Terminal in Jakarta

Jakarta as capital city of Indonesia is most crowded city in Indonesia. Millions peoples moving every day in Jakarta for work, business, study, trading, tourism, and government activities. Some of them use private car or motorcycle and the others use public transport. Many kind of public transports available in Jakarta such as big bus with AC, big bus without AC, medium bus, busway, train, taxi, bajay, ojek (motorcycle), and angkot (public transport with 10-15 seat passengers).

How to memorize them?

Is everybody in Jakarta remembers all route of public transports?

The answer is no. More than 100 routes are available for angkot and bus in Jakarta. We couldn’t remember all routes except we use all of them everyday. Most of Jakarta people only remember routes for their own daily activities. So, how about if they want to go to other places or other routes? They use public transport terminal as guidance.

We can go the nearest terminal and find public transport that passing or toward our destination. For example, if we stay in South Jakarta and want to go to Sudirman street, we can go to Blok M terminal and find bus that passing through Monas.

Terminals also could use as direction guidance. Some terminals are end points of Jakarta, so if we ride public transport and stop in terminal, we already at one of Jakarta end points.

Big terminal

In this terminal type, we almost can found any kind public transports to all other Jakarta terminal and also buses to another cities in Java and Sumatera islands. Most of Indonesian peoples moving in to Jakarta and moving out from Jakarta in this terminal type. The examples are Pulogadung, Kampung Rambutan, and Kalideres.

Medium terminal

In this terminal type, not all routes to other cities are available, but all routes to other destination in Jakarta are available. The examples are Pasar Minggu, Lebak Bulus, Blok M, and Pasar Senen.

Angkot terminal

In this small terminal, there are only a few angkot routes as public transports available. Sometimes there is no terminal building. The angkot use some area for stop and rest as end point or starting point. The example is Cililitan.

The terminal position determines traffic of passenger and vehicle. Terminal in strategic or center position will be busy terminal. Almost all roads in front of or behind terminal always get traffic jam. Some crowded terminals have bad security and safety. Copet (pickpocket) hang around inside and outside terminal. So, be careful if you have to go to terminal and its surrounding.

Busway

Busway is the newest public transport in Jakarta. This type of transport was adopted from Bogota public transport system for reduce and avoid traffic jam in the busy city. Busway in Jakarta is bus with special system. It has two doors in both sides to allow drop and pick passenger from shelter which on left side or right side of the bus. The bus is wide enough so have maximum load by standing passengers.

The bus only stop at shelter and have fix path that free from other vehicle. Busway will free from traffic jam in its path. The busway path has borders that will separates from other vehicles. This special “way” makes name of Busway. Busway are adequate for middle and high class peoples because it have more secure, comfort, fix time and clear destination. Every shelter has name, instruction, and direction. The passenger could prepare when destination will be reach. Just be careful when exit or enter busway because there is a little gap between bus and shelter. So watch your step while exiting or entering.

The local Government plan to build 10 busway routes to accommodate maximum coverage in Jakarta. Until now, 8 routes already operated. Some routes have good service and facility but some routes haven’t good enough facilities. The best route is BlokM-Kota which is the first route open. The bus is more comfort and the path is relatively straight and roads are flawless. This route has red bus. Other route use blue, grey, and orange bus.

Busway is also cheap public transport. We can walk around Jakarta by busway for only 3500 rupiahs as long as not exit from shelter or stop at end shelter. We can change route or bus at connection shelter. If we enter shelter before 07 am, ticket fare is only 2000 rupiahs.

For easy and effective trip by busway, we should read route map first. This map could g

et from some books, brochure, or other sources. If you didn’t have busway map yet, you could see map below.