Jakarta,
the capital of Indonesia is a city with contrasts. Its traffic can be
overwhelming for first timers with privatised public transport systems
everywhere. If you are here for the weekend, you will be in here for a lot of
surprises. On one hand, the city boasts of a terrific nightlife and on the
other, terrible traffic.
If you
wish to spend an entire weekend to explore the city, you should be familiar
with the kinds of transport available and the one that is most comfortable and
accessible that can take you around the nooks and corners of the city.
If you are
coming from outside Indonesia, chances are you will get down in Terminal 2 or 3
of Soekarno Hatta Airport, often called CengKareng Airport by Indonesians. Now,
as soon as you get out of the airport, taxi drivers will approach you
relentlessly. However, be polite and ignore them.
The city is
25 miles away from the airport; however it may take 40 minutes to up to 2 hours
to arrive there depending on the traffic. Now, there are few transport options
to reach there. And we will mention them all and suggest the best option.
Shuttle Buses:
Shuttle
buses run on an hourly basis from the airport to the city center and other
parts of the city. The buses that terminate at the Gambir station passes
through the city center. They charge you 40. Rp and if you take one of them,
you will have to get down at the city center and take public transport for
further travel.
However,
if you are traveling in a group, sharing a taxi would be better as it would
cost you the same and will take you to the exact spot.
The main
way to reach the city is through cabs. If you are here for the weekend and and
want a hassle free experience,we’d say the best option for you would is to to
go for a rental car package that would be at your service right from outside
the airport.
Opt for
Zoe Car Booking, they provide pick up, drop off, in town and out of town
service, and you can customise your itinerary according to your time and
need. Their drivers could get you around
the bustling city in no time with ll time experience that they have. And you
won’t need to change transports every now and then. You can check their rates
at their site.
Bajajs
Once you
are in the city, one of the best ways to explore the city and take on an
adventure on your own or with your partner would be to opt for the three wheeler
bajaj, devil on the wheels. It is ideal for short rides for two people. They
could get pretty noisy and rattling, but if you could get used to that, you
could pick one. A ride for a couple of blocks i.e. 10- 15 mins ride would cost
you around 4000 to 5000 Rp.
Ojeks
There are
other rides such as Ojek, that is basically a motorcycle,usually found near
shopping malls and market areas.
However, taking one for a ride could get pretty risky as they squirm and
cut in turns without warning. There are few bike lanes, so don’t really expect
to be in the clear. Plus, they are an expensive ride.
Metro minis, Angkots and Kopajas
These are
mini buses that run on specific routes and you can tell them by the numbers on
their vehicles. Regardless of distance, they cost you 2000 Rp and you can hail
them from anywhere and jump off anywhere you want. Just signify them by tapping
on their doors and windows to get in or get off. Beware of pickpockets while
you’re on them.
Now that
you know all the modes of transport, choose your pick and go explore jakarta.
For a trouble free experience for the weekend, we would suggest you hire your
own cab.
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