There’s a wide assortment of transportation in Jakarta, each of them answering to different needs. There is no most excellent way to get around in Jakarta. Still, you must know various options to make the best options from point A to point B since there’s a lack of common mass transportation even though There’s a lot of them. Still, it is a huge mess and packed to the max. You’ll end up paying a lot for your transportation in Jakarta if you’ve got a lot of roads to create.
Getting Around in Jakarta with Grab or Gojek Apps
Getting Around in Jakarta has only become much more comfortable with several new programs. You can try one of the followings:
- Gojek, you can order a bike or car service, and also food delivery via Gojek Apps.
- Grab, you can book personal driver car service (GrabCar) and bike service (GrabBike).
Those services are less expensive than normal taxis and regular “ojek” (at least 30 percent less).
Getting Around in Jakarta with Mass Transportations
During your stay in Jakarta, you might ride one of the following:
- Becak
Man-powered rickshaw. If you never tried it, they have some in some regions of Glodok, it is more of an old Chinese girl’s thing, and I do not think even tourists dare to carry it.
- Bajaj
It’s the equal of the motorized rickshaws in India or the tuk-tuk in Thailand. They can’t use the main roads so that they are mainly confined to operate in a remote location. Several drivers may tell you that they can take you from Kemang to Kota, but it’s crazy. Bajaj is fine for distances up to 1 km or so. You can use them when you have a very brief trip to make, and you don’t want to walk. For example, if you back from the supermarket, around 500 meters from your house, or another place, and you must hurry back home.
The cost of a Bajaj is never less than Rp5.000. Less than 3 minutes ride involving Rp5.000 and Rp10.000. And around 3 minutes to 10 minutes, the price between Rp10,000 to Rp20,000. If over 10 minutes, then get a taxi.
- Ojek
Ojek is motorbike-taxis. It’s very convenient because it’s effortless to find one, and they’ll help you avoid traffic. The cost should be negotiated beforehand, and usually, it’s about Rp20.000 to Rp40.000 for a 20 minutes ride.
If you use the software Gojek or GrabBike, the costs are much cheaper. It changes depending on traffic, but you can expect to pay half of the standard rate.
- Angkot
An Angkot (also renowned as Bemo and Mikrolet) is a tiny van that picks up every person on a well-defined route. Angkot will stop and go approximately every 100 meters. Hence, it’s not very fast. The most unfavorable part is the lack of comfort because you’re usually eight or more in a place that should only accommodate four people max.
The good part of it is that it is cheap, around Rp2.000, however far you go. Angkot is very local too. People are usually amused to see a tourist there.
- Mini Buses
It is the cheapest way to make long connexions within the city, around Rp2.000. Still, they are incredibly packed, hot, and dirty throughout the day, and safety isn’t the most priority. It might be OK at night because there are fewer people and it’s not quite as hot. The most popular ones are the Kopaja (Koperasi Angkutan Jakarta, the white and green ones) and the MetroMini (the red and blue ones). Look at the letter of the buses, and each one corresponds to an area: P the short of Pusat (center of Jakarta), B the short of Barat (West), S the short of Selatan (South), then U the short of Utara (North), and T the short of Timur (East). Next to the code, you will have a number, which suggests the path.
For example, the Kopaja S66 is the one that goes from Blok M to Manggarai. As soon as you memorize a few paths, it is not so bad to use.
- Trans Jakarta
It is pretty good compared to the rest. However, you could rarely produce an entire trip using only the Trans Jakarta since inter-connexions are still limited. Trans Jakarta has its dedicated lane, making it the fastest means of transport during the worst traffic hours. It’s more expensive than a standard bus, but the service with the cost around Rp3.500, though imperfect, is better than in Kopajas.
- Taxis
There are many taxi brands in Jakarta, but most people use either Express or Blue Bird. The cost currently begins at Rp6.500, and you will pay about Rp50.000 for a 20 minutes ride. Taxi services from the airport to the city center, Jalan Sudirman, will cost you approximately Rp130.000 for a 50 minutes ride.
Most companies will use the “tax-meter,” but it is better to always ask before getting in to avoid unpleasant surprises. Don’t be paranoid about taxis in Jakarta. The worst thing that can occur to you is you will pay an extra two dollars because the driver took a longer road.
Before you plan a trip to Jakarta, make sure you read more about Jakarta and Indonesia by visiting Wonderful Indonesia. Extra research will give you the best experience when visiting Jakarta.
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