Lebaran Return Flow: Solo Balapan Station Crowded with Passengers

The peak of the Lebaran return flow in 2026 occurred on Tuesday, 24 March 2026, with passenger density on trains visible at several stations in the PT Kereta Api (Persero) or KAI Daerah Operasi 6 Yogyakarta area, particularly at Solo Balapan Station in Solo City, Central Java. Hundreds of mudik travellers crowded the station area from the morning to return to Jakarta and other cities. Density was evident in the waiting areas and departure platforms at Solo Balapan Station. The passenger flow was dominated by mudik travellers heading west, especially to Jakarta and its surroundings. They chose to return on this day because most had to start work on Wednesday, 25 March 2026. Data from KAI Daerah Operasi 6 Yogyakarta recorded on H+3 Lebaran or this Tuesday a total of 71,800 long-distance train passengers arriving and departing. The breakdown shows 36,068 arriving passengers and 35,732 departing from the KAI Daop 6 area. The Manager of Public Relations for KAI Daop 6 Yogyakarta, Feni Novida Saragih, stated that these figures are still dynamic in line with ticket sales continuing until late at night. “The peak return flow is estimated to occur today, but it still has the potential to shift to 25–26 March following the government’s appeal to stagger the return flow, as well as the work from anywhere (WFA) policy until 29 March 2026,” Feni said in Solo on Tuesday, 24 March 2026. To anticipate the surge in passengers, Feni said KAI Daop 6 has prepared various measures, from operating additional trains to increasing security at stations. Several popular trains such as Argo Lawu, Manahan, Mataram, and Argo Semeru are the main choices for passengers. In addition, extra trains are provided for the Solo–Bandung route as well as eastern destinations like Surabaya and Malang. From preliminary data, Yogyakarta Station has the highest departure volume, reaching 14,477 passengers, followed by Solo Balapan Station with 7,888 passengers, and Lempuyangan Station with 4,398 passengers. Overall, the ticket occupancy rate during the Lebaran Transport period from 11 March to 1 April 2026 has reached 91 per cent or 486,846 tickets out of a total capacity of 532,830 seats. KAI Daop 6 still has 28,609 seats available for booking until the end of the Lebaran transport period. “We urge the public to immediately book return flow tickets through the Access by KAI application, official website, or partner channels. Passengers are also reminded to check departure schedules and arrive early at the station to avoid delays,” Feni said. One of the Solo-Jakarta train passengers, Desi Ayu, admitted she had to make extra efforts to get a Lebaran return ticket. She said she started hunting for tickets from the early hours because she had to return to work the next day. Desi said the booking process was not easy. She had to compete with many other prospective passengers in what she called a “ticket war”. Even when the booking schedule opened, access to the booking site experienced issues. “I was on standby from 1 a.m. When booking opened, getting into the website took a while. So you really have to try multiple times,” she said when met at Solo Balapan Station. Those efforts did not happen quickly. Desi admitted she nearly stayed up all night trying to access the system until she finally succeeded in getting the desired ticket to return to Jakarta.