Avoid Accidents: Holiday Travellers Banned from Stopping on Road Shoulders, Rest in Rest Areas if Sleepy
Holiday travellers passing through the Cikopo-Palimanan (Cipali) toll road section are prohibited from stopping on the shoulders except in emergencies. Additionally, if feeling sleepy, they are advised to rest at safe rest areas.
Sustainability Management & Corporate Communications Department Head of Astra Tol Cipali, Ardam Rafif Trisilo, stated that the ban on stopping on road shoulders aims to avoid traffic slowdowns and maintain collective safety. Furthermore, given the night-time travel conditions, road users are urged not to push themselves if drowsy and to rest immediately at safe locations.
According to Ardam, vehicle users are advised to utilise the nearest rest area. However, if parking capacity is full, they can exit via the nearest toll gate to rest outside the toll road and re-enter without additional charges.
“The transaction system on the Trans-Java toll network uses a closed system, so tariffs are still calculated based on the distance travelled,” he explained.
Additionally, road users are advised to prepare their journeys well, ensuring vehicles are in prime condition. This includes ensuring sufficient fuel or electric vehicle charge, adequate electronic money balance, and that the driver’s physical condition is fit.
One-way traffic flow on the Cikopo-Palimanan (Cipali) toll road section was observed to experience a significant increase on Wednesday night (18/3/2026). Vehicle flow slowdowns occurred at several points.
This was evident at KM 130 around 5:00 PM WIB. The slowdown was due to many holiday vehicles queuing to enter rest areas for rest or to prepare for breaking the fast.
Based on data from Cipali toll operators, from 00:00 to 20:00 WIB, approximately 108,000 vehicles had passed the former Cikopo Toll Gate from Jakarta towards Cirebon. This traffic volume increased by up to 80 percent compared to the same period the previous day.
“The average vehicle volume passing through reaches around 5,400 vehicles per hour,” he said.