76 Million People Estimated to Travel by Car During 2026 Eid Exodus, With West Java Leading
JAKARTA – The Ministry of Transportation has begun mapping potential population movement patterns for the 2026 Eid exodus. The findings indicate that the return migration flow is expected to concentrate once again on the island of Java, both in terms of origin and destination.
According to a national survey by the Transportation Policy Agency (BKT) under the Ministry of Transportation, the province with the largest number of returning travellers is West Java, accounting for 30.97 million people. This figure is followed by DKI Jakarta with 19.93 million people and East Java with 17.12 million people.
Regarding destinations, the largest flow is predicted to be directed towards Central Java with 38.71 million people. Subsequently, East Java will receive 27.29 million people and West Java 25.09 million people.
In total, the same survey projects population movement during the 2026 Eid exodus to reach 50.60 per cent of Indonesia’s total population, equivalent to 143.91 million people.
“This is the foundation for us to prepare comprehensively for the 2026 Eid exodus,” said Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi in an official statement.
For the Jabodetabek region, the largest movement originates from Bogor Regency and Tangerang Regency, with Central Java becoming the preferred destination province.
In terms of transport modes, private cars remain the primary choice with an estimated 76.24 million users. Motorcycles follow with 24.08 million people, whilst buses are estimated to carry 23.34 million passengers.
Meanwhile, motorcycle users tend to favour alternative routes rather than main highways, with estimates reaching 8.65 million people.
Given the dominance of private vehicles, the government has reiterated the importance of safety during the exodus period.
“We urge the public to use public transport in order to improve safety, reduce congestion, and mitigate the risk of accidents due to high mobility during the Eid holiday,” said Dudy.