North Sumatra Provides 5,500 Seats for Free Mudik
The Government of North Sumatra Province is providing 5,500 seats across various transport modes for residents wishing to return to their hometowns safely and comfortably at no cost. For road transport, 3,120 tickets have been allocated on the Medan–Sibuhuan–Sosa, Medan–Gunungtua–Padangsidimpuan, Medan–Sibolga–Barus, Medan–Sidikalang–Salak, and Medan–Padangsidimpuan routes. The online registration for the Free Mudik Eid al-Fitr 1447 AH programme opened on 2–10 March 2026 via the website https://mudikgratis.pemprovsu.id, and will close earlier if the quota is reached.
Departures for road transport are scheduled for 17–19 March, while the return flow is planned for 26–28 March. For trains, departures are scheduled on 16, 18, 27 and 28 March. Sea transport will depart on 16 and 23 March 2026.
As of today, we have verified data from travellers registering amounting to 4,500, and ticket collection is still in progress. In line with SOPs, mudik travellers must register online and collect tickets offline. We want to see the seriousness of prospective mudik travellers, said Rochani Litiloly in a press conference at the governor’s office on Friday, 6 March 2026.
After verification, travellers are given two days to collect tickets. If not collected, they will be contacted to confirm. If a traveller cancels, they will be removed from the applicant data and marked as cancelled. We will keep the registration queue open; if someone cancels, we will allocate their quota to others, she added.
For the railway mode, 800 seats are allocated on the Medan–Rantauprapat route and 500 seats on the Medan–Tanjungbalai route. Meanwhile, sea transport provides 400 seats on each Belawan–Batam and Batam–Belawan route.
Ferry transport modes are also prepared for travellers heading to the Nias Islands via the Sibolga–Gunungsitoli and Gunungsitoli–Sibolga routes. Mudik travellers are expected to arrive in Sibolga in the evening to connect directly with the 22:00 WIB sailing.
Sumut’s Department of Transportation has convened a coordination meeting regarding Lebaran transport and the implementation of free mudik. Preparations include vehicle roadworthiness checks (RAM check) at depots and terminals, driver urine tests, and coordination with Jasa Raharja, the Traffic Directorate of the North Sumatra Regional Police, the Balai Besar Pelaksanaan Jalan Nasional (BBPJN) Sumut, the North Sumatra BPTD, and the Health Department.
Head of the Traffic Engineering Section at Sumut’s Dishub, Riris Sijabat, said that to ensure safety and smooth traffic during the mudik and balik periods, the provincial government, together with the Dirlantas Polda Sumut, BBPJN Sumut, BPTD and Jasa Raharja have conducted a survey of road infrastructure along three main mudik routes in Sumatra. The results identified several points prone to congestion, accidents and landslides.
Vehicles cannot use via Batulobang as it is still under repair. BBPJN promises to finish by December this year. Therefore the free Mudik buses will travel via Simpangrampa–Poriaha to Sibolga.