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SkyBus (official name – SkyBus Ventures Sdn Bhd) is Malaysia’s first low-fare bus carrier and official bus service provider for AirAsia. It provides airport bus service to passengers from KL Sentral and 1 Utama, Kuala Lumpur, to the new airport for low-cost carriers klia2 (Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2).

History
SkyBus began its operations on the 23rd of March, 2006, on the same day that the new Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) of KLIA started its operation. The founder and CEO of the company, Chris S. Thiagarajah, who worked in the corporate sector for 15 years and was Head of Marketing at Boh Plantations at that time, decided that it was time to build a company of his own and to start making a difference in a new way. Thus he quit his job at Boh and began exploring a largely untapped segment of the Malaysia market – advertising on public buses and taxis.

At that time the biggest budget flight operator in Asia, AirAsia, had to move its business to LCCT in Sepang. Before the cost of transportation to the terminal by taxi could cost up to RM80 one way, which often was more expensive than the flight ticket itself. . When SkyBus started operating in the market, this cost lowered to RM9, and as a result, SkyBus became the first affordable bus service provider to LCCT.

Not long after SkyBus was appointed as the official bus for AirAsia. Since, the company has been recognized with several awards of excellence because of the service it had done for Malaysian ground transportation and tourism.

When SkyBus was launched, it counted 20 buses. In 2010 the business has expanded to 27 buses carrying about 4,000 passengers every day.

On 9th of May, 2014, LCCT was closed for commercial flights and was replaced by the new airport for low cost carriers klia2, which is located only 2 km from the main airport KLIA. All airlines and bus providers that were running operations in LCCT therefore moved to the new airport as well, SkyBus being no exception.

Starting from October 21st 2013, Skybus launches its service in Johor Bahru in order to connect passengers between Senai International Airport and major hotels in Johor Bahru.

Timetable
Buses operate daily, 7 days a week and 365 days a year, including public holidays. SkyBus terminals are located at KL Sentral and 1 Utama.

From KL Sentral the service operates from 3:00 am to 12:00 am every 30 minutes. Transit time takes 1 hour 15 minutes. Return departures from klia2 happen every hour from 5:00 to 8:00 am inclusive and then from 9:15 am to 2:45 am every 30 minutes.

From 1 Utama there is a departure every hour from 3:00 am to 11:00 pm, and on the way back every hour from 4:30 am to 12:30 am. The route takes same 1 hour 15 minutes.

Tickets
Tickets are available for purchase at any SkyBus terminal, as well as on board of the bus. In both cases they should be purchased at least 15 minutes before the departure time. Children under 3 years old are allowed to travel free of charge. Regular KL public bus tickets are not accepted by SkyBus. Seats are available on a first come first serve basis.

Tickets can also be purchased online, either on SkyBus official website or on AirAsia website along with the flight ticket.

Awards
SkyBus has received several prestigious awards and recognitions.

In 2007, after 1.5 years after the company started operations, Malaysia Airports Berhad (MAB) awarded SkyBus with the Airport Service Quality Award.

The 2009, SkyBus received various awards in different fields: the prestigious Enterprise 50 Awards Programme with a top ten finish, the Golden Bull 2009 Award for Outstanding SMEs, the BrandLaureate 2009 for Best Brands in Corporate Branding – Bus Brands in Passenger Transportation (Bus) award, Chris S.Thiagarajah, the CEO of the company, himself was top nominee for the Ernst & Young Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year 2009 Malaysia Award.

Sky Van
SkyVan is a door-to-door van transportation service by SkyBus that brings passengers from Genting Highlands, Port Dickson, Cameron Highlands, Melaka and various other popular Malaysian sites to klia2 and vice versa. When booking the service, passengers get an 8- or 10-seated van for themselves and don’t need to follow stable schedules of departures.

Rates vary from destination to destination. The booking for the van must be made 3 days in advance.