Yeay!.. Asian Games in Indonesia will be started soon.. All of the fans from Asian countries will be supporting their country. This my first blog written in English special for all the sports fans, Asian Games supporters..
To City Center
You will be arrived in Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, in Greater Jakarta, there is a lot options for you to go to your hotel from the airport vice versa, such as :
- By Bus
The most frequent bus for you to go to several places in Jakarta is provided by DAMRI Bus, you can take one destination in Jakarta nearest to your hotel or your destination. For the reference, you can use this picture
this DAMRI website.
 |
| DAMRI bus service, airport - Jakarta city center, copyright of damri.co.id |
- By Taxi
Jakarta have different grades or services of taxi, Premium, Normal and Economy. As far i know Tiara taxi, Golden Bird and Silver Bird taxi is premium service taxi. Gamya, Blue Bird is normal service taxi (around 0.5 USD/km), Express taxi is economy taxi (low tariff taxi, around 0.3 USD/km), all of taxi fare was not include toll tariff and others. You can take the queue after you exit the terminal to catch taxi
There also available online taxi, similar to Uber but it's called Grab and Go-Jek. But you must install their application first.
- By Airport Train
This option was convinient, with the price around 70000 Indonesian Rupiah (USD 6) one way, it's only take you to the city center around 40 minutes. You can go to the train station in airport by using sky-train in every airport terminal.
 |
| sky-train platform |
 |
| inside the sky-train to Airport Train Station |
After you reach Airport Train Station, you can purchase ticket directly or before you travel to Indonesia you can book in
railink.co.id, official website of the train operator and then redeem the ticket in the station.
 |
| boarding to train; destination city center |
 |
| BNI City (Surdirman Baru) train station, picture taken from Sudirman commuter train station |
 |
| Information for Airport Train Station in city center at Sudirman Rd. |
In city center you will be arrived at Sudirman Baru BNI City station.
Traveling Around Jakarta
Traveling around Jakarta is challenging, especially during morning and night, I mean before working hour started (5am - 8am) and after working hour (4am-8am). Using taxi around this time will cost you a lot, especially when you stuck in traffic jam. Do you ever read
this news?
 |
| Only Transjakarta operated even in Car Free Day and no restriction whenever the date (even or odd) |
Public Bus and Commuter Train
Jakarta have their public transportation, bus called Transjakarta Busway and electric train called Commuter Train. Especially for bus, they have a lot of bus lane provided and their lane is around Asian Games venue. This bus have no restriction, even in Car Free Day area or in restricted hour and date. Yup! Jakarta have several area (road) which has restriction by date, odd date is only for car with odd number and even date for even number... :)
 |
| Transjakarta bus stop |
 |
| inside Transjakarta, they provide women space in front of bus, mixed space at the back |
For you who want to use this transportation you need a prepaid card because this kind of transportation is cashless. For buying a bank-issued prepaid card, you can go to nearest Transjakarta Busway bus stop (in Bahasa Indonesia called Halte) or convinent store such as "Alfamart" and tell the officer that you want to buy a card. They may provide various type of prepaid card, but for me, i prefer two types, Mandiri E-Money and BCA Flazz card; but if they don't have this two you can use BNI Tap-Cash card, BRI Brizzi card and BTN BLink card.
 |
| bank-issued prepaid card; e-money |
 |
| bank-issued prepaid card; flazz |
Prepaid card is cost around 40000 to 50000 Indonesian Rupiah, around USD3-4 with pre-loaded amount around 20000 Indonesian Rupiah and cost for using Transjakarta Busway also cheap, 3500 Indonesian Rupiah (in July 2018) or around 0.3 USD. It will be deducted once you tapping in the bus stop. You can reload it to in nearest Transjakarta Busway bus stop or nearest convenient store.
The venue of Asian Games in Jakarta is located in several area, such as :
- Gelora Bung Karno, most event is held in this area. Nearest Transjakarta bus stop is Gelora Bung Karno (1-4), Polda (1-5), nearest commuter station is Palmerah
- Jakarta Convention Center, nearest Transjakarta bus stop is Senayan JCC (9-16)
- Bulungan Sport Hall for volleyball, nearest Transjakarta bus stop is Blok M (1-1)
- East Jakarta area, (Velodrome and Equestrian Park), nearest Transjakarta bus stop is Velodrome (4-6) and Pulomas (2-3) for Equestrian Park
- Ancol (5-1)
- Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, nearest Transjakarta bus stop is Garuda Taman Mini (9-2) but i recommend you to take bus 9H from Cawang UKI bus stop and directly to TMII
- Cibubur, take bus 7C line from Cawang UKI bus stop
- JI Expo, Kemayoran, should take bus 2C line, or nearest bus stop is Landas Pacu Timur (12-11) and commuter line station is Rajawali. Walking distance from this last two is still quite far.
- Pondok Indah, nearest is Pondok Indah 2 (8-4)
If you are football fans, want to see your team in Bekasi or Cikarang, it is located in greater Jakarta but don't worry. You can travel there by Commuter Train. Best option is from Jatinegara station or Manggarai train station, both of this station is just walking distance to Transjakarta bus stop.
You can use your prepaid card for using this transportation by tapping in at departure station and tapping out at destination station. If you forget to bring your prepaid card, no problem, every station have ticket vending machine, just follow the instruction to buy the ticket.
 |
| Commuterline Train route map, copyright of krl.co.id |
Taxi
Taxi is also available in the street, as i mention before, Tiara taxi, Golden Bird and Silver Bird taxi is premium service taxi. Gamya, Blue Bird is normal service taxi (around 0.5 USD/km), Express taxi is economy taxi (low tariff taxi, around 0.3 USD/km), all of taxi fare was not include toll tariff and others.
Motorcycle Taxi called Ojek
If you want faster option, Jakarta have motorcycle online taxi, called "Ojek" the easiest one is use Grab and Go-Jek app (from Apple Store or Play Store) and you can use it. But their limitation is language barrier, not the application language but the driver language, mostly use Indonesian language.
Appointed driver may chat with you in Indonesia, but as you already mention the your position, what is your dress, the driver will easy to spotted you. An example when you are wearing brown polo shirt, carrying a backpack, stand in front of south exit gate of train station, you can write :
"Saya pakai baju kaos coklat, membawa tas, berdiri di pintu selatan stasiun" or in English mean
"I'm wearing brown shirt, carrying a bag, stand in south exit of train station"
If you are usually use app similar to this app, it will be easy for you to spotted the appointed driver by matching its vehicle number in app with the real one, most of Jakarta vehicle number was combination of alphabet and number in black plate, example "B 1234 XYZ"
Shuttle Bus for Asian Games
Special for Asian Games, Jakarta government will provide shuttle bus. The bus will stop at several location such as in front of FX Senayan, Gate 6 to 11, in front of Ministry of Sports, Gate 1, in front of Senayan City mall and loop to FX Senayan. Inside the venue they provide Royal Trans shuttle bus, it will stops at Jakarta Convention Center, Istora Senayan, Aquatic Center, Hall Basket, VolleyVenue, Archery, dan ABC Field.
Useful websites :
Useful download :
Selamat Datang di Jakarta.. Welcome to Jakarta... and before you leaving Jakarta, try at least one time using Ojek and Bajaj, that will be awensome..
