Work From Anywhere policy to be implemented during Lebaran 2026 exodus – Not due to Iran conflict

The Indonesian government is preparing several strategies to anticipate increased population movement during the 2026 Lebaran exodus. One key measure is the implementation of a Work From Anywhere (WFA) policy on specific days before and after Eid al-Fitr (Lebaran) in 2026.

The policy is expected to reduce travel congestion that typically peaks one or two days before Lebaran. By allowing flexible work arrangements from any location, the public is encouraged to schedule travel earlier and more evenly.

This measure is not a consequence of the Iran conflict’s ripple effect, unlike several neighbouring countries that have implemented work-from-home policies to conserve fuel. Rather, it addresses the anticipated massive population movement during Lebaran, which risks causing severe traffic congestion on major transport routes.

Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi stated that the WFA policy is designed to distribute public movement to avoid concentration during peak exodus times. “Eid al-Fitr 2026 falls close to Nyepi Day. With Work From Anywhere implemented on 16 and 17 March during the exodus period, the public is expected to depart earlier, beginning from H-8, which is Friday, 13 March 2026,” Purwagandhi said during a working session with Commission V of the Indonesian House of Representatives on Wednesday, 11 March 2026.

The policy will also apply during the return journey period to prevent vehicle congestion after the shared holiday ends. “For the return period, implementing Work From Anywhere on 25, 26, and 27 March is expected to ease the density of returning travellers,” he added.

Without proper travel scheduling, peak exodus could occur within a very short timeframe. “The implementation of Work From Anywhere on 16 and 17 March is expected to flatten the departure peak predicted to fall on H-3, or Wednesday, 18 March 2026,” Purwagandhi said.

A similar policy will be applied to address the surge in return traffic after the Lebaran extended holiday. “With the Work From Anywhere policy implemented on 25, 26, and 27 March, the return journey is not expected to pile up on H+4, or Wednesday, 25 March, when the shared holiday has ended,” he concluded.