Jakarta’s public transportation system is impressively well-developed, featuring a variety of options such as BRT (Bus Rapid Transit), KRL (commuter train system, similar to urban rail in China), LRT (light rail), and MRT (metro). In China, the term “metro” is commonly used to encompass all types of urban rail transit, whether they run underground or above ground.
However, in Indonesia, there isn’t a single term that covers all these modes, and people generally refer to the specific type of transport they are using. Each of Jakarta’s public transportation systems operates independently, with its own dedicated card, and while transfers are possible, each system charges separately, requiring passengers to exit and tap their cards again for each transfer.
To streamline this process, Jakarta is currently working on integrating these systems and has introduced the Jak Lingko transit card (as shown in Figure 1), which can be used across all types of buses and metro.
Currently, the rail transit network in Jakarta is still somewhat limited, making buses the most convenient option. Most BRT stations are equipped with self-service machines (as seen in Figure 2) where you can purchase the Jak Lingko card; there are no manned ticket windows. The card costs 50,000 Indonesian Rupiah, with 15,000 Rupiah preloaded, meaning the cost of the card itself is 35,000 Rupiah, and it is non-refundable.
BRT operates on a flat fare system, where any number of transfers and distance traveled within the same station will cost just 3,500 Rupiah. Each BRT route is divided into main lines and branch lines. Main lines are numbered with pure digits, while branch lines have letters like A, B, C, D, E, etc., added after the numbers.
Main lines feature dedicated bus lanes and stations, while branch lines only use the main line’s dedicated stations at certain stops.
In addition to the large BRT buses, Jakarta’s narrow roads also accommodate many smaller minivans. These minivans can be either state-owned or privately operated. The state-owned ones, which match the color scheme of the transit card (blue and white), accept the Jak Lingko card for free rides and have fixed stops for boarding and alighting.
All other colors indicate private operators, which do not have fixed stops, stop on demand, and charge a base fare of 5,000 Rupiah, with prices increasing based on the distance traveled.
