PETALING JAYA: Drive times from Kuala Lumpur to Johor Baru stretched to more than five hours at the peak of the Chinese New Year and Ramadan balik kampung exodus, according to checks on Google Maps. The KL-Penang stretch took nearly five hours, while KL-Kota Baru via the East Coast Expressway (ECE) took seven hours and 33 minutes. Motorists who departed at 10pm instead of 10am saved between 45 minutes and nearly two hours, depending on the route. The KL–Johor Baru stretch saw the greatest fluctuation. The KL–Kota Baru leg via the ECE peaked at seven hours and 33 minutes on Saturday morning, while the Central Spine Road route hit six hours and 53 minutes during the same period.

Source: The Star February 20, 2026 02:05 UTC