The Padang Besar border crossing is the only direct rail link between Malaysia and Thailand, and a quieter and less direct road crossing than Bukit Kayu Hitam in Kedah.
The town on the Thai side of the border, in Songkhla province, is also called Padang Besar - however Malaysians differentiate between the two by calling the Thai town "Pekan Siam" or "Siamese Town".
Much more tame and sanitized than its Thai counterpart, Malaysia's Padang Besar still attracts many Malaysians who come to shop for items imported from Thailand which are available in abundance at lower prices.
See Malaysia | Get In for details of Malaysian immigration requirements. The Malaysian immigration/customs checkpoint is situated near the town centre and is several hundred metres from the actual border and the Thai immigration complex.
Padang Besar is served by [http://www.ktmb.com.my Keretapi Tanah Melayu's] (Malayan Railway) '''Senandung Langkawi''' which runs daily between Kuala Lumpur and Hat Yai via Butterworth in Penang. Trains for Kuala Lumpur and Butterworth depart at 16:45 while trains for Hat Yai leave at 09:47.
[http://www.railway.co.th State Railway of Thailand]'s daily '''International Express''' between Bangkok and Butterworth via Hat Yai also passes through Padang Besar. It leaves Padang Besar for Bangkok at 16:45, and for Butterworth at 08:20.
Padang Besar railway station - located behind the row of shops on the main road - has both Malaysian and Thai immigration facilities. Passengers must leave the train and go through the respective immigration procedures before re-boarding the train.
Please note that Thailand is one hour behind Malaysia. When it is noon in Malaysia, it is 11:00 in Thailand.
Direct express buses operated by [http://www.nadicorp.com.my Transnasional] link Padang Besar directly with Kuala Lumpur and Penang or Butterworth. Express buses depart from Jalan Masjid in Padang Besar. Local buses connect Padang Besar and Kangar.
Padang Besar is about 35km north of Kangar, the capital of Perlis. '''Federal Route 7''' links Kangar with Padang Besar and driving time is about half hour to 40 minutes.
See the page for the Thai town of Padang Besar for details on how to cross the border from the Thai side.