Free fast ferry service Situbondo-Madura inaugural journey carries 198 passengers
The Ministry of Transportation’s free mudik programme using fast ferries carried 198 homebound travellers on its inaugural departure from Jangkar Port in Situbondo, East Java, bound for Sapudi Island in Sumenep Regency, Madura, on Thursday.
Herland Aprilyanto, Head of the Port Authority and Harbour Master’s Office (KSOP) Class IV Panarukan in Situbondo, reported that the maiden free mudik departure on the Jangkar-Sapudi route used the Express Bahari 1F fast ferry, with 198 passengers total, of whom 20 were paying customers.
“The free mudik quota on the Jangkar-Sapudi fast ferry route for today was set at 250 people through the Express Bahari Mobile application, but 178 actually arrived,” he said at Jangkar Port in Situbondo on Thursday.
Herland noted that passenger traffic to the islands in Sumenep Regency, particularly Sapudi Island and Raas Island, has consistently experienced significant growth.
As a result, he continued, for the 2026 Eid transport season the Ministry of Transportation introduced free mudik and balik (return) services using fast ferries on the Jangkar-Raas and Jangkar-Sapudi routes.
“The Ministry of Transportation’s free mudik and balik programme using fast ferries is also part of efforts to alleviate congestion at Jangkar Port,” Herland said.
One passenger, Bunawer, expressed gratitude for the free fast ferry mudik programme offered by the Ministry of Transportation.
“I work in Yogyakarta and want to return to my hometown on Sapudi Island. This free fast ferry mudik programme certainly helps those of us who are working away from home,” he said.
The total quota for free mudik and balik services during the 2026 Eid period using fast ferries is 5,000 passengers for the Jangkar-Raas and Jangkar-Sapudi routes. The Jangkar-Raas route has a quota of 4,500 free passengers, whilst the Jangkar-Sapudi route has 500 free passengers.
Prospective passengers for the free mudik and balik fast ferry service during 2026 Eid can register through the Express Bahari Mobile application. Once free ticket quotas are exhausted, ticket bookings will be charged at regular tariff rates.
The free mudik and balik fast ferry service offers 12 trips on the Jangkar-Raas route (six Jangkar-Raas and six Raas-Jangkar), one trip on the Jangkar-Sapudi route, and one trip on the Sapudi-Jangkar route.
The free mudik fast ferry schedule for the Jangkar-Sapudi route is Thursday, 12 March 2026, at 07:00 WIB, and the Sapudi-Jangkar return on 1 April at 10:00 WIB.
For the Jangkar-Raas route, departures are scheduled for 13-14 March at 07:00 WIB, 17 March with two departures at 07:00 WIB and 13:00 WIB, 18 March at 10:00 WIB, and 19 March at 07:00 WIB.
The return Raas-Jangkar route begins 24 March at 10:00 WIB, followed by 26-28 March at 10:00 WIB, then 29 March at 07:00 WIB and 31 March at 10:00 WIB.