For a day trip, drive from KL to the Awana SkyWay station at Genting Highlands Premium Outlets, park there, and take the cable car for the last climb. You skip the upper part of the hill road, where the bends and the mist are, and the hunt for parking at the top. If you're staying the night with suitcases, or travelling with older parents or small children, go by car all the way, and let someone else drive if the weather looks bad.
There's no direct KL to Genting cable car. Both of Genting's cable cars start partway up the hill, so every option starts with the drive out of KL on the Karak highway.
The two cable cars
Resorts World Genting runs two, and they start in different places.
The Awana SkyWay leaves from Sky Sentral, about 1,105 m up, next to the Genting Highlands Premium Outlets car park. It stops at Chin Swee, where you can get off to see the temple and get back on with the same ticket, and finishes at Genting Highlands Station inside SkyAvenue, at about 1,725 m. The ride is 2.8 km and takes about 10 minutes. Some cabins have glass floors; those tickets are sold online a day ahead.
The Genting SkyWay is the longer line: 3.4 km from Gohtong Sentral, lower down at Gohtong Jaya, to Resorts World Station, with no stops, in about 15 minutes. There's a free shuttle to it from Resorts World Awana.
When one line closes for maintenance, the other carries the passengers, so check which is running on the day. Published hours differ too (the Awana SkyWay's run later into the evening), and both can change, so look at the Resorts World Genting site before you set off. Ride times stretch in bad weather. Fares change as well, so we don't quote them here.
Side by side
| Awana SkyWay | Genting SkyWay | Drive to the top | Chauffeur to the top | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| You park at | Premium Outlets car park | Gohtong Jaya | The resort's car parks | No parking needed |
| Last climb | About 10 minutes in a cabin | About 15 minutes in a cabin | The steep upper road, bends and mist | Same road, someone else driving |
| Luggage | One cabin-size bag each; storage at Sky Sentral | Storage at Gohtong Sentral | Whatever fits in the boot | Up to 3 large suitcases in an MPV |
| Weather | Slower in bad weather | Slower in bad weather | Mist and rain on the hill road | Mist and rain, not your problem |
| Best for | Day trips, the outlets, the view | When the Awana line is closed | Overnight stays, families with kit | Groups, older passengers, wet days |
Driving to the top yourself
From KL you take the Karak highway and leave at Genting Sempah for the Genting road, a private road with gradients of around 10%, a long run of bends, and cloud that often sits on the upper section. Since 28 May 2026 there's also a cashless charge on the Genting road itself, collected as you enter at Genting Sempah or Gohtong Jaya, on top of the Karak highway toll at Gombak.
The upper road is the hardest part, and it's the part the cable car replaces. Weekends and holidays add slow traffic and full car parks at the top. Coming down needs more care than going up: low gear, gentle braking. Our guide to driving up Genting Highlands covers the road, the fog and the descent in detail.
If you rent a car for it, a return day trip from Petaling Jaya runs to roughly 120 to 140 km, and every Grandpride rental includes 120 km a day, so add the 50 km package when you book. An SUV such as the Range Rover Velar at RM 3,300 a day sits comfortably on the climb. Bring it back with the same fuel level it left with. How the Genting road charge reaches you on a rental is CHECK: how the Genting road charge is billed and passed on for a Grandpride rental car.
Being driven
A Grandpride chauffeur takes the whole hill off your hands, door to door. Genting is a flat fare for a trip under 80 km, the same day or night:
- Toyota Vellfire, 7 seats: RM 1,400
- Toyota Alphard, 7 seats: RM 1,600
- Mercedes-Benz S-Class, 5 seats: RM 3,500
- BMW i7, 5 seats: RM 3,500
For a day trip where the car waits and brings you back, book by the hour instead. Our guide to the KL to Genting private car compares the two, and Book a chauffeur prices every free car for your date before you reserve. Online bookings need two days' notice.
Which one, then
- If it's a day trip to shop or look around, drive to the Premium Outlets, park and ride the Awana SkyWay up. Our guide to Genting Premium Outlets by car covers that end.
- If you're staying at the top with luggage, drive or be driven to the hotel; the cabins only take one cabin-size bag each.
- If there are five or more of you, or anyone who doesn't like heights, take an MPV with a chauffeur.
- If you're arriving from the airport, skip the cable car altogether; our guide to KLIA to Genting transfers explains the direct run.
- If it's pouring and the mist is down, the cable car spares you the worst of the hill road, but rides slow down in bad weather. Check it's running before you leave KL, not at the bottom station.
