On the road with Indonesia's transportation services
On the road with Indonesia's transportation services
World Transportation Day gives us the prime opportunity to
take stock and look at how far we have come over the years.
Compared to many other developing countries, Indonesia boasts
surprisingly developed transportation services, although patience
will stand foreign travelers in good stead for the odd hitch here
and there.
If you have the funds, it is basically your choice to make in
what you choose to putter around Indonesia's major cities.
Even helicopters are on offer for those with plenty of funds
to spare.
PT Heli Zona is promoting helicopters from the Robinson
Helicopter company in the U.S. Certified by the Federal Aviation
Administration and ISO 9001-accredited, they can be used for
passenger and cargo transportation, air surveys in exploration
for mining and natural gas, news reports, police activities,
pilot training, Search and Rescue and aerial photos. They come in
two-seat and four-seat models.
And, of course, a trusty chopper can help you rise above
Jakarta's maddening traffic snarls.
* Taxis -- Metered taxis offering comparatively cheap prices can
be flagged down around Jakarta. Caution is recommended as there
has been a spate of crimes involving taxis in the past few
months. But these are in the decided minority, and there are
recognized taxi companies (no plugs here, but be discriminating
about the "blue" vehicles which come your way). And even the best
of the bunch are bound to have their oknum, those few bad apples
intent on taking you for a ride.
Visitors unfamiliar with the city should note the appearance
of the taxi driver (neatness, as always, counts for a lot), look
for the obligatory identification card posted prominently on the
dashboard and trust their intuition: if something seems amiss,
politely but firmly tell the driver you want to get out.
* Buses -- Vehicles, including air-conditioned vehicles, ply an
extensive network in major cities like Jakarta and Surabaya.
Although probably not recommended for travelers accustomed to
creature comforts, it may be a pleasant and bearable adventure to
try one of the familiar routes in Jakarta, including along Jl.
Thamrin-Jl. Jend. Sudirman to Blok M in South Jakarta.
Best advice is to ask those who know best -- the bus
passengers themselves -- on route schedules.
Buses, replete with air-conditioning, toilets and video
movies, also operate to far-flung areas nationwide. They can be
much cheaper to locations such as Denpasar, Bali, and Surabaya
than air travel or trains, although travelers may need a day to
recover from the experience.
* Trains -- For those with time to spare, trains can be the most
pleasant and inexpensive way to travel to other parts of Java.
The trip to Bandung, West Java, costs only Rp 32,000 (US$4) for
an executive-class seat; the trip also includes an eyeful of
stunning natural landscapes. Sit back, take it easy and relax.
There are other regular daily services, including to Cirebon,
Surabaya and Yogyakarta. Few services other than cargo operate
outside of Java.
The biggest problem, however, can be obtaining a ticket.
Tickets for popular routes, such as Bandung, Yogyakarta and
Surabaya, are often sold out days before the departure date.
Weekend seats are particularly difficult, which just leaves one
wondering if the oknum are also at work in the ticketing office.
Routes are being cut and tourist arrivals are dropping, but
Indonesia remains an important international crossroads for cargo
and commercial air travel.
Jakarta and other major cities in the country rank prominently
in global air transportation networks, both for passengers and
cargo.
The capital and other major cities in the country such as
Medan, Surabaya and Denpasar are served on regular routes by
numerous international air carriers.
Soekarno-Hatta International Airport has both domestic and
international flights. Flights also depart from the smaller Halim
Perdanakusuma Airport in East Jakarta.