North–South Expressway Northern Route

Expressway 1
North–South Expressway Northern Route
Lebuhraya Utara–Selatan Jajaran Utara
NSE Northern Section in red
Route information
Part of AH2
Maintained by PLUS Expressways
Length460 km (290 mi)
Existed1985–present
HistoryCompleted in 1994
Major junctions
North end Phetkasem Road at the Malaysia–Thailand border near Bukit Kayu Hitam, Kedah
Major intersections
South end North–South Expressway Northern Route New Klang Valley Expressway at Bukit Lanjan, Selangor
Location
CountryMalaysia
Primary
destinations
Jitra, Alor Setar, Sungai Petani, Seberang Perai, George Town, Taiping, Kuala Kangsar, Ipoh, Gopeng, Tapah, Tanjung Malim, Rawang, Sungai Buloh, Kuala Lumpur
Highway system

The North–South Expressway Northern Route Malay: Lebuhraya Utara–Selatan Jajaran Utara) is an interstate controlled-access highway running parallel to the northwestern coast of Peninsular Malaysia. The 460-kilometre (290-mile) expressway forms the north section of the North–South Expressway, passing through the northwestern states of Kedah, Penang, Perak and Selangor. The expressway begins at the Bukit Kayu Hitam checkpoint in Kedah, where the Malaysia–Thailand border lies, and ends at Bukit Lanjan in Selangor state where the expressway interchanges with the New Klang Valley Expressway. The expressway is operated by PLUS Expressways.

The expressway runs in a north–south direction close to the northwestern coast of the peninsula, connecting several major towns including Bukit Kayu Hitam, Changlun, Jitra, Alor Setar, Pendang, Gurun, Sungai Petani, Butterworth, George Town, Seberang Perai, Juru, Bukit Tambun, Simpang Empat, Nibong Tebal, Bandar Baharu, Bagan Serai, Taiping, Changkat Jering, Kuala Kangsar, Ipoh, Simpang Pulai, Gopeng, Tapah, Bidor, Sungkai, Slim River, Behrang, Tanjung Malim, Lembah Beringin, Bukit Tagar, Bukit Beruntung, and Sungai Buaya, Rawang, Sungai Buloh, while also providing access to several rural villages on its path. The expressway runs parallel to the existing Federal Route 1; it is also concurrent to the expressway from Bukit Kayu Hitam to Jitra. The ticket system is used for toll collection between the Hutan Kampung and Sungai Dua toll plazas, and also from the Juru toll plaza up to Bukit Lanjan, where the toll collection system merges with that of the New Klang Valley Expressway. The section from Sungai Dua to Juru in the state of Penang is toll-free due to heavy usage by local commuters to access Penang Bridge. In the vicinity of Ipoh, the section between Jelapang and Ipoh South features a local-express lane system.

This is the longest expressway in Peninsular Malaysia.