Getting Around Bogor
Bogor is a dense, busy city, and traffic is a fact of life here — there is a daily jam from early morning through late afternoon, and on weekends and holidays the roads fill further with visitors driving down from Jakarta. The good news for a visitor is that there are several practical ways to move around, from cheap minibuses to ride-hailing apps, and the central area is reasonably walkable.
On Foot
Bogor has sidewalks, and they are mostly well accessible. The city is also said to offer many pleasant traffic-free walks alongside its rivers and canals, which makes exploring parts of the centre on foot a genuinely enjoyable option. Given the congestion, walking can often be the simplest way to cover short distances in the central city.
Angkot Minibuses
The easiest way to get around Bogor is by angkot — little green minibuses that swarm the central streets. They are the workhorse of local transport and very cheap.
- Fares: a flat fare applies to any trip from anywhere to anywhere, paid when you get off.
- Watch out: drivers can be reckless, and theft is common, so keep an eye on your belongings.
- Timing: some routes only leave their terminal (pangkalan) once the vehicle is full. On a busy route that can mean a short wait; on an unpopular one it can mean a very long one.
Horse Carts
Traditional horse carts known as delman can be found in central Bogor. They are an option if you want to cruise around and take in the city, though the animals are not especially comfortable in the traffic scrum.
Commuter Rail to and from Jakarta
Bogor is the southern terminus of Jakarta's commuter rail network (KA Commuter Jabodetabek), which makes the train a straightforward way to connect the two cities.
- Two lines — the yellow and red lines — run from Jakarta via Depok to Bogor.
- Red line trains originate at Kota station in West Jakarta; yellow line trains originate at Jatinegara station in East Jakarta.
- Both lines call at several stations in South Jakarta, and red line trains also call at Gondangdia station in Central Jakarta, near the backpacker street Jalan Jaksa.
- Bogor has two relevant stations: Bogor railway station and Bogor Paledang railway station.
In addition, daily intercity trains between Jakarta and Sukabumi — in economy and executive class — call at Bogor Paledang railway station. A new LRT system is planned to connect Bogor to Bekasi in the mid 2020s.
Buses and Intercity Connections
Buses are the main long-distance option into and out of Bogor, and they also serve the airport.
- From the airport: direct Damri buses run from Jakarta's Soekarno Hatta International Airport to Bogor.
- From Jakarta: buses depart from the Lebak Bulus, Kampung Rambutan and Kalideres terminals, taking roughly one to two hours depending on traffic. Two classes are available: Executive (air conditioned) and Economy.
- Further afield: buses also connect Bogor with Bandung, Sukabumi, Yogyakarta and even cities as far away as Malang.
- To Bandung: the trip takes about three hours. Executive buses use the Cipularang highway route, while Economy buses take the older route via Puncak Pass. On weekends they may loop through Sukabumi, adding an extra hour.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Metered taxis are available, and the Blue Bird Group is the most reliable choice — it has the largest fleet operating between Jakarta and Bogor. Blue Bird taxis also operate within Bogor, but be prepared for them to turn up late or sometimes not at all; if you order one, call about ten minutes later to confirm it is actually coming, and allow an extra half hour for an airport taxi.
Ride-hailing app services such as Go-Car (from Gojek) and Grab are also available in Bogor and are a convenient alternative.
Getting In from the Airport
The nearest major international airport is Jakarta's Soekarno Hatta International Airport (CGK). From there you have a few practical options for reaching Bogor:
- Damri bus: direct buses run to Bogor, departing roughly every 30 minutes and taking one to two hours depending on traffic.
- Taxi: a metered taxi from Jakarta to Bogor is an option, with toll road fees on top of the fare. The trip can take up to three hours on the old roads, or around 40 minutes to an hour via the Tol Jagorawi toll road, depending on traffic. Be cautious during the rainy season (November to March), as the route to Bogor is subject to flash flooding.
- Car with driver: hiring a car and driver is relatively cheap and is described as the easiest way to get to Bogor; you can also rent a car. Via the Tol Jagorawi toll road the journey is about 40 minutes to an hour from Jakarta, though rush-hour jams can make it significantly longer, and on weekends and holidays the trip from Jakarta to Bogor can take up to three hours.
- Helicopter: if you charter a helicopter from Soekarno Hatta, you can request permission in advance to land at Atang Senjaya airport in Bogor. Note that this is a military base, though it may be used for civilian flights in the future.
Whichever option you choose, build in plenty of slack: traffic between Jakarta and Bogor is the single biggest variable in your journey.