Bus travel remains one of the most affordable and convenient ways to travel between many destinations. Getting from Tawau to Sabah by bus may not be the fastest way of travel, yet many travellers prefer to rely on the bus on this route; with easy online booking and tickets of different classes for all tastes and budgets available, the bus from Tawau to Sabah a conscious and budget-friendly option.
Check the timetable before you book your ticket and read other travellers’ reviews to choose the trip that suits you best. Note that there may be several bus terminals at your departure or arrival point – always double-check where you are leaving from and arriving to. It may prove crucial if you have connecting trips.
Here is the list of operators serving the route: .
If travelling by bus, you will cover the distance of 638 km between Tawau and Sabah.
Buses normally need between 11h 8m and 11h 8m hours to get to Sabah from Tawau. Note that the travel time is for your reference only and can depend on different factors such as traffic and weather conditions. Heavy rainfalls almost inevitably make the trip longer due to poor visibility or floods. Road and surface repairs which happen quite often, result in detours and longer travel times. Major national holidays, long weekends, or peak season periods may cause delays both in departures and arrivals – plan accordingly to avoid disappointment, especially if you have further connections and a tight schedule.
On this route, Optis Jaya Express offers the fastest service. Optis Jaya Express buses usually take the longest time to complete the journey.
Remember, though, that tickets offering the shortest travel time are normally the most expensive ones. Yet it pays to spend a bit more to ensure your bus goes direct without additional stops and uses highways instead of local roads.
The price of your bus ticket will depend not only on the distance you need to cover but on the class of your coach. E.g. expect to shell out more for VIP or sleeper buses while ordinary buses though being the cheapest option, often are a compromise on comfort and travel time. Of course, they do their job, too, and can be the only option if you hop on/off in the middle of the route.
Anyway, travelling by bus between Tawau and Sabah remains an affordable option. The cheapest ticket is offered by Optis Jaya Express and costs USD 19.35. A Optis Jaya Express's ticket will set you back USD 19.35 on average.
| Cheapest Bus | $20 |
| Fastest Bus | 11h 8m |
| Earliest Bus | 7:30 AM |
| Latest Bus | 8:00 PM |
| Daily Bus Routes | 8 |
| Distance | 638 kilometers |
| Bus Companies | Optis Jaya Express, Sabariah Express, Sairah Express, TransTedar Express, Tung Ma Express |