Kota Kinabalu to Kundasang: buses, taxis and driving

The route from Kota Kinabalu to Kundasang

The cheapest way up is a seat in a minibus or yellow-roofed shared taxi¹ from the city centre. Mount Kinabalu and its park lie in the Ranau district of Sabah³, on the main road from Kota Kinabalu towards Ranau.

1. 1

   Head to Jalan Padang

   Minibuses and yellow-roofed shared taxis to Kundasang and Ranau leave from Jalan Padang Bus Station in Kota Kinabalu.

2. 2

   Wait for a full vehicle

   There is no fixed schedule: vehicles run from 7.30 am to 5.00 pm and leave when full. A shared taxi usually waits for 7 passengers, or you pay for the empty seats.

3. 3

   Ride into the hills

   The trip takes about 2 hours via Tuaran, Tamparuli and Pekan Nabalu; roughly the last 40 km is mountain road.

4. 4

   Get off at Kinabalu Park

   Buses from Kota Kinabalu pass the park entrance. Park headquarters sits at around 1,520 m.

5. 5

   Carry on to Kundasang or Ranau

   Kundasang is 6 km past the park entrance. From its bus stop, local buses leave for Ranau and Poring Hot Spring every 30–40 minutes.

How far it is

The distance depends on the source and on where you stop: park headquarters, the park gate or Kundasang town.

Kundasang is the nearest town to the park, at 6 km, with Ranau further on at 30 km⁶. When you arrive, see what to see once you reach Kundasang.

Departure times

Minibuses and shared taxis have no fixed schedule¹. They run from 7.30 am until 5.00 pm daily¹ and set off as soon as every seat is taken.

Amazing Borneo Tours runs a shared⁷ shuttle from Kota Kinabalu City Hotel to Park HQ. The company says your wait at Park HQ for the return run will be no more than 2 hours⁷.

What you pay

A shared seat is the cheapest option, but the sources give different fares, anywhere from RM15–30⁶ one way. Express buses and the private shuttle cost more.

Climbers pay more than the entrance fee: the permit for international adults is RM400 and a mountain guide costs RM350⁸. Read how to reserve a Kinabalu climb before you book transport.

Routes compared

Choose by what matters most to you:

• Fastest: a minivan to the park, about 1.5 hours⁹.
• Cheapest: a shared taxi or minivan seat, from RM15–18⁶ to the park.
• Earliest fixed start: the Amazing Borneo shuttle at about 06:15⁷.
• Most freedom: a hire car from Kota Kinabalu airport⁶.

Easybook lists Sida Express and TungMa Express¹⁰ as the express bus operators. Bookaway puts the trip at 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours 19 minutes¹¹, depending on operator and stops. It also says you can usually book at short notice¹¹.

From Kota Kinabalu airport

Car hire is easy to find at Kota Kinabalu airport⁶, and the drive to Kundasang takes roughly 2 hours². Rates can be negotiated⁶, so compare what the companies offer.

Ride-hailing is the other choice from the airport: as of 2022, cheaper Grab fares² were available in and around Kota Kinabalu.

Day tours with hotel pickup

A day tour takes care of the transport for you. Tours usually include admission fees and hotel pickup⁶, sometimes stop at Poring Hot Spring and may include lunch. For climbs as well as day trips, see guided Kinabalu hiking tour options.

Day tour

Kota Kinabalu Kinabalu Park & Poring Hot Spring Full-Day Tour

from RM230

See dates on Klook

Day tour

Scenic Wonders of Kundasang, Sabah - Shared Tour

• Pickup included

10 hours

from RM275

See dates on MyTravelLane

Tips and common mistakes

Most problems on this trip come from timing and the mountain road. Avoid these:

• Setting off late. Shared minibuses and taxis run only until 5.00 pm¹.
• Planning a summit day trip. Since 2015, summit-and-back day climbs have not been possible⁹; the Sabah Parks packages are 2 days / 1 night⁸.
• Driving on a low tank. There are no petrol stations on the mountain road⁶, so fill up in the city.
• Trusting the road signs. There is very little signage⁹ pointing to Kinabalu Park. A fold-out road map⁶ from a Kota Kinabalu bookshop helps.
• Heading for Mesilau. Sabah Parks still has a closure notice⁴ in place, and the Mesilau Trail has been shut since the 2015 earthquake³.

Sutera Sanctuary puts Poring Hot Spring about 40 minutes¹² from the park, and Sabah Tourism about an hour¹³. Evening transport back to Kota Kinabalu can be hard to find, so Wikivoyage suggests staying the night at Poring⁶.

Kundasang and Ranau have their own hotels⁶, so you can skip a late ride back. Compare budget stays in Kundasang if you plan an early start at the park.

Climbing weather is best around April, while November and December bring rain⁹. Plan your dates with the Mount Kinabalu climbing weather guide.

Questions people ask