KUALA LUMPUR, May 23 — Get ready, KL drivers: the Asean Summit is returning to the city from today to May 28, bringing heightened security, rolling road closures, and heavy traffic disruptions.
As Southeast Asia’s top leaders converge for high-stakes diplomacy, many key roads around the capital will be off-limits or heavily controlled.
Here’s what you need to know to avoid getting stuck during the week-long event:
When and where to expect road closures
May 23–26 (7am until delegations arrive each day):
Closures will occur along major highways and routes leading into the city from KLIA and Putrajaya.
Affected highways:
1. Elite (KLIA–Putrajaya)
2. Mex (Putrajaya–KL)
3. NKVE (Subang to Jalan Duta)
4. Guthrie Corridor Expressway
5. North–South Expressway (Sungai Buloh to Jalan Duta)
6. KL–Seremban Expressway (Sungai Besi to city centre)
City roads:
1. Lingkaran Putrajaya
2. Jalan Istana
3. Jalan Damansara
4. Jalan Tun Razak
5. Jalan Ampang
6. Jalan Sultan Ismail
7. Jalan Bukit Bintang
8. Jalan Imbi
9. Jalan Parlimen
10. Jalan Kuching
Details on road closures:
May 26 (from 5.30pm until delegations arrive):
Expect closures around key intersections in the city centre:
1. Jalan Ampang / Jalan P. Ramlee
2. Jalan Sultan Ismail / Jalan P. Ramlee
3. Jalan Perak / Jalan P. Ramlee
4. Jalan Perak / Jalan Pinang
5. Jalan Stonor / Jalan Kia Peng
6. Jalan Stonor / Persiaran KLCC
May 27:
Closures will be staggered throughout the day.
8am–10.30am:
1. Intersections around Jalan P. Ramlee, Jalan Stonor, Jalan Kia Peng and Jalan Pinang
11.45am–1pm:
1. Jalan Tun Razak
2. Jalan Mahameru
3. Jalan Sultan Abdul Halim
1.45pm–3pm:
1. Jalan Parlimen
2. Jalan Kuching
3. Jalan Sultan Ismail / Jalan P. Ramlee
4. Jalan Perak / Jalan Pinang
5. Jalan Stonor / KLCC
May 28 (from 8am onwards):
Expect another round of full closures during departures, including all the same highways and major roads as May 23–26.
Areas and places likely to be affected
If you’re planning to head into town, here are some key places to either avoid or plan your trips around:
KLCC area:
As the summit venue, expect frequent motorcades, police presence, and complete lockdowns around the Convention Centre, Petronas Twin Towers, and surrounding roads, including the Ampang Park area.
Hartamas area:
With some roads near Istana Negara closed, landmarks such as the KL High Court, Masjid Wilayah Persekutuan, Matrade, Mitec, and Publika will be difficult to access.
Shopping hotspots:
Suria KLCC, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, Fahrenheit88, Lot 10, and malls along Jalan Bukit Bintang and Jalan Sultan Ismail may experience intermittent closures. Other malls, such as Lalaport and Berjaya Times Square, may also face access difficulties.
Embassies and diplomatic zones:
Embassies along Jalan Ampang and Jalan Tun Razak, including those of the US, UK, and China, may have increased traffic controls and security checkpoints.
Government buildings:
Roads around Parliament, Istana Negara, Bank Negara, and the Perdana Putra complex in Putrajaya will be on high alert. Access to key landmarks such as Muzium Negara may also be affected.
KL Sentral and transport hubs:
The city’s main rail hub may experience spillover traffic, especially if Jalan Damansara or Jalan Mahameru is temporarily closed.
What can you do?
Take public transport such as the MRT, LRT, and Monorail where possible. Rapid KL will extend peak-hour LRT and MRT services:
• Morning peak: 6.30am–10am
• Evening peak: 4.30pm–8pm
Weekend services (May 24–25):
Train frequency will increase, with intervals as short as four minutes on some routes.
Some bus routes may face delays due to intermittent roadblocks.
Affected routes include:
• 402 (LRT Titiwangsa – LRT Maluri)
• 302 (LRT Titiwangsa – KLCC)
• 300 and 303
For Real-time traffic updates:
• JSPT/PDRM social media
• The PLUS app
• X (formerly Twitter) @PLUSTrafik
• Highway electronic boards (VMS)
Plan ahead:
• Avoid KLCC, Ampang, or Bukit Bintang during peak hours
• Use navigation apps for live rerouting
• Consider working remotely if your office is in affected zones
• Leave extra time for airport trips
Source: 
Asean Summit in KL: Roads and places to avoid from May 23 to 28
