Sunday 19 November 2012 I did this, might be of interest.

Ferry from Penang to Butterworth, 0600 or 0630, free.

Walk out of ferry terminal at ground level, look for Butterworth bus terminal (50m on left).

Bus to Alor Setar 0730 or 0800, cost 9.80 Ringgit (RM), bus goes along E1 Highway.

Arrive AStar 0900, wait (~ 15 min) for local bus to Changlun, 4RM.

Bus will be marked UUM = Universiti Utari Malaysia, get off at Changlun

[otherwise 10km to UUM, scenic tour of UUM campus, then have to go back to Changlun].

Changlun is 8km from Bukit Kayu Hitam border.

You can walk or hitchhike, catch a taxi, or unpack your folding bicycle, to get to the border.

At the border, have to walk ~ 500m from Malay side to Thai side.

From Thai side, various transport to options to Hat Yai (40/50 baht? regular buses).

I rode the bicycle Changlun to HatYai, once over the border ,

a couple of refreshment stops for Sato in 7/11 stores

(if the first one doesn't stock it - try the next one).

From HatYai, train at 1810 to BKK (me - second class fan seat to BanSaphan, 400B)

and other trains soon after (can search in forums here for train timetables).

The usual option is ~ 0930 35RM minibus from Georgetown (Penang) to HatYai,

or the ~ 1100 International Express train (not cheap, as it crosses the border).

Happy trails, I don't intend to do this again for some years, AA

" Happy trails, I don't intend to do this again for some years, AA "

I believe you, I wouldn't have done it in the first place. My Marco Polo days are long gone

Yermanee

there are scores of buses and minibuses-not justy @ 9.30 from either PNG or BTW-cost would be 25/30 MYR-or 250/300 THB-in fact less (as taxi is needed) as your ''smart'' way.

And faster too-no real wating time in between. And of course-anyone travelling has her/his folding bike with her/him, nah?

BTW-that ekspress antarabangsa is not at 11.00-but abourt 13-14.00-ish, as it does the HYai (where all the cars are attached) BKK run overnite. It has only 2 2nd cl AC sleep/sit daytime cars now Hyai-BTW

Certainly different and an experience but begs the question, why go through all that when the train you got at 18.10 leaves Butterworth at 2.15.Cost to Hua Hin is 900 Baht so Bang Saphan should be a little cheaper

Nice trip, i plan to go down that road. Did you travel alone? Did you see any ferries from penang to indonesia?