Gridlock as 1.5 Million Vehicles Enter Bandung During Lunar New Year Holiday
Some 1.5 million vehicles entered the city of Bandung, West Java, during the extended Lunar New Year 2026 holiday from 13 to 15 February. The high volume of traffic caused gridlock on a number of main roads.
The data was based on records from the Bandung Metropolitan Police (Polrestabes). Head of Bandung Polrestabes Traffic Unit AKBP Hudi Arif said the number of vehicles entering the city exceeded the number leaving, resulting in congestion at several points.
"From Friday through Sunday, approximately more than 1,500,000 vehicles entered Bandung," Hudi said on Monday (16 February), as quoted by Antara.
Hudi said that vehicles leaving Bandung during the same period totalled 1.3 million units. The difference of around 200,000 vehicles was estimated to still be within the greater Bandung area as of Monday (16 February).
The high volume of traffic heading towards Bandung, Hudi said, demonstrated that the "City of Flowers" remains one of the public's preferred destinations for spending extended holidays, whether for tourism, shopping, or family gatherings.
According to Hudi, vehicles entering Bandung on Monday morning were observed to be increasingly dense, particularly from outside the city. However, traffic conditions were generally beginning to return to normal.
"We continue to urge road users not to park on road shoulders. If warnings have been issued and violations persist, we will naturally take enforcement action," Hudi said.
As an anticipatory measure against continued traffic congestion, police maintained joint personnel from Bandung Polrestabes, sub-district police stations, and support from the West Java Regional Police Traffic Directorate. Personnel were deployed at several congestion-prone points.
"This coordination has been running well and has helped ease traffic congestion both in Bandung city and in the Lembang area," Hudi said.
The data was based on records from the Bandung Metropolitan Police (Polrestabes). Head of Bandung Polrestabes Traffic Unit AKBP Hudi Arif said the number of vehicles entering the city exceeded the number leaving, resulting in congestion at several points.
"From Friday through Sunday, approximately more than 1,500,000 vehicles entered Bandung," Hudi said on Monday (16 February), as quoted by Antara.
Hudi said that vehicles leaving Bandung during the same period totalled 1.3 million units. The difference of around 200,000 vehicles was estimated to still be within the greater Bandung area as of Monday (16 February).
The high volume of traffic heading towards Bandung, Hudi said, demonstrated that the "City of Flowers" remains one of the public's preferred destinations for spending extended holidays, whether for tourism, shopping, or family gatherings.
According to Hudi, vehicles entering Bandung on Monday morning were observed to be increasingly dense, particularly from outside the city. However, traffic conditions were generally beginning to return to normal.
"We continue to urge road users not to park on road shoulders. If warnings have been issued and violations persist, we will naturally take enforcement action," Hudi said.
As an anticipatory measure against continued traffic congestion, police maintained joint personnel from Bandung Polrestabes, sub-district police stations, and support from the West Java Regional Police Traffic Directorate. Personnel were deployed at several congestion-prone points.
"This coordination has been running well and has helped ease traffic congestion both in Bandung city and in the Lembang area," Hudi said.