335 Students Take Part in UMY's Free Mudik, Longest Route Reaches Palembang

Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY) again organised the Mudik Gratis Bareng UMY programme for students ahead of Idul Fitri 2026. A total of 335 students participated, accompanied by 23 escorts. They were sent to 13 destinations, the nearest in Pati, Central Java, with the farthest destination Palembang in South Sumatra.

‘Thus, 335 students joined Mudik Bareng UMY 2026, accompanied by 23 escorts. There are 13 destinations, and the farthest is Palembang,’ Ratih Herningtyas, chair of the Mudik Bareng UMY 2026 committee, said after the launch ceremony at UMY’s Kasihan campus in Bantul on Saturday 7 March 2026.

Ratih explained that the number of participants this year rose significantly compared with last year. In 2025, the Mudik Gratis UMY programme was attended by only 116 students with destinations limited to Java.

‘The number of participants rose because last year we only served Java and the total was 116. This year it has more than doubled,’ she said.

To transport the students, the committee prepared nine buses, three Hiace vehicles, and one Innova. The programme is the result of cooperation between UMY and several partners, including BMT and transport companies.

Ratih said the opening of routes to Palembang was introduced after the campus observed the high travel costs students incur when returning home independently.

‘We even surveyed the cost of returning home to Lampung or Palembang. From students’ stories, the cheapest costs were around Rp 500 thousand, and now it ranges from Rp 800 thousand to Rp 900 thousand,’ she explained.

‘This is part of UMY’s commitment to provide the best service and ensure that students can return home safely, comfortably, and free of charge,’ added Ratih.

One of the Mudik participants, Fauziah Nurhasanah, a law faculty student from Palembang, said she was very helped by the free Mudik programme. She said her family’s economy is currently strained after both parents were affected by floods in Ogan Komering Ilir Regency, South Sumatra.

‘The Mudik programme from UMY is very beneficial for me. Economically we are not well, so this programme helps a lot,’ she said.

Fauziah also said she was enthusiastic to participate after hearing from a friend who had previously joined.