Jakarta Transportation Tips by kokoryko Top 5 Page for this destination

Minimetro, Kopaja, . . . .

These are (and probably will be for long time) a symbol of Jakarta transportation; this is an incredible bus system, going through all Jakarta, has main stations like in Block M for Minimetro; incredible, in that the drivers rent the buses, and for the day, try to get on the most lucrative lines, load as many as possible passengers, make as many rounds as possible, etc. . .etc. . . The driver has a helper, who shouts the destinations or routes, helps the passengers in, collects the money; both guys work a lot, in the stress, the frenetic concurrence, and the exhaustion is responsible for accidents in which they are frequently involved.
Minimetro (left) and Kopaja on the first picture, almost ready for a race; both go to Pasar Minggu, south Jakarta; the helpers hang outside the buses (picture 2 and picture 3) ready to give way to the passengers, and help them to proceed as fast as possible.
The Kopaja bus terminal in North Jakarta on picture 4, for a rest it seems, and on the last picture, in North Jakarta, another type of minibuses (mikrolet); these cars are refurbished to accommodate 12-15 people. They have fixed routes.

Fares: 1250 Rp for long distances.

Mode: AROUND

Type: Bus

Transjakarta is efficient !

The city authorities, after hesitating for long, very long years (considering metro, tramway, trolleybuses, monorails, and other public transportation systems, all of which, for financial or technical could not be implemented) finally implemented beginning 2004 the “Busway” or Transjakarta transportation system.
It seems a rather efficient (and cheap in implementing! Incredible nobody thought of it before, or did the previous governments find it too cheap. . . I mean about K K N (ah yes, I should explain this system: Korupsi, Kolusi, Nepotisme. But it is the past now ) and the results of Korupsi were proportional to the size of the public markets. . . )
One lane of the main avenues id now dedicated to the transjakarta buses (and only them!) and you can travel fast from North to South or East to West. The stations are not always easy to reach, as you have to walk up and down many stairs, but once there, with 2500 Rp, you can make a tour of Jakarta, as you can use connections with the same ticket.
Is it not nice to overtake all this traffic in a bus? (picture 1). Even when the traffic is lighter, the buses have the way for them(picture 2). And you cannot get lost, as there are route maps in the buses, and an attendant shouts the name of the station when the bus stops!
If you have a close look at the picture 3 you will see that the door of the bus is very high; they are adapted to the stations which have an elevated platform (picture 4).
There are now a few lines running through Jakarta, and a few are still in process of implementation, like on Jalan Warung Buncit (picture 5), South Jakarta, where the bikes keep using the lanes, till the stations will be operational.
It is very good to see public transportation developing in Jakarta, but many people are so much used to take their car, it will take some time the mentalities change, and that the middle class forgets about individual cars and use collective transportation.

2500Rp unlimited distance.
Route maps in newspapers, or download here: http://rutebusway.com/

Mode: AROUND

Type: Bus

Website: http://rutebusway.com/

Taxis reliables, but trapped in the traffic jams

Macet (pronounce matchett) is the worst enemy of the motorists and taxis can’t avoid them (Ah! Macet is traffic jam).
For long distances, if you are not used to ojek, or the bus system, you have to rely on taxis; they are good in general, there are lots of companies, and there are very few reports of bad behaviour of taxi drivers. Their big handicap is that they cannot avoid traffic jams, and at rush hours, you sometimes can sit for two hours in a taxi to cover a distance of 8-10 km!
The taxis are metered and not expensive, so, it is worth to use them in Jakarta, and there are a lot; you always will find a taxi on the streets within 5 minutes. On the last picture, taken in Menteng area, (Jalan Kebon Sirih Timur) you can see four vehicles for public transportation: motorbike, bajaj, taxi and in front the red minibus, a sort of a shared taxi.

Mode: AROUND

Type: Other

Bajaj

If you like to sit on a hard bench, feel like ice cubes in a cocktail shaker, smell the wonderful perfume of petrol and unburned exhaust gases, this is the place for you! These bajaj (pronounce badjaï) are amongst the most polluting devices on the planet. But sometimes for a short trip, if you have no choice, you can take a bajaj, and it can be fun for a short moment. In the past I used a bajaj one day (night!) to go to a reception at the hotel Borobudur, and when I arrived, the butler at the hotel was very upset not to open the door of a limousine, but a bajaj; I do not know why, as the passenger is well hidden in a bajaj (picture 1), like in a limousine. . .
These bajaj contribute a lot to “couleur locale” and are used a lot by Jakartans when they go shopping, or travel in the neighbourhood; they are almost as efficient as bikes in narrow streets (picture 2); the drivers wait usually at the markets or shopping areas (Pasar Baru on picture 3).
In the traffic, they do not hesitate to take the fast lanes (picture 4).
If you go to the market with a bajaj, be careful, you may take some blind passengers with you (picture 5), and must then adopt him. . . .
Prices are high, comparatively to ojeks; ask and try to get half price of the proposed price. . . .

Mode: AROUND

Type: Other

Ojeks views and sights

I like to go around with ojek in Jakarta, because there is a lot to see and discover in the midst of the traffic, you would not see in a taxi or bus; and there is a funny proximity with the other street users. On the wide avenues, you can say “hello” to the truck drivers (picture 1) at the traffic lights, you can find your way in the narrow little streets (picture 2).
On a bike you also can make big smiles to your colleague bikers (picture 3) say “hi” to nice neighbours in the traffic (picture 4), and all that sort of little things which make life enjoyable. On the last picture, just what you can see when sitting on the back seat of a bike.

Prices are very variable, and foreigners must always negotiate; but, think about: I paid 25.000 RP (1.7 Euro) for a trip from Senayan to Kota (13 km); is it really serious to have arguments for 2000-5000 Rupiah?
In general, for a one to five km trip you should pay 10.000-15.000 Rp

Mode: AROUND

Type: Bicycle

Swift ojeks

My preferred means of getting around for long distances in Jakarta is the ojek; I find the motorbike drivers efficient and skilful, and on bikes, you have an open view on all what happens around (and accessorily are also exposed to the heavy pollution of the traffic, but you have to make choices).
There are all sorts of bikers and I just propose you here a portrait gallery of some, which transported me, or who were waiting for a customer, even sleeping. . . .
They should have a helmet, but do not be surprised if they do not have or propose you.

Prices are very variable, and foreigners must always negotiate; but, think about: I paid 25.000 RP (1.7 Euro) for a trip from Senayan to Kota (13 km); is it really serious to have arguments for 2000-5000 Rupiah?
In general, for a one to five km trip you should pay 10.000-15.000 Rp

Mode: AROUND

Type: Motorcycle

General

If you expect to find an efficient public transport system in a big megalopolis like Jakarta, be prepared to a big deception; despite some recent improvements (Transjakarta), the public transportation is very bad and very polluting. There are a number of public transportations systems, and even for Jakartans, it is difficult to find their way in the system.
There are the trains taking you in the JABOTABEK area (JAkarta, BOgor, TAngerang, BEKasi), often crowded at rush hours, and there are not enough, by far, to meet the needs of people living in the suburbs and coming to work in Jakarta.
There are lots of buses and bus companies working in the suburbs and the city; a complex system, apparently.
But even more complicated are the smaller buses (Metromini, Kopaja, . . . ) and minibuses. . . there are hundreds of routes, tens of companies, cooperatives, microlet, komilet, etc. . . . cheap fixed fares. According to the Jakarta Post (Feb.03, 2005) there are 250.000 buses of various sizes in Jakarta.
For first time foreign visitors, the best is to take taxis, as these are not too expensive and can take you almost everywhere (If they know! When they ask which is your preferred route (Mau lewat mana?), that means they do not know, and they will not want to loose their face and admit they do not know. . . . ); always remind them to switch on the meter, as some have the tendency to “forget” when they take foreigners. . . .
My preferred means of transportation is the ojek, motorbike-taxi; they are very efficient in traffic jams, can go everywhere; prices subject to debate. . . .
There are also the infamous bajaj, the most polluting/km/transported persons vehicle of the world; these are for neighbourhood trips, and are not allowed on the great avenues of Jakarta.
The becak (rickshaw) and dokar (horse carriage) almost disappeared from Jakarta; you may find some in the southern suburbs of the city.
And there is the recently implemented, and under development “Busway” or “Transjakarta” transportation system. I used it during my last visit here and enjoyed it a lot, as the buses go on dedicated lanes on big avenues and are not trapped in traffic jams.

Mode: AROUND

Type: Other

Around Monas, all sorts of vehicles

Many families with small kids, or just because they like it take tours with the little orange train (picture 1) which travels in the wide alleys of the parks and around the tower; other prefer the horse carriage (or tokar) , but this one in not allowed in the central area of the Monas square.
Other have their special vehicles (picture 3), and have probably not to pay for transportation; there are a lot of policemen, and women (picture 4) on Monas, taking care of this National Monument, caring there are no demonstrations, no bad or anti-nationalist behaviour among the visitors, and the foreign tourists look at this with some perplexity and “evacuate” their antimilitary feelings by posing next to a police vehicle (picture 5). . . .

Monas, Central Jakarta

Mode: AROUND

Type: Other