Pertamax Price Hike Triggers Long Pertalite Queues in South Tangerang

A sudden increase in the price of Pertamax has led motorists in South Tangerang to switch en masse to Pertalite, causing long queues at several petrol stations. Rows of both two-wheeled and four-wheeled vehicles were seen queuing for the subsidised fuel, a sight not typical on ordinary days. The price of Pertamax rose to Rp 16,250 per litre on 10 June 2026, forcing riders who had run out of fuel to endure longer waits for Pertalite rather than pay the higher rate. One such location was the Pertamina petrol station 31.154.02 on Ciputat Raya in South Tangerang. Rachman, a 31-year-old motorcyclist from Tangerang, expressed shock at the price hike. He visited the Ciputat Raya station only to find long queues for Pertalite. ‘I usually fill up with Pertamax,’ he said. ‘But with a price rise like this, I’m forced to switch to the cheaper Pertalite. As long as I can get to work. Especially in difficult conditions like this.’ A station attendant noted that sales of Pertamax had dropped. ‘The Pertalite supply hasn’t arrived. People are forced to switch to Pertamax, but sales have decreased and it’s not as busy as usual because the price has gone up,’ the attendant said.