Non-Subsidised Diesel Prices Soar, redBus Claims No Bus Ticket Price Hikes Yet
The increase in non-subsidised fuel prices, particularly diesel, has yet to affect the inter-regional bus transportation business. This was confirmed by redBus, one of Indonesia’s largest bus ticket booking operators.
“No increase yet,” said redBus Senior Marketing Manager Imam Nugraha to Republika on Tuesday (21/4/2026). He explained that premium segment buses generally use non-subsidised diesel fuel.
The premium segment refers to non-economy-business class services on various inter-city and inter-provincial routes. Ticket prices at this level are typically above Rp200,000 for inter-provincial travel in Java.
PT Pertamina (Persero) finally raised prices for non-subsidised fuels and 12kg LPG starting 18 April 2026. According to the company’s official website, Pertamax Turbo in the DKI Jakarta area is now Rp19,400 per litre, up from Rp13,100 per litre previously.
Meanwhile, Dexlite rose to Rp23,600 per litre from Rp14,200 per litre, and Pertamina Dex to Rp23,900 per litre from Rp14,500 per litre. The 12kg LPG cylinder is now Rp228,000 per cylinder.
This price hike for Dexlite and Pertamina Dex has been widely complained about by private car owners, such as those with Mitsubishi Pajero, Toyota Kijang Reborn Diesel, Toyota Fortuner Diesel, and several other brands and variants.
Car users have complained about the high cost of filling up diesel on social media by posting proof of payment for full tank purchases. The average difference exceeds Rp500,000.
Imam added that redBus detected some ticket price increases, but these were due to the recent Eid homecoming period. In terms of annual trends, he said this is a recurring pattern. “There was a slight increase (in ticket prices) after Eid, but that was before the fuel price hike,” he said.
Are bus operators waiting or recalculating ticket prices? Imam declined to speculate further. He said that the common benchmark is ticket price increases in the lower to middle levels. “PO Bus Sinar Jaya could be a benchmark,” he said.
Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia stated that the fuel price increase for non-subsidised types like Pertamax Turbo follows market mechanisms in accordance with applicable regulations.
He explained that on Saturday (18/4/2026), price controls are only applied to subsidised fuels, while fuels for industrial needs and affluent groups adjust to market prices.
Bahlil emphasised that in accordance with the 2022 Energy and Mineral Resources Ministerial Regulation, these fuel types are generally used by consumers from affluent backgrounds, so their price movements follow global market dynamics.