Story of Free Commuters: Spent Two Days at Ubung Terminal Hunting for Tickets
The free mudik programme organised by Bali Police not only assists residents in returning to their hometowns but also brings relief to migrants struggling to obtain affordable tickets.
One participant, Aldo, admitted to being greatly helped by the programme. According to him, the free mudik serves as a solution amid the high ticket prices ahead of the holiday.
“In my opinion, it’s quite helpful, very helpful indeed. Because with this free mudik, it saves costs, and people who are working away can save up for the trip home,” he said when met at Ubung Terminal, Denpasar, on Wednesday (18/3/2026).
He revealed that ticket prices to Surabaya during holiday periods can surge significantly. “Tickets to Surabaya during holidays like this can go from Rp 370,000 to over Rp 500,000,” he said.
Aldo also explained that he chose to mudik around the time of Nyepi Day due to difficulties in getting affordable tickets.
“Well, that’s again because tickets are hard to get first, and more expensive during holidays, so with this, it’s really very helpful,” he said.
In fact, Aldo had been at Ubung Terminal for two days searching for tickets before finally learning about the free mudik programme from Bali Police.
“I’ve been here for two days because I haven’t got an affordable ticket yet. Luckily, a friend informed me about the free mudik from Bali Police, so I registered right away and managed to get a spot,” he revealed.
A similar experience was felt by another participant, Aji Pangestu, who is heading home to Lampung. He views the free mudik programme as not only cost-saving but also providing a sense of security during the journey.
“With this free mudik, it saves travel costs, and secondly, the sense of safety is definitely there,” he said.
Aji admitted to learning about the programme by chance while at the terminal. He registered immediately and was grateful that the process went smoothly.
“I found out when I came here and saw there was free mudik, so I registered. Alhamdulillah, it was accepted well, and the registration process was good,” he said.
Even though he has to face long queues at Gilimanuk Port, Aji said he does not mind. He is even prepared to be delayed due to the temporary closure during Nyepi Day.
“It’s fine, sir. We’ll follow the rules, the important thing is to get home,” he said.
Aji plans to get off in Surabaya before continuing his journey to Lampung by another bus. He estimates arriving in his hometown on the fourth night after Eid al-Fitr.
Previously, Bali Police had departed the free mudik programme in stages with a total of 25 buses to transport around 900 mudik participants from various areas in Bali to several cities on Java Island, such as Banyuwangi, Surabaya, Semarang, Bandung, and Jakarta. The programme is held to assist the public who want to return home amid high ticket prices and increasing mobility ahead of Eid al-Fitr.