60 Percent of Vehicles Have Already Returned from Sumatra to Java

JAKARTA – The Eid al-Fitr 2026 return flow from Sumatra Island to Java Island is still ongoing with high intensity. Nevertheless, the movement of returnees is monitored to remain controlled thanks to a more even distribution of traffic compared to previous years. PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry has assured that ferry crossing services are running optimally to ensure the smooth travel of the public. ASDP’s President Director Heru Widodo stated that this year’s return flow pattern tends not to pile up at a specific time, thus helping to maintain operational stability at the ports. “The more even distribution of flow is an important foundation in maintaining service smoothness,” said Heru in a written statement (28/3/2026). Based on data from the Bakauheni Post, the cumulative number of passengers returning to Java from 22 to 27 March 2026 at 14:00 WIB (H to H+5) reached 543,440 people. This figure is equivalent to around 60 percent of the total 898,864 mudik participants who departed from Java during the outbound flow period. This achievement indicates that the majority of returnees’ vehicles have crossed back to Java, although around 40 percent are estimated to return in the coming days. With many returnees still remaining, the potential for a surge in return flow still needs to be anticipated. For this reason, ASDP continues to strengthen field-based operational strategies. Various measures are prepared, starting from adjusting ship operation patterns according to density levels, situational vehicle flow diversions, to the implementation of an integrated delaying system in several buffer zones to ease queues.