Guide To Navigating Local Transportation In Jakarta – Bluebird Taxi, Uber, Bus Transport

Taxis are one of the easiest and most convenient ways of getting around Jakarta. There are a lot of taxi brands, one of the most famous taxis in Jakarta is Blue Bird, the well known and familiar light-blue taxi with the flying bird logo. They just extended their services, from regular taxis to exclusive taxis and also car rental. Blue Bird taxis are available in both English and Bahasa Indonesia. They also provide Lifecare taxi with special features including power slide up seats for special needs such as wheel chair users, older riders and pregnant women.

Blue Bird, www.bluebirdgroup.com

Uber is a new way of transportation in Jakarta using a smartphone application to connect customers with car drivers.  Make sure you register in advance. Inserting your credit card number in the application is mandatory because the bill will be charged directly to your credit card at the end of the trip.

Uber, www.uber.com/cities/jakarta

Commuter trains are also considered a low-cost carrier that can transport a large number of passengers in a short time without having to dive into traffic jams. Commuter trains in Jakarta connect the city center with outlying regions, namely Tangerang, Bekasi, Depok, Bojonggede, Bogor and Serpong. It is usually worth trying if you wish to get to other points of Jakarta swiftly. Riding the train is generally safe and comfortable but of course, cramped during rush hours.  A dedicated area for females can be found at the front and rear ends of the train. There are three ways to buy the commuter train ticket by using a one way guaranteed ticket, using a prepaid ticket, or using a bank prepaid card. The commuter service is scheduled every 20 – 30 minutes. If you're a woman with a baby, a mother with kids, an elderly person or someone with disabilities, there is a priority seating area on the trains.

Commuter Rail,  www.krl.co.id/

For a more pleasant way to travel around the main routes, the Trans Jakarta or Busway provides air-conditioned express buses with dedicated bus lanes and bus stops making it the fastest means of transportation during the worst traffic hours. They only run on specific routes, covering mostly central and south Jakarta. There are eight different lines servicing the greater Jakarta area and you can transfer freely from one to another in order to get your final destination. Their stations are strategically located along the route. Tickets can be purchased in the gate of every station. Transjakarta services operate from am until 10pm everyday.

Trans Jakarta Busway, www.transjakarta.co.id/ 

For a detailed map, please visit www.transjakarta.co.id/peta_full.php

Considering the heavy traffic jams, it could be wise to use a motorcycle to get around in Jakarta. The rented and driven motorbikes service is called ojek, ojek stations are widely available across Jakarta. Jakarta has traditional and modern ojek drivers. Traditional ojek drivers, can be found on almost every street corner in the capital. Modern ojek drivers can be hired through smartphone applications. With a fixed price for each kilometer, you can also see the fare from your location to the destination. Since the traffic in Jakarta is so hard to deal with, a motorcycle taxi is a quite popular mode of transportation. One of the most famous company's that serves motorcycle taxis are Go-Jek.

Go-Jek, www.go-jek.com

Bajaj seats two passengers comfortably and up to five passengers maximum. A ride in a bajaj is hot and sweaty because air conditioning is not available...but the kids seem to love the rides. The government does not allow them onto many main roads, so routes may be a bit congested. Bajaj uses natural gas, so they are more environmentally friendly. The cost all depends on your bargaining skills.

Jakarta Provincial Government operates five double-decker tour buses as an effort to increase tourism. The routes passed by these double-decker tour buses, are HI round about, Jl. Jenderal Sudirman, Semanggi, Jl. Gatot Subroto, Sultan Hotel, TVRI, Mulia Hotel, Senayan Plaza, Pemuda Statue, and then return to HI Roundabout through Jl. Jenderal Sudirman. The drivers are mostly women and each bus has a tour guide and a police officer. During weekends and Public Holidays, the City Tour Bus doesn't stop at every bus stop, only one full roundtrip.