If you're driving in Malaysia for a week or two, a Touch 'n Go card is the simplest way to pay tolls. It's a prepaid stored-value card you tap at the toll plaza, and the same card pays for many car parks and for trains and buses. With a Grandpride rental you don't need to buy one: a loaded card comes with the keys if you ask for it at booking.
Card, eWallet, RFID or bank card
| Way to pay | How it works | For a visitor |
|---|---|---|
| Touch 'n Go card | Tap the card on the reader at the toll lane; it deducts from the card's balance | The easy choice. Works at toll plazas, many car parks, trains and buses |
| Touch 'n Go eWallet | A phone app; used for RFID toll lanes, licence-plate parking at some car parks, and topping up an NFC card | Useful alongside the card, not instead of it |
| RFID tag | A sticker on the car, linked to an eWallet, read as you drive through an RFID lane | Not for a rental; the tag belongs to the car's owner |
| Debit or credit card | Tap your bank card at the reader on highways that accept it | Handy as a backup, but not every plaza or lane takes cards |
Malaysian toll plazas don't take cash. Our full guide to Malaysian tolls and RFID covers SmartTAG, the plate-recognition system on the North–South Expressway and the lanes each method uses.
Buying a card
Touch 'n Go sells cards online through its own shop and through partner outlets listed on its website, touchngo.com.my. Newer cards have NFC, which means you can check the balance and top up by holding the card against a phone running the Touch 'n Go eWallet app.
A card has an expiry date printed on the back. A secondhand card from a friend may be close to it.
Topping it up
Don't plan to top up at the toll plaza: PLUS stopped reloads at its toll lanes in 2019. Reload before you set off, at a petrol station, convenience store, ATM, highway rest area or shopping mall that offers Touch 'n Go reloads, or from the eWallet app if your card has NFC.
Two rules to know before the first toll:
- If the balance is too low, the barrier won't open, and you can't combine the card's balance with your eWallet at the lane. Keep more on the card than you think you'll need.
- On closed toll systems such as the North–South Expressway, you pay when you exit, based on where you entered. Use the same card, or the same method, to go in and come out. Switch between them and you can be charged the maximum fare for that stretch, and then have to claim the difference back.
Leftover balance
To get money back from a card, register it on the Touch 'n Go portal and request a refund there; the refund is paid to a Malaysian bank account or a Touch 'n Go eWallet. For a visitor flying home without either, a small balance is often easier to spend on the last day's parking and train rides than to reclaim.
The Grandpride toll card
When you book a Grandpride rental, you can add a Touch 'n Go card to the booking and choose how much is loaded on it, from RM 50 to RM 500. You pay exactly what you load, and the card is handed over with the keys. What happens to any unused balance when you return the car is CHECK: is unused toll-card balance refunded or credited at return.
To pick the amount, think about where you're going and which car you're renting. A few days around the Klang Valley uses far less than a drive to Penang and back on the expressway. Our guide to mileage and the toll card on a rental helps you choose both the kilometres and the top-up.
What visitors ask
Can tourists use a Touch 'n Go card?
Yes. It's a stored-value card, and anyone can buy and use one. Register it on the Touch 'n Go portal if you might want a refund of the balance later.
Does the card work on the LRT and MRT?
Yes, it pays for trains and buses as well as tolls and parking, which makes it useful on the days you leave the car at the hotel.
What about street parking in KL?
Kuala Lumpur City Hall's street parking is paid through approved apps and e-wallets, not with the card at a meter. Our guide to parking in Kuala Lumpur explains the apps and the mall car parks.
Do I need the eWallet at all?
Not for a short trip in a rental. The card does the tolls. The eWallet is worth having if you'll top up an NFC card from your phone or use car parks that read your plate. If you're arriving at the airport, our guide to renting a car in Kuala Lumpur as a tourist covers what else to sort before you drive.
