Airfares Soar, Longest-Route Inter-Provincial Buses Become the Choice

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – The recent increase in aviation fuel prices has directly impacted the soaring domestic airfares. This situation has led some people to turn back to land transportation options, one of which is inter-provincial inter-city buses (AKAP). Although they take much longer journey times, AKAP buses offer more stable and affordable ticket prices. For those not in a hurry, travelling thousands of kilometres across extreme routes in Indonesia has once again become a rational choice. Based on data gathered by Kompas.com, there are at least three bus companies with the longest routes in Indonesia at present. 1. PO ALS: Medan – Jember Sewan, one of the owners of PO ALS, said that this route is one of the most challenging operationally. “Regarding the longest route, I’m not entirely sure. But ALS has an active route from Medan to Jember. The journey can take four days and four nights,” Sewan told Kompas.com on Wednesday (15/4/2026). For this route that crosses Sumatra and Java islands, passengers only need to pay Rp 950,000. With a price under one million rupiah, passengers get Patas Executive class with AC and toilet facilities. Compare that to similar air routes, where tickets can now reach two to three times higher during peak seasons. 2. PO Sempati Star: Jakarta – Banda Aceh “There used to be double-decker buses, but now they’re not used for the Jakarta route. Now they’re used for Pekanbaru – Banda Aceh,” said Agus. Although the fare exceeds one million, this price is still considered competitive for passengers carrying a lot of luggage, given the high cost of air baggage fees at present. 3. PO SAN: Pasir Pangaraian – Blitar PO Siliwangi Antar Nusa (SAN) also has a route that is no less distant, connecting Pasir Pangaraian in Riau with Blitar in East Java. This journey takes about 48 hours or two days if traffic conditions are smooth.