Varied Stories of Homebound Travellers Departing Earlier During the Last Weekend of Ramadan
A number of residents have begun their Eid homecoming journey for 2026 earlier than usual during the final weekend of Ramadan. Several departure points, including train stations, toll roads, and ports, have started to become crowded with homebound travellers choosing to depart earlier before the peak migration season.
The decision to travel home earlier is driven by various motivations. Some have already secured extended work leave, whilst others are deliberately avoiding the anticipated increase in traffic congestion expected in the days immediately preceding Eid.
The Challenge of Obtaining Train Tickets in Advance
Some residents have chosen to depart earlier using trains from Gambir Station in Central Jakarta. However, obtaining tickets is not always straightforward due to the high demand from residents wishing to return home.
One homebound traveller, Erky, admitted that he had to monitor ticket availability daily in order to secure a seat on a train bound for Semarang. He described the ticket-hunting process as quite challenging, as tickets are often sold out by the time he attempts to book.
“It’s quite a struggle really. Sometimes when we’re looking for tickets they’re already gone. We keep monitoring in case someone cancels or perhaps additional carriages are added. So we have to check frequently every day,” said Erky when met at Gambir Station on Sunday (15 March 2026).
Erky noted that this journey also marked his first experience boarding a train since the COVID-19 pandemic. He considered train travel more comfortable compared to other modes of transportation.
Some Book Tickets a Month in Advance
Another homebound traveller, Tri Budiarto, found it easier to obtain tickets because he had booked well in advance. He chose a departure schedule for 15 March after his office work ended the day before.
“Well, the company I work for started giving leave. My last day of work was 14 March. That’s why I looked for tickets for the 15th,” Tri told journalists at Gambir Station on Sunday (15 March 2026).
Tri, who was heading to Solo, had also prepared a return ticket to Jakarta. He even extended his leave so he would not have to return during the peak return migration period.
“The return ticket was fortunately easy to get because I extended my leave until 31 March,” he said.
Departing Earlier to Avoid Traffic Congestion
Meanwhile, a number of residents chose to depart earlier to avoid traffic congestion on homecoming routes. Ahmad, a homebound traveller from Surabaya, departed for Jambi via Merak Port.
He reported starting his journey from Surabaya around 23:00 WIB and arriving at Merak around 13:00 WIB the following day. According to him, the journey was relatively smooth as it had not yet reached peak migration traffic.
“I want to meet my family in Jambi; I haven’t been there for a long time,” he told journalists at Merak Port on Sunday (15 March 2026).
Ahmad cited his primary reason for departing earlier as wanting to avoid the traffic congestion that typically occurs in the days immediately preceding Eid.
“To avoid traffic jams, so it’s quieter,” he said.
Making Use of Children’s School Holiday
The movement of early-departing homebound travellers was also evident at several rest areas. Rest area Km 43 on the Jakarta-Merak toll road began to see an increase in private vehicles heading to Merak Port to cross to Sumatra.
Darmawan, one homebound traveller from Jakarta, said that he and his family were taking advantage of the school holiday to depart earlier to Lampung. He hoped the journey would be more comfortable before vehicle traffic increased.
“It so happened that the children’s school was already on holiday and work in Jakarta was done, so I decided to depart earlier,” he told journalists, as reported by Antara on Sunday (15 March 2026).
He departed from Tebet in South Jakarta around 10:25 WIB and arrived at the Km 43 rest area around 12:10 WIB. According to him, traffic conditions throughout the journey remained fairly smooth.
“We’re estimated to arrive at the port around 14:30 WIB. We’re driving leisurely, without hurrying. Conditions are still uncongested,” he said.
Officers predict that traffic congestion on routes towards Merak will increase over the coming days. Peak migration traffic is expected to occur on 18 March 2026 as public holidays commence for both workers and civil servants.