare for an adult and child is RM1.20 and RM0.60 respectively while the fare for a vehicle is RM 7.00.

By land. Visitors can take a train ( Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad-KTMB) from KL to Butterworth. The journey takes approximately 6 hours. Passengers traveling in the first and second class can travel in comfortable air-conditioned coaches. One gets the opportunity to see a lot of the countryside if one takes the train. From the train station one can take a taxi or a ferry to Penang island.

All those visitors that are travelling in a vehicle can take the Penang Bridge to go across the channel from Butterworth. Passengers going across the bridge from Butterworth are required to pay RM7.00. However, no payment is required for travelling from the island to Butterworth.

The public transport in Penang is efficient and inexpensive. Visitors can experience the life in Penang by taking the public transport such as buses, taxis and trishaw. All the beautiful and exotic sight of Penang can be seen as visitors travel in the public transport.

Most of the taxis in Penang do not use the meter. Passengers can either insist on the meter being use or agree on a reasonable price before taking the ride. The normal charge for a short distance ride within the city is between RM 3.00 - RM 6.00. Visitors can also choose to take the bus. Most of the buses use coin machines to collect the fare. The main bus terminals in Penang are Pengkalan Weld  (ferry terminal) and Komtar. Visitors that wish to travel at a more leisurely pace can go for a trishaw ride. The fare for a trishaw ride is not fixed. Therefore, it is advisable to agree on the price before taking the ride.