Mudik Surge Makes Pasar Senen the Busiest Station in Jakarta

JAKARTA – Passenger volumes for long-distance trains in the Daop 1 Jakarta region have surged significantly ahead of Eid 2026.

On Thursday (19/3/2026), the number of departing passengers reached 52,330, while arrivals totalled 27,741 passengers.

“Based on dynamic data which may change, the departure volume for Daop 1 is 52,330, while the arrival volume is 27,741,” said the Public Relations Officer of KAI Daop 1 Jakarta, Franoto Wibowo, on Thursday.

In addition to Pasar Senen and Gambir, several other stations such as Bekasi, Cikarang, Jatinegara, and Karawang also recorded passenger movements, although the numbers were not as high as those at the two main stations.

Overall, during the Lebaran transport period running from 11 March to 1 April 2026, PT KAI has provided more than 1 million seats for long-distance trains.

To date, 756,929 tickets have been sold with an occupancy rate of around 70 percent. The number of passengers is expected to continue increasing as Eid al-Fitr approaches.

Conditions at Pasar Senen Station were crowded from the morning. Kompas.com observations at the site showed hundreds of passengers crowding the departure area while carrying various belongings, from suitcases and backpacks to cardboard boxes.

Some passengers were seen sitting in the waiting room, guarding their luggage and awaiting departure schedules. However, many were forced to sit on the floor due to limited seating.

“My children could only take leave today. So, we booked tickets for today’s departure,” said Yesti.

She explained that the family mudik tradition is almost always carried out every year to maintain family ties, as most of her family still lives in the hometown.

“All my siblings are still in the village. Only our family is in Jakarta; we almost always go home every year,” said Yesti.