Residents Willing to Take Early Leave During Ramadan to Avoid Expensive Mudik Tickets
The atmosphere at Gambir Station in Central Jakarta appeared unusually bustling at the start of Ramadan. A number of residents chose to make their homeward journey earlier in order to observe the fasting period with family in their hometowns whilst avoiding surging ticket prices ahead of Lebaran.
Rina, 27, one of the prospective passengers travelling to Semarang, admitted she deliberately took leave at the beginning of Ramadan. She viewed leaving for home earlier as a solution to avoid difficulty obtaining tickets.
“Yes, I deliberately took leave at the start of Ramadan. The reason is that as it gets closer to Lebaran, tickets usually become difficult to find and expensive. Besides that, I also miss the atmosphere of fasting at home. For the past four years I have been fasting in Jakarta because of work,” Rina said at Gambir Station in Central Jakarta on Saturday, 28 February 2026.
According to her, breaking fast together with family represents the moment she misses most during her time living away from home. She admitted that this atmosphere is difficult to replicate if she had to break fast alone whilst away from home.
“What I miss most is breaking fast together with family. Usually my mother has cooked various dishes since the afternoon. Here in Jakarta I often break fast alone in my boarding house,” she said.
Similar remarks were made by Wiwid, 34, a migrant from Yogyakarta. She decided to return home at the beginning of Ramadan after five years of not going home due to work commitments.
“I actually made the intention last year, and I thought this year I would return during Ramadan. I have not gone home for five years because of work. I also want to keep my parents company,” she said.
She admitted that the moment of having pre-dawn meal with family became a strong reason to leave earlier this year.
“What I miss most is being woken up by my mother for sahur. The first few weeks I felt sad fasting alone,” she said.
Beyond that, she missed the sense of community among residents in her hometown, especially after the Tarawih prayer. “After Tarawih usually residents do not leave immediately, but chat first. There is a sense of togetherness that I rarely feel in Jakarta,” she added.
Meanwhile, Irma, 29, a retail shop worker planning to return to Bandung, said that making the homeward journey during Ramadan has become her habit. She actually found it difficult to obtain leave during the Lebaran period because of her work.
“I work in a retail shop, so usually I cannot get leave as it approaches Lebaran because the shop is busy with customers. That is why I am taking leave now,” she said.
Irma admitted she wanted to take advantage of this moment to enjoy the atmosphere of Ramadan with family, including ngabuburit (evening strolls before breaking fast) and hunting for takjil (evening snacks) together with her younger siblings.
“If I am in Jakarta, sometimes I break fast alone in my boarding house. It feels different compared to at home, being able to gather and chat together with family,” she added.