Hello. I'm Suleiman I. Today I will inform you about Jakarta's public transportation. First, Jakarta's public transportation is divided into the city bus system called Transjakarta and the railway system. Up to this point, it's similar to our country. However, in some aspects, you may feel that Jakarta's public transportation system is different from Korea.
1. Jakarta's transfer system is messy.
Jakarta does have a transfer discount system like Korea. However, there's a question of whether it works properly, because when you tap your transportation card, the amount keeps deducting. To receive a transfer discount in Jakarta, you need to tap your card multiple times on the balance check machines at the subway (MRT) or Transjakarta, and make it show that tarif integrasi is aktif. It's not a system where you just buy a card like in Korea to get a transfer discount. But the problem is that even after going through that process, transfer discounts sometimes apply and sometimes don't. In the end, the best way to get a transfer discount is to use the Jaklingko app.
When using the Jaklingko app, if you use two or more means of transportation, the base fare is 2,500 rupiah and increases by 250 rupiah per kilometer. This is called Tarif Integrasi. The means of transportation applicable to Tarif Integrasi are Transjakarta, MRT Jakarta, and LRT Jakarta. KRL and LRT Jabodebek do not apply.
2. Fare standards differ by subway system and operating company.
Jakarta has a total of three subway operating companies. KAI (operating KRL and Jabodebek LRT), MRT Jakarta, and LRT Jakarta. Each brand operated by these companies has different fare systems. First, MRT starts at 3,000 rupiah as the base and increases by 1,000 rupiah, while LRT Jakarta is a flat rate of 5,000 rupiah. LRT Jabodebek is the most expensive with a complex system. Outside of rush hours, 10,000 rupiah is the maximum fare. In other words, if the base fare plus additional fare exceeds 10,000 rupiah, you just pay 10,000 rupiah. However, during rush hours, fares go up to 20,000 rupiah. For LRT Jabodebek, I understand the base fare is 5,000 rupiah and increases by 700 rupiah per kilometer. Finally, KRL is 3,000 rupiah for up to 25 kilometers, and then an additional 1,000 rupiah is added for every 10 kilometers.
The problem is not just these complicated fares. Every time you transfer, the base fare resets and you have to pay again. While there is supposed to be a transfer discount between Jakarta LRT and MRT through the Jaklingko app mentioned earlier, to use those two transportation methods now you have to use four Transjakarta routes, and due to the extension construction of Jakarta LRT, the routes wind around in circles, so I don't recommend it. Personally, when transferring multiple routes in Jakarta, I recommend thinking about the fare in advance, and if there are multiple people, I recommend using Gojek or Grab.
3. City buses have speed limits.
In fact, I believe this is the same in Korea as well, but most transport companies are known to disable that limit. So no matter how good a bus vehicle you use, motion sickness continues. However, if you use a bus operated on the BRT route among Jakarta's city buses, there's less likelihood of sudden braking and there are speed limits, so you can use it comfortably. Of course, the road surface of Jakarta BRT's dedicated lanes is concrete pavement, so the ride quality itself isn't great. But as mentioned earlier, the speed limit and relatively low possibility of sudden braking make it relatively more comfortable. Also, something to keep in mind is that, like all of Jakarta's public transportation systems, public transportation cannot handle the number of passengers. It's better for your physical and mental health to avoid using city buses from at least 4:30 PM to 7:30 PM.
4. The usable range differs by transportation card.
Jakarta has more transportation card brands than you might think. Among these, some card brands do not cover all those means of transportation and only certain transportation methods are available. So the recommended card brands are Mandiri's emoney or BCA's flazz. However, these days, to purchase cards of those brands, you have to go directly to the bank. Sometimes they're available at kiosks, but in most cases when you go, they're out of stock and only recharging is available. So if you want to purchase those brand cards, your only option is to use the transportation card sales booth next to ATMs in malls, or to buy cards sold on online shopping malls.
5. Security guards are watching.
Most public transportation in Jakarta has security guards or attendants. Unlike in Korea, where they only exist in history, there are also security guards on vehicles, making it relatively safe from crimes like pickpocketing. However, during peak hours, it can be difficult for security guards to cover everything. As mentioned earlier, Jakarta's public transportation is overcrowded, so I recommend avoiding it between 4:30 PM and 7:30 PM. LRT/MRT Jakarta and LRT Jabodebek are relatively less crowded, so you can ride them with peace of mind. Especially, LRT Jakarta is not known to be crowded, so you can just ignore the time and take it.
Jakarta's public transportation system is still lacking compared to Korea. However, it's not as inconvenient as you might think when you actually use it. And in some ways, there are even unexpected advantages. For the reasons mentioned earlier, it may not be cost-effective to use it every day. Since the fare is very cheap, when several people use it together, Gojek or Grab are often better options. So I recommend trying it out whenever you think of it. Most public transportation in Jakarta uses QR code single-trip tickets, so you can ride even if you only have a smartphone.
--- This is my first post, so the content may be lacking. I will add more details later. If there are any mistakes in my writing or anything else you'd like to know, please leave a comment. ---
