Putrajaya

Putrajaya, an "Intelligent Garden City" and the federal administrative capital of Malaysia, is a showcase city under construction some 30 km south of the capital Kuala Lumpur. To the west is Putrajaya's adjacent sister city, Cyberjaya, which is built along the same lines and is aimed at attracting the IT industry. The area used to be a plantation known as Prang Besar.

Understand
Putrajaya covers a vast sprawl of 4,931 hectares, which were mostly palm plantations before the federal government purchased the land from the surrounding state of Selangor. The city's masterplan is designed along an axial tangent which runs from the northeast to southeast, with gently undulating terrain. About 40% of Putrajaya's area is open space, but the landscape has been extensively reworked by man: lush greenery and botanical gardens are spread across the landscape, crisscrossed by large bodies of water and wetlands. Five confluences meet at the north forming a main waterway, the Putrajaya Lake, which flows across the city area.

History


The project was started in 1993 and the federal capital officially moved in 1999, although the site is still far from complete. Putrajaya became a self-governing federal territory (wilayah persekutuan) in 2001, the third in Malaysia after Kuala Lumpur and the little oddball island of Labuan.

The name literally means "princes' (putra) success (jaya)". Officially, the site is named in homage to Malaysia's first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra, but odds are it's also a tip of the hat towards the "princes of the soil" (bumiputra), a euphemism for ethnic Malays (as opposed to the richer Chinese minority) and one of the key concepts of Malaysia's affirmative action program.

Putrajaya's growth slowed down considerably when the money taps ran dry during the Asian economic crisis of 1998. While things have picked up, the city remains very quiet by Malaysian standards, a giant swath of hilly jungle crisscrossed by largely empty 8-lane highways and the occasional beautifully sculpted but near-deserted lake garden. Inevitably, development isn't always occurring in expected ways: Cyberjaya has to date mostly succeeded in attracting call centers and data warehouses, not R&D laboratories. As of 2018, the population has reached 90,000, still a long way from the planned 300,000. As a result, it has been called "a faded Silicon Valley".

By plane
The nearest airport is of course the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, developed almost concurrently with Putrajaya itself. A coupon or metered budget taxi to or from KLIA will take 30 minutes and cost around RM60. Alternatively, you can take the KLIA Transit from the airport to Putrajaya station and transfer to a taxi.

By train
For public transport the fastest choice is the KLIA Transit connecting Kuala Lumpur's Sentral train station to its airport, which stops halfway in between at Putrajaya and Bandar Tasik Selatan. Trains run every 20-30 minutes, while the journey itself take 40 minutes and the list price is RM 9.40 one-way. Beware that the KLIA Ekspres trains from the other side of the platform do not stop at Putrajaya, so double-check which train you're boarding.

The MRT Putrajaya Line also began service in March 2023, connecting directly to central KL. This is a slower commuter service, but it is much more affordable. It can take you from Putrajaya Central to Ampang Park in 46 minutes, and further north to Kepong.

By taxi
Coupon taxis from Kuala Lumpur's KL Sentral cost a fixed RM 45, but otherwise you'll have to try out your bargaining skills - figure on RM 40-50, and expect to pay more at night.

By bus
Bus services are provided from 6:30AM until 10PM and connects Cyberjaya/Putrajaya to destinations including Serdang commuter station, Puchong, Kelana Jaya, Sinar Kota and Pasar Seni LRT/MRT station in Kuala Lumpur. The one-way bus fare is around RM 3.50 and takes about 30-60 minutes, depending on traffic. Usually, on non-working days the travel time to Putrajaya is much faster, but the bus frequency is reduced accordingly.

The new Express network by Rapid KL links KL Sentral to Putrajaya with only RM 5 for an unlimited daily pass.

All public buses from Kuala Lumpur to Putrajaya drop and pick up passengers from the bus terminal beside the train station (Putrajaya Sentral), which is at least 5 km from the core district.

Shuttle buses to/from KL are provided by some hotels for guests, such as Shangri-la.

Get around
Putrajaya and Cyberjaya are not walkable cities. Public transportation is woefully inadequate, as the city was designed expressly for car-owners. Occasional Nadiputra buses putter about from the train station at random times in random directions. These buses charge a flat fare of 50 sen.

Tours from Putrajaya Central run every day at 11AM and 3PM at a cost of 20 RM (the 11AM trip is not available on Fridays). This takes 2½ hours and covers most of the main sights within Putrajaya. Alternatively, tours are run from KLIA for about RM 30 all-in.

By taxi
Coupon taxis from the Transit station charge RM 8-10 to most points in Putrajaya. Other taxis are limited and it's best to book by phone at +60 3-5512-2266. Other taxi hotlines include: Putrajaya Cyberjaya Radio Taxi at +60 3 8888 4000, which operates 24 hours. The meter starts ticking from RM 4, but many cabbies are reluctant to use them. Chartering starts from RM 30/hour, negotiable downwards. Grab rideshares are also available.

See


Putrajaya's main sights are the colossal showcase buildings put up in this future capital, all in the central Core District.

Note that a dress code applies to Perdana Putra, Seri Perdana and Putra Mosque, meaning no T-shirts, shorts, singlets, sandals, or "indecent" wear for ladies. The mosque lends out shocking pink robes for free, but the rest do not.

Buildings



 * Istana Melawati and Istana Darul Ehsan, the official residences of the Paramount Ruler of Malaysia and the Sultan of Selangor respectively. Not open to the public.
 * The Diplomatic Enclave, housing foreign embassies and missions &mdash; at least in theory.
 * The Perdana Leadership Foundation, holding the offices of previous Prime Ministers.
 * Istana Melawati and Istana Darul Ehsan, the official residences of the Paramount Ruler of Malaysia and the Sultan of Selangor respectively. Not open to the public.
 * The Diplomatic Enclave, housing foreign embassies and missions &mdash; at least in theory.
 * The Perdana Leadership Foundation, holding the offices of previous Prime Ministers.
 * The Diplomatic Enclave, housing foreign embassies and missions &mdash; at least in theory.
 * The Perdana Leadership Foundation, holding the offices of previous Prime Ministers.

Gardens and monuments

 * Putrajaya Boulevard, a 100-m wide, 4-km long boulevard flanked by government offices and the mainstage for National Day parade.
 * Putrajaya Boulevard, a 100-m wide, 4-km long boulevard flanked by government offices and the mainstage for National Day parade.
 * Putrajaya Boulevard, a 100-m wide, 4-km long boulevard flanked by government offices and the mainstage for National Day parade.

Night sightseeing
Putrajaya is a well-lit city. One of the attractions, the Seri Wawasan Bridge, has a breathtaking view overlooking the Putra Mosque. Park by the roadside and enjoy the night view. Alternatively, drive to Putra Mosque square and go down the escalator to the food court overlooking Putrajaya Lake.

Splurge

 * Azur, Shangri-La 2F. Cobalt blue restaurant offering an improbable menu of "Mediterranean-Asian" food from Italy to India. It's surprisingly good stuff though and not too unreasonably priced, with appetizers RM 15-20 and mains RM 30-40.

Drink
Aside from some rather comatose hotel bars, nightlife in Putrajaya is basically non-existent.

Sleep
There are no budget or midrange options in town, but suffering from acute overcapacity, Putrajaya's luxury hotels offer some of the best deals on the planet. All the hotels are brand new and near empty, unless there happens to be a big convention in town.

Splurge






Go next

 * Kuala Lumpur is just down the railway line.
 * Sepang's F1 races are quite easily accessed from Putrajaya.
 * Quite a few buses to various Malaysian destinations can be boarded at the Putrajaya bus/train station.