Getting Around Yogyakarta

Getting Around Yogyakarta

Yogyakarta is a relatively small city, so travelling around town should not be too expensive, and most trips are short. The city is a major centre of Javanese culture and Indonesian education, home to a large student population and dozens of schools and universities, including Gadjah Mada University. That mix of students, culture and relatively compact geography makes it a manageable city to explore, whether you rely on buses, ride-hailing, taxis or your own two feet.

Rail, Metro and Tram

Yogyakarta has no metro or tram system. Rail travel is about intercity connections and the commuter line rather than moving around within the city itself.

• Tugu Railway Station is the main central station, just off Jl Malioboro, serving cities such as Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya and Solo. To check schedules and buy tickets, enter from Jl Pasar Kembang (the east end) and take a queue number from the stand facing the ticket windows. Then go to the opposite side of the room and fill out a ticket request slip, consulting the timetables on the wall to your left. You will be called to the appropriate ticket window, with the announcement made in Indonesian and displayed on the electronic sign on the wall. Tickets can also be checked and bought online.
• Lempuyangan train station serves economy class trains and KRL commuter trains.
• KRL commuter train: Yogyakarta and Solo are connected by the KRL commuter train. It stops at Prambanan station, though that is rather far from the temple complex, and at Maguwo station for Adisucipto airport. In Solo it calls at Balapan and Purwosari stations; in Yogyakarta it calls at Tugu and Lempuyangan.
• Tickets and cards: A one-way KRL trip costs Rp8,000. You can use a refillable multi-trip card, purchasable at a ticket counter or vending machine at the station for Rp30,000 (initial balance contains Rp10,000); the multi-trip card is also valid for KRL commuter trains in Jakarta. Electronic money or bank-issued prepaid cards are a better alternative, since any credits are also usable for purchases at major retailers and convenience stores, the toll road, parking, and other public transportation such as the MRT and Transjakarta in Jakarta. Bank Mandiri's e-money or e-toll card, BCA's Flazz, BNI's tap-cash, BRI's BRIZZI, or Bank DKI's JakCard are obtainable at the respective banks and minimarts such as Alfamart and Indomaret.

Buses and Other Public Transport

Medium and small buses are the main public transport in Yogyakarta.

• TransJogja is the rapid transit system, operating from 05:30 to 21:30 and stopping only at designated shelters. The buses are air-conditioned and generally safe. Tickets can be bought at the kiosks, and the cost for a single trip is Rp3,600. You can buy regular trip cards which cut the per trip cost to Rp3,000 and allow transit to other shelters. Get a free route map for the TransJogja buses at the Tourist Information Centre on Jl Malioboro.
• Prepaid cards: If you already hold prepaid cards for transportation in Jakarta (except Jakcard) you can also use them on TransJogja.
• Time-based passes: Time-based tickets can only be bought at the TransJogja mobile application. They are marked as "Jogja Travel Pass" and are valid for unlimited trips for the duration it was sold for, ranging from 1 day to 14 days. Purchasing on the app requires an e-wallet account capable of paying on the local QRIS payment system.
• Other buses: Buses other than TransJogja normally operate 06:00 to 17:00, or 21:00 for some long routes. The cost for a single trip is Rp3,000 regardless of distance within the city. Usually there will be a driver and a helper who will hang from the side of the bus and handle money and try to attract passengers. The helper will usually tap you on the shoulder to indicate you should pay him; if there is no helper you can pay the driver directly. When you are ready to get off, tell the driver or helper "kiri" (KIH-ree), which means left.

Taxis and Ride-Hailing

• Airport taxis cost around Rp50,000 depending on destination. Pay at the desk in the arrival terminal and head for the rank; give the receipt to your driver, and there is no need for any additional payment. It is about half the price to use a taxi dropping passengers off at the departure terminal — insist on using the meter. Expect to pay the Rp2,000 airport entrance fee, even though this has already been paid by the previous passenger on the way in.
• Ride-hailing services are available, but at Adisucipto airport you will be picked up outside the airport in front of the Class I Immigration Office on Jl Solo, an eight-minute walk from the terminal.

Walkability

Yogyakarta is a relatively small city, so travelling around town on foot is feasible for many trips. One practical quirk to know: if you are travelling on foot, a street sign facing you at a corner indicates the name of the street you are entering, not the cross street.

Getting from the Airport into the City

Yogyakarta is served by two airports, and the options for reaching the city differ between them.

Yogyakarta International Airport (YIA)

All domestic and international jet flights use this airport. There are near-hourly connections to Jakarta and Denpasar, while other domestic airlines service major cities in Java, Sumatra, Kalimantan and Sulawesi.

• Damri buses and minibuses run from YIA to Wojo Station for Rp10,000, to Yogyakarta city for Rp40,000, to Kebumen for Rp50,000 and to Magelang for Rp50,000. From YIA to Yogyakarta by Damri minibus costs Rp25,000 and takes around 1.5 hours.
• KAI Bandara Railink train goes to Yogyakarta Tugu Station about once an hour for Rp50,000 and takes 40 minutes. Trains can be full, so book in advance to avoid waiting. Allow about 10 minutes after clearing customs to walk to the station.

Adisucipto International Airport (JOG)

This is a small but busy, mostly domestic hub on Jl Solo, east of the city; it only serves domestic propeller planes to Bandung, Denpasar and Surabaya. There is a tourist information desk and ATMs in the arrival hall. Since it is closer to the city centre, there are numerous possibilities to get into the city:

• By bus: TransJogja bus 1A goes to the main Tugu train station and Jl Malioboro for Rp3,500. Buy the ticket at the bus stop.
• By taxi: Airport taxis cost around Rp50,000 depending on destination; pay at the desk in the arrival terminal as described above.
• By rail: Take the KRL commuter train that runs between Surakarta and Jogja, from Maguwo station, a few minutes' walk from airport arrivals. In Yogyakarta the train calls at the main Tugu station, just off Jl Malioboro, and Lempuyangan station.
• Ride-hailing: You can use ride-hailing apps to get picked up, but you will be picked up outside the airport in front of the Class I Immigration Office on Jl Solo, an eight-minute walk from the terminal.

Renting a Car or Motorbike

There are several car and motorbike rental agencies just outside Tugu Station, on the street that runs east-west just south of the station. A car or motorbike delivery and pick-up at the airport remains the best way to rent them. Be aware that driving a car in Indonesia is never a rewarding experience.