Getting Around Blitar
Blitar is a compact city in East Java, and much of it can be covered on foot. For the sites outside the centre, a mix of minibuses, pedicabs and taxis will get you where you need to go. The notes below cover the practical options.
Walking
The city centre is small enough that walking is a realistic way to reach many everyday destinations, including the city plaza area. The main reason you might need motorised transport is to visit outlying sites such as Candi Penataran, which lies beyond comfortable walking distance from the centre.
Rail
Blitar has a railway station and sits on one of the main East Java railway lines. Daily services link the station with other cities in the region and in Central Java, and there is longer-distance rail access from Jakarta and Bandung. Detailed schedules are available from the PT Kereta Api (Persero) website.
One useful option for visitors is the daily executive-class train running between Malang and Yogyakarta, which passes through Blitar in the late afternoon. If you join it from Malang, plan to stay overnight in Blitar so you can visit the local sites the following day. The same train is a convenient way to continue from Blitar towards Yogyakarta.
Buses and Minibuses
Blitar is well served by buses from other major towns and cities in East Java. An air-conditioned bus from Malang takes roughly a couple of hours, while services from Surabaya and Jember each take around four hours.
Within the local area, regular minibuses run to Candi Penataran, departing from Jalan Veteran in town and taking about half an hour to reach the temple. These minibuses are the practical way to make that trip without a car. If you ask the driver for "Makam Bung Karno", he will drop you near the Sukarno grave site along the way, in either direction.
Taxis, Ride-Hailing and Pedicabs
Pedicabs, known locally as becak, are available for local tours. Drivers are ready to take visitors to several sites, including Sukarno's house and the nearby grave, at a cost of around Rp 150,000 per person for foreigners as of May 2014. Treat that figure as a starting reference rather than a fixed price and confirm the fare before you set off.
Airport Connections
The source material does not describe an airport serving Blitar or any airport-to-city transfer arrangements. In practice, most visitors reach Blitar overland, by bus or by train, from larger East Java cities such as Malang or Surabaya. If you are flying in, plan your onward journey to Blitar by rail or bus from the city you land in, and check current schedules before you travel.
Practical Tips
- Base yourself centrally if you want to walk to the plaza and nearby sights.
- Use the Jalan Veteran minibuses for Candi Penataran, and ask the driver to drop you at Makam Bung Karno on the way.
- Agree a price with becak drivers before starting a tour.
- Check PT Kereta Api (Persero) schedules in advance, since train times shape whether you can visit sites the same day you arrive.
- Allow extra time in the wetter months, roughly November to May, when heavy rainfall can slow road travel.