Train Ride from Tanjung Aru to Beaufort

Date Visited: 11th May 2013

Been quite number of times Sherrie keep invited us for a train ride but most of the times, we were too busy and occupied with early commitments. Not until the recent Mother's Day, we decided to choose on this particular date cause that's the only time where I was free and hopefully to be back on time for dinner with my queen of my heart.

It was Sherrie first ever train ride on this North Borneo Railway but for me, this is my third ride but then my last ride was back in 10 years ago - during my secondary time. And currently, with the new trains which comes in air-conditioned, cushion seats and a small toilet facilities making this train ride another whole new adventures to experience the country side and very comfortable throughout the journey. However, the old coaches without air-conditioned still remained and operating as usual.

#1: Our train tickets

The starting point of the Sabah Railway Station is from the old station of Tanjung Aru, which located just next to the airport runway. Basically, there are 14 stations between Tanjung Aru to the last point, Tenom - Tanjung Aru-Putatan-Kinarut-Kawang-Papar-Kimanis-Bongawan-Membakut-Beaufort-Saliwangan Baru- Halogilat-Rayoh-Pangi-Tenom. Both Sherrie and I decided to stop at Beaufort. And guess what, I wasn't widely awake yet cause instead of buying tickets to Beaufort, I accidentally told the counter that we are heading to Membakut. Clumsy me!

#2: The new coach of Sabah state train

The train was initially expected to leave at 7.45am but it delayed like 10-15 minutes and we arrived in Beaufort around 10am plus after the 2 hours and 15 minutes train ride. The new coach  was pretty similar to the West Malaysia Keretapi Tanah Melayu's coach and it's free seating. Probably because I experienced different kind of train rides abroad, hence nothing much fascinated me here.

#3:

#4:

#5: Passed by Beaufort many times but finally got the chance to stay longer here

#6: Several rows of blue two-storey wooden shops which give this small town a rustic look

Beaufort is just a small town and there isn't nothing much to see here apparently. Normally, most tourists visited Beaufort mainly for white-water rafting along Padas River, which is rated as Grade Two to Grade 4 river.

#7: There is even a market in Beaufort which the interior looks exactly like the one in Kota Kinabalu

#8: Beaufort's mosque 

#9: Beaufort Noodle is a must eat meal in Beaufort and it served in two types - dry fried and wet fried. #nonhalal

Can you imagine we arrived Beaufort around 10am plus and the next train ride from Beaufort back to Tanjung Aru was at 11am - the time given to explore around Beaufort was completely so limited and both of us were kinda rushed looking for the best Beaufort noodles in town. Yup, that's what Beaufort is popular for. I'm not sure which eatery served the best Beaufort noodles but having at Restoran Kim Wah Beaufort (located just behind of the market) wasn't bad choice at all and I prefer the wet fried one.

#10: Huge coconuts in the middle of Beaufort roundabout. In case you are driving to Brunei from Kota Kinabalu and vice verse, you will come across this roundabout.

Once we done with the delicious meal and photoshooting, we headed back to the Beaufort Railway Station but turned out, we missed the train. Oh no! And because of that, we planned to wait for the final train which was scheduled at 4.30pm but then again, we were told that there is no more 4.30pm train back to Kota Kinabalu currently due to repair and maintenance. Oh no oh no! Of course, I was panicked at the beginning but after calmed down myself, we tried to ask the local whether any bus ride back to Kota Kinabalu. We're almost being conned by the taxi driver which charged us RM20 per head but we told him gave us some time to wander more around Beaufort before leaving it permanently. While wandering around, we came across this bus ride which only charged us RM12 per head. Luckily we were smart enough not to be conned by the taxi driver. The bus stop is just located nearby the mosque.

#11: And so, that's our adventures around Beaufort town for less than 2 hours.

Travel with the train is really one of the cheapest means of transportation in Sabah comparing taking the bus. A trip from Kota Kinabalu (Tanjung Aru) to Beaufort cost only RM4.80 for adult and RM2.40 for children. However, the only one thing I dislike about Sabah State Railway is the time schedule which seems to be completely irrelevant where visitors only have less than an hour to explore the town, or else this will be another famous tourist spot among the foreigners. No wonder throughout the journey, the train was completely filled with the local only. If you plan to overnight in Beaufort, there is a hotel available and the one I came across is River Park Hotel.

The train schedules:
From Tanjung Aru to Beaufort (2 services)
1st service: Departure time at 7.45am and expecting to arrive at 10.00am
2nd service: Departure time at 1.40pm and expecting to arrive at 4.00pm

From Beaufort to Tanjung Aru (2 services)
1st service: Departure time at 11.01am and expecting to arrive at 1.25pm
2nd service: Departure time at 4.30pm and expecting to arrive at 7.38pm

This post is mainly to support Visit Malaysia Year 2014. #vmy2014