Lebaran Travellers Battle for Train Tickets on H-1, Constantly Refreshing Until Securing Cancellations

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Several passengers at Pasar Senen Station in Central Jakarta recounted their struggles in searching for or “warring” over Lebaran homecoming tickets ahead of H-1 in 2026.

The high demand has caused train tickets to sell out quickly, forcing some prospective travellers to monitor availability intensively until the very last moments.

In fact, not a few managed to obtain tickets only on the day of departure. This phenomenon illustrates the fierce competition for train tickets during this year’s mudik season.

One mudik traveller, Novi (27), bound for Semarang, admitted she only succeeded in getting a ticket on H-1 Lebaran after continuously monitoring the app.

“If you keep refreshing, cancellations often pop up. Suddenly, one seat remains,” said Novi when met on Friday (20/3/2026).

She even has a special strategy to boost her chances of getting a ticket.

“Usually, I check at 10:00 WIB or from 14:00 to 15:00 WIB. It seems like people are busy, so I keep refreshing,” she said.

According to her, those times are relatively quieter compared to peak hours, increasing the odds of securing a ticket.

She also relies on information from KAI’s official accounts to learn about any additional train services.

“So I keep updating the info on the app and KAI’s Instagram,” she added.

“I did try to find one, but I couldn’t get it. It’s really hard,” said Nurul.

Due to the difficulty in obtaining tickets, she briefly considered mudik by bus.

However, limited holiday time compelled her to persist in trying for a train ticket.