Tickets selling like hot cakes

2009/09/07

By Dawn Chan and Sheila Sri Priyastreets@nstp.com.my

KUALA LUMPUR: If you have not got your bus ticket to balik kampung, you better rush to Puduraya as tickets for the Hari Raya festive period is fast selling out.

Although there were no long queues during our visit to the Puduraya bus terminal yesterday, several bus companies said tickets to the East Coast were sold out.

Tickets, however, are still available for those travelling to the north and south.

Satria Express ticketing assistant Robiah Ismail said tickets to destinations such as Malacca, Muar, Singapore, Sungai Petani, Bukit Kayu Hitam, Haadyai and Tanjung Bidor were still available.

"However, tickets are selling fast. As we are expecting a last-minute rush, we have on standby five more buses for all of our routes. We will use the extra buses if there is a demand during the last few days before Hari Raya," she said.

Unlike Satria Express, Wonrey Travel and Tours Konsortium and AB Express said they would not be providing extra buses.

Wonrey counter assistant Rony Zunn said tickets to destinations such as Alor Star, Bukit Kayu Hitam, Kuala Kangsar, Changloon and several other northern destinations on Sept 18 were sold out.

"There are tickets available to Johor but it is for the early morning and late evening travels," he said.

AB Express ticketing assistant Roslina Rosmali said the north- and south-bound tickets for the Hari Raya period had been selling like hot cakes since they were first made available at the end of last month.

The East Coast tickets had since sold out, said Roslina, adding that only a small number of north- and south-bound tickets were still available.

A Transnasional officer said bus tickets to the East Coast from Sept 16 until Hari Raya were sold out. However, tickets to other destinations on Sept 16, 17, and 18 are still available.

"We will decide maybe a week before Hari Raya whether to increase the number of buses," he said.

A ticket operator, however, said that many smaller bus companies still had tickets available to most destinations.

"We usually don't sell the tickets for additional buses now because when we sell tickets too early, some people who changed their travelling plans will return their tickets and ask for refunds," he said.

"Sometimes, they become a nuisance and beg us for a refund. To avoid the hassle, we only sell the tickets for the extra bus services at the last minute," he said.

Meanwhile, Puduraya-based Ah Boon Travel ticketing officer Iswandy Hamsawi said AirAsia flight tickets allocated to the company for Kuching, Kelantan, Terengganu, Medan and Surabaya from Sept 17 to 19 have been sold out.

"Flights for Sept 20 onwards are available but the tickets for last-minute buyers will be more expensive," he said.

Train tickets are also fast selling out. Our checks revealed that tickets to Kelantan between Sept 13 and 20 are sold out but tickets to Butterworth and Johor are still available.

"This year, customers are better prepared. They are not waiting until the eve of Hari Raya to buy their tickets. Instead, they buy tickets online and also through phone reservation.

"Many bought their tickets on the day we released them which is 60 days before Hari Raya," said ticketing supervisor Suriah Sumaria, 32, at the KTMB station in KL Sentral.

Those travelling north and Kelantan usually prefer to travel by train as it is considered safer and more comfortable.

"Passengers prefer to travel in comfort and they want to travel safely. Trains in general have lower accident rates and we have comfortable coaches.

"Our toilet facilities are of a high standard and our cafe in the train is convenient for passengers," Suriah said.

Additional train trips to all destinations would be decided based on demand.

The Hari Raya rush is expected to begin from Sept 17 onwards.