Getting Around Banyuwangi
Banyuwangi is a large town at the far eastern tip of Java, spread out enough that you will rely on some form of transport for most trips, but compact enough that the centre is manageable on foot. The town sits between the Ijen Plateau to the west and the Bali Strait to the east, and the main market area runs along Jalan Susuit Tuban, the street linking the town square (alun-alun) with the sports stadium. Most of what a visitor needs — markets, food, the central streets — clusters around that axis.
Rail
Banyuwangi has no metro or tram network; trains are the main fixed-route public transport, operated by the national railway company Kereta Api. Two stations matter to visitors, and choosing the right one saves you a lot of hassle:
- Banyuwangi Kota station (previously called Karangasem) sits on the western edge of town, close to the centre. If Banyuwangi town itself is your destination, get off here.
- Ketapang station is the stop for the ferries to Bali, with the harbour only a short walk away. It was known as Banyuwangi Baru until 2020, so old signage and timetables may still use that name. It is well north of the town centre, so it is not the stop to use if you want to be in town.
Several daily trains connect Banyuwangi with Surabaya and Malang, and there is also a daily service from Yogyakarta. Buy tickets through Kereta Api in the usual way — online in advance or at the station — and note that the Surabaya and Malang services are long rides, so plan for a full travel day.
Buses and Other Public Transport
Buses and minibuses fill in the gaps the railway leaves, both for getting around town and for reaching the surrounding region.
- Sri Tanjung terminal is the main bus terminal, located south of Ketapang port. Long-distance buses, including services to Surabaya, depart from here.
- Ketapang ferry terminal doubles as a transport hub: regular yellow bemos and shuttle buses run from there into the town centre and to the Sri Tanjung and Brawijaya bus terminals, as well as to nearby places.
- Bemos are the local minibus workhorses. From Ketapang they generally operate during the day, and fares within the downtown area and nearby are cheap — though drivers will often open with a price several times the going rate, so negotiate or simply walk away and watch the price fall.
- Becaks (cycle rickshaws and horse carts) are widely available in town for short hops. As with bemos, never accept the first price quoted.
For trips further afield, buses from Sri Tanjung terminal run to Benculuk, where you change for another bus onward to Grajagan — the route independent travellers use to reach the G-Land surf area. Most surfers, however, arrange transport to the camps as part of a surf package from Bali.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Metered taxis operate in the Banyuwangi area. Bosowa Taxi, recognisable by its dark blue cars, is the local company; if you do not see one, you can call one to come to you. A metered taxi is also a straightforward option from Ketapang port into the downtown area, and a useful fallback when bemos have stopped running for the day. Keep an eye on the meter as you arrive at your destination, since drivers have been known to switch it off the moment you pull up.
For independent excursions — particularly up to the Ijen Crater or into the remote coastal national parks of the south-east — you can hire a private jeep with a driver in Banyuwangi. This is effectively essential for those trips, as public transport does not reach them.
Walking
The centre of Banyuwangi is walkable in the sense that the main market area along Jalan Susuit Tuban, the alun-alun, and the stadium form a connected, compact core you can cover on foot. Beyond that core, the town spreads out and walking becomes impractical, especially in the heat. Note also that the two railway stations are both some distance from the centre, so you will not be walking between them and town with luggage — take a bemo, becak, or taxi instead.
Getting In from the Airport
Blimbingsari Airport (BWX) serves Banyuwangi and the surrounding regency. It is a striking building — it won the Aga Khan Award for Architecture — and it handles flights from Jakarta with Batik Air, Citilink, Garuda Indonesia, and NAM Air; from Surabaya with Garuda Indonesia and Wings Air; and from Kuala Lumpur with Citilink.
The source material does not describe a dedicated airport bus or rail link, so plan on a taxi or a pre-arranged transfer from the terminal into town. If you are arriving by sea instead, note that the alternative boat route from Bali — the Marina Srikandi fast boat — also arrives at Blimbingsari, taking about two hours from Kedonganan Harbour in Bali.
Arriving by Ferry from Bali
Many visitors reach Banyuwangi from Bali via the Ketapang crossing, and the practical details are worth knowing in advance. Ferries run around the clock from Gilimanuk in Bali to Ketapang, departing frequently, with a crossing of well under an hour — though loading and unloading can add considerable time. The operator is ASDP.
- Foot passengers pay a small fare, but it must be loaded onto a smartcard to pass the turnstile. Buy the smartcard at a desk before the main ticket window, then load the number of entries you need at the main window. Several passengers can share one card, so it is worth pooling with other travellers.
- Tickets can be bought through the Ferizy website or on the spot.
- Once at Ketapang, blue bemos run during the day into the downtown area and nearby, and metered taxis are the other option.
If you are driving yourself, the road route from Denpasar via Gilimanuk is slow going: the highway is only two lanes and busy with trucks and buses overtaking one another, so allow generous time.