Government Predicts 155 Million Mudik Surge in 2026
Pratikno, the Minister of Human Development and Culture, has revealed the potential for a surge in public mobility during the 2026 Lebaran mudik (homecoming period) of up to 155 million people. He cautioned that simultaneous movement of this magnitude could place enormous strain on the nation’s transportation systems.
“However, year after year in practice, the actual figures are higher than surveys suggest – roughly 10 per cent higher. This means approximately 155 million people are moving, and if they all travel at the same time, this places extraordinary pressure on infrastructure,” Pratikno stated during a press conference at Bina Graha building in Central Jakarta on Wednesday (11 March 2026).
In response, the government is implementing several policies to ease mudik congestion. These include offering transport incentives and discounts, implementing traffic management systems with staged opening and closing measures, and disseminating information to encourage the public to spread out their travel over a longer period rather than concentrating on specific dates.
“We are therefore implementing various policies – incentives, discounts, traffic management systems, and public information campaigns – in coordination with the Transport Ministry and the National Police. Our aim is to distribute mudik travellers across a wider timeframe rather than having them cluster on specific dates,” he said.
Beyond managing the mobility surge, the government is also preparing for potential hydrometeorological disasters during the mudik period. According to the Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency (BMKG), several regions across Indonesia remain at risk of moderate to heavy rainfall.
“We must also remain vigilant about potential hydrometeorological disasters, which according to BMKG remain in the moderate to high-risk category across parts of Indonesia,” Pratikno stated.
He highlighted current weather conditions still influenced by cyclonic activity across several regions, ranging from the Southern Coast to Sulawesi and Papua, which are experiencing relatively high rainfall intensity.
These conditions necessitate heightened government vigilance, as the mudik period this year is likely to occur amid predominantly rainy weather conditions.
“We are seeing conditions ranging from low to high risk, such as we are currently experiencing from the Southern Coast through to Sulawesi and Papua, where cyclonic activity continues to bring substantial rainfall over several days. This is something we must continue to monitor, as the mudik period this year appears likely to take place in continued rainy conditions,” he explained.
Pratikno called on all relevant agencies to remain on alert, including the Infrastructure Coordination Ministry to oversee potential infrastructure damage, the National Police to manage traffic flow, and BMKG to continue monitoring weather developments. He also requested support from the National Search and Rescue Agency and local government authorities.