2026 Mudik Flow Expected to Begin 18 March, Interior Minister Tito Monitors Merak Port Readiness Directly
Interior Minister Muhammad Tito Karnavian inspected the readiness of the 2026 Eid exodus at Merak Port, Cilegon, Banten on Friday 13 March 2026. The inspection was conducted alongside numerous government officials and institutional leaders, including Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Pratikno, Minister of Transportation Dudy Purwagandhi, Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin, Minister of Women Empowerment and Child Protection Arifatul Choiri Fauzi, National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, and Armed Forces Commander General Agus Subiyanto.
During the visit, the Interior Minister and his delegation directly examined service facilities at the port, including passenger accommodation aboard the ferry vessel scheduled to depart for Bakauheni Port. The Interior Minister also engaged in dialogue with prospective travellers to inquire about their travel destinations.
The inspection was conducted to ensure the readiness of ferry transportation services ahead of the Eid exodus period, which is expected to experience a surge in passenger numbers. Merak Port serves as one of the principal mobility hubs for people travelling from Java towards Sumatra.
Following the field inspection, the Interior Minister and relevant ministers participated in a Coordination Meeting on 2026 Eid Exodus Readiness held at the Executive Dock of ASDP Merak Port, Banten.
In a statement to the media, Coordinating Minister Pratikno stated that the government targets this year’s exodus to proceed safely, smoothly, comfortably and securely.
“We have just completed a coordination meeting and inspection at Merak Port. Our target is of course to ensure this exodus proceeds safely, smoothly, comfortably and securely,” said Pratikno.
He explained that the exodus flow is estimated to commence around 18 March 2026, whilst the return flow is predicted to occur on 29 March 2026. Nevertheless, the government hopes that traveller movements can be distributed across several days to prevent congestion at particular times. This is particularly important given the relatively extended timeframe for this year’s exodus period due to the weekend, flexible working arrangement policies for civil servants, joint leave, and the proximity of Nyepi Day and Eid al-Fitr.
“Therefore, with this extended timeframe, we are hopeful that the exodus distribution will not be concentrated on any single day,” he added.
Pratikno further stated that the government, together with all relevant stakeholders, has undertaken various preparations, including introducing several innovations to improve the quality of exodus services. In the previous year, public satisfaction levels regarding exodus operations were rated as very high and are expected to increase this year.