Jakarta Travel Guide

Jakarta, Indonesia — Travel Tips

Getting There By Air

Soekarno Hatta Airport (CGK)
Tel: (021) 550 5179.
Website: www.angkasapura2.co.id

Jakarta’s international airport has two terminals and twin runways. It is located 30km (18.5 miles) west of the city center, although it can take over an hour to get in to the center in heavy traffic.

There are currency exchange facilities, a business lounge, bars, souvenir shops, telephones, ATMs, car rental offices and a tourist information desk for arriving passengers.

Damri (tel: (021) 460 3708) run regular buses to various destinations within the city center. Taxis can be booked at the counters in arrivals or outside arrivals. With the latter it is wise to negotiate a price before setting off.

Getting There By Road

Traffic in Jakarta drives on the left. Nearly half of the road network is paved. There are good road communications within Java and, to a lesser extent, on Bali and Sumatra. The other islands have poor road systems. Speed limits are usually 30-40kph (19-25mph) on inner city streets, 60-70kph (37-43mph) on inter-city roads and 80-100 kph (50-62mph) on motorways. An International Driving Permit is required to drive in Jakarta.

Emergency breakdown services
Tel: 0800 140 1287.

Routes to the city
Express roads supposedly connect Jakarta with most of the other main cities on the island of Java, but in reality conditions can be poor and congestion is a serious problem. There is a ring road around the city. Toll roads already operate out to the airport and also connect Jakarta with Bandung.

Coach services
Jakarta has four principal bus terminals. Kalideres is 15km (9 miles) north of Merdeka Square and serves the likes of Merak and Labuan. Kampung Rambutan is 18km (11 miles) south of the city center and offers buses to Bogor and Bandung. Pulo Gadung is 12km (7.5 miles) east of the center with services to the likes of Padang and Bukittinggi. Lebak Bulus is 15km (9 miles) south of Jakarta's center with handy services for tourists to Yogyakarta and Bali. Myriad bus companies operate to and from Jakarta. Two of the most popular are Safari Dharma Raya (tel: (021) 548 5644; www.safaridharmaraya.com) and Kramat Djati (tel: (022) 420 0858).

Getting There By Rail

Rail Services
Jakarta has four railway stations: Kota, Gambir, Pasar Senen and Tanah Abang. The largest and of most use to travelers is Gambir Station on Merdeka Square, which serves destinations to the east such as Yogyakarta and Surabaya.

Rail Operators
PT Kereta Api (tel: (021) 691 2276; www.kereta-api.co.id) is the state operator running all services throughout Indonesia.

Getting Around in Jakarta, Indonesia

Public Transport

There's a comprehensive but chaotic bus system in Jakarta that has improved in recent years with the introduction of Transjakarta Busway (tel: (021) 722 8727; www.transjakarta.co.id), a rapid transit bus system that has eights lines or 'corridors' and dedicated bus lanes. At least two more lines are to be added in the next few years, with plans of up to 15 lines being created altogether. Fixed rate fares are payable. In addition, a number of smaller companies also offer bus and minibus routes, though these tend not to stick to timetables, are chronically overcrowded and often don't have air conditioning. A Jakarta Monorail was planned but the system was beset by delays, and the developers officially abandoned the project in 2008. Bajaj are motorized rickshaws that are a cheap, though relatively dangerous way to get around the city.

Taxis

Hailing a taxi in the street can lead to overcharging so either book at a hotel or call ahead with companies such as Batavia (tel: (021) 733 6776), Dynasty (tel: (021) 568 0986) and Bluebird (tel: (021) 794 1234). Given the overcrowded nature of much of Jakarta's public transport network, taxis are considered by many expats and visitors to be the best way of getting around. Make sure drivers use the meter.

Driving in the City

Driving in Jakarta can be both challenging and dangerous due to poor local driving standards.

Car Hire

A number of international car hire companies have offices in Jakarta including Avis (tel: (021) 314 2900; www.avis.com), while local operators include Bluebird (tel: (021) 794 4444; www.bluebirdgroup.com). Alternatively inquire at local travel agencies about hiring a car with driver.