Getting to Jakarta is relatively easy by plane, train, bus or boat. There are also a number of ways of getting around the city once you are there, but it can be difficult at times due to the hustle and bustle.
Jakarta is pretty well connected to the rest of the world, which makes getting there easy.
Our Jakarta Transportation Guide will tell you all you need to know about travelling to and around Jakarta. A great option for getting around is to take an interesting local Jakarta tour. Our Indonesia Country Guide will tell you more about travelling to and around Indonesia.
Jakarta Transportation Guide
Getting to Jakarta
By Plane
All international and most domestic flights touch down at the Soekarno Hatta International Airport at Tangerang, Banten, which is 20 km (12 miles) northwest of Jakarta. More than a dozen airlines take passengers to Jakarta from Singapore's Changi Airport, the nearest major gateway to the city in Asia. Visas may be procured on arrival at the airport for the citizens of many countries.
Many hotels in Jakarta will provide you with a free airport transfer to the city. You could even take a taxi or a shuttle bus operated by companies like DAMRI.or XTrans.
By Train
Some non-AC (bisnis) trains are available for long distance travel at the Gambir station in Central Jakarta, east of the Monas. Eksekutif (AC). Getting to Badung is easy, with trains plying the route almost every 2 hours during the day. If you'd like to travel further to cities like Solo, Yogyakarta, Malang, Semarang and Surabaya, you can catch a train in the morning, late afternoon or evening. For cheaper non-AC trains, head to the Pasar Senen station two blocks east of Gambir.
Getting to the eastern and southern parts of the city is simple enough as most trains stop at the Jatinegara Station in eastern Jakarta. Commuter trains depart from the Jakarta Kota station in the old region of the city.
By Bus
Some of the bus terminals which serve travellers from other cities are Kampung Rambutan (Southeast Jakarta), Rawamangun (between North and East Jakarta), Kali Deres (West Jakarta), Pulo Gadung (East Jakarta) and Lebak Bulus (South Jakarta).
By Boat
You can get to various places in the archipelago from the port at Tanjung Priok in North Jakarta via the national ferry company, PELNI, and many other ferries. From Ancol on the north shore of the city, you can also get aboard a small speedboat which will take you to destinations like the Thousand Islands (Pulau Seribu).
Getting Around Jakarta
If you're on your first visit to Jakarta, you might find getting around the city rather difficult due to the chaos.
By Train
Commuter trains will take you from the centre of the city to destinations on the outskirts such as Bekasi, Tangerang, Bogor, Bojonggede and Serpong. These trains run from 5 am (first train to Bogor) to nearly 10 pm (last train to Bogor). Special services on the weekends connect Bogor and Depok with the much-visited Ancol entertainment park in Jakarta.
You have a choice of four types of trains in Jakarta: express (non-stop AC trains, mostly used by commuters going to and from work), semi-express (much like express, but stopping more often, these operate outside the rush hours), ekonomi AC (stops at all destinations en route, most convenient for tourists) and ekonomi.
By Busway
The Transjakarta Busway (busway or Tije) is air-conditioned, contemporary and comfortable. However, during the rush hour (7 am and 4 pm), these buses are pretty crowded. The buses run daily from 5 am to 10 pm and tickets come at a flat Rp 2,000 before 7 am and Rp 3,500 therafter. Transfers between lines don't cost anything. At the moment, seven lines are operating, with more planned in the near future.
By Bus
The ticket for a regular bus costs Rp 2000 and the fare for air-conditioned buses (Patas or Mayasari AC) is Rp 5000. If you're looking for something even cheaper, there are the angkot (small vans) and the mikrolet (mini-buses), with fares varying from Rp 1500 to 2500. These take you to the smaller streets. But be warned, these buses don't have any schedule.
By Car
You can rent a car in Jakarta and while getting across the toll roads encircling the city is faster when the traffic is moving smoothly, these roads do get jammed. On certain roads, from 7.30 to 10.00 am and from 4.30 to 7.00 pm a minimum of three people are required to occupy a car.