How to ride public transportation in Jakarta

Jakarta runs on five different operators — a BRT bus network, a subway, a light rail line, a sprawling commuter rail system, and the company that ties their payments together — but you only need to think about one thing: tap a card, ride, tap again if you’re paying by e-money. Switch between modes within the window and the whole trip is capped at Rp10,000, less than a dollar.

The basics

TransJakarta is the backbone: a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) network with dedicated busway lanes across 14 main corridors, plus feeder buses and free Mikrotrans minibuses that reach into neighborhoods the busway doesn’t touch. It’s the one most Jakartans ride daily.

MRT Jakarta runs the North–South subway line, an elevated-then-underground route connecting Lebak Bulus in the south to the city center — it’s the newest mode (opened 2019) and the most comfortable way to cross town.

LRT Jakarta is a shorter, elevated light rail loop serving North Jakarta around Kelapa Gading.

KRL Commuter Line, run by KAI Commuter, is the sprawling suburban rail network that connects Jakarta to Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, Bekasi, and beyond — including the dedicated line out to the airport.

Tying it together is JakLingko, a joint venture of the other operators that runs the shared payment system and the integrated fare cap described below. You’ll see the JakLingko name on cards, the app, and tap terminals everywhere, but it doesn’t run any vehicles itself.

How to pay

Every mode uses the same tap-to-ride approach:

1. A JakLingko card — the native card for the integrated system, sold at stations and TransJakarta stops.
2. A bank e-money card — Flazz (BCA), TapCash (BNI), Brizzi (BRI), e-Money (Mandiri), or JakCard (Bank DKI) all work everywhere. Activate one as a “JakLingko Transportation Card” at a Balance Check Terminal (BCT) at any MRT or LRT station or TransJakarta stop, free of charge, to unlock the integrated fare.
3. A contactless Visa or Mastercard credit card — as of July 29, 2026, MRT Jakarta accepts tap-in/tap-out payment directly from an international contactless credit card, no local card or top-up needed. This is the easiest option for visitors on MRT specifically.
4. The JakLingko app — buy a multi-modal ticket in advance and it automatically applies the integrated fare.

TransJakarta buses, MRT and LRT stations all have fare gates — tap in and tap out. There’s no cash payment at MRT or LRT stations.

Fares

Ride a single mode and you pay that mode’s normal fare:

The bigger deal is the integrated fare cap: switch between TransJakarta, MRT, and LRT on the same JakLingko-registered card, and your combined cost for the trip is capped at Rp10,000 — calculated as an initial Rp2,500 charge plus Rp250 per kilometer. On a bank card this window is 180 minutes from your first tap; booked through the JakLingko app, the ticket is valid until 3am. Use only one mode and you’re simply charged that mode’s normal fare.

Getting from the airport

Jakarta’s main gateway is Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (CGK), about 30 km from downtown. You’ve got three practical ways in:

• TransJakarta bus (cheapest) — the SH2 route runs directly between Blok M and the airport for Rp3,500, the same flat BRT fare as anywhere else in the city, daily from 05:00–22:00.
• Airport train — KRL’s dedicated airport line stops at Duri, BNI City, and Manggarai stations, departing roughly every 30 minutes. Fares run Rp30,000–Rp70,000 depending on which station you’re headed to.
• Bus — PPD’s “JA Connexion” service runs to several shopping malls (Kelapa Gading, Taman Anggrek, Ciputra World, Plaza Senayan, Pondok Indah, Tamini Square) for Rp30,000–Rp35,000, taking roughly 45–90 minutes. DAMRI buses run to terminals and stations including Rawamangun, Blok M, Kampung Rambutan, and Gambir for Rp40,000–Rp60,000.

Jakarta’s smaller domestic airport, Halim Perdanakusuma (HLP), is reachable by TransJakarta plus a short Mikrotrans connection.

Taxis and ride-hailing apps (Grab, Gojek) are also readily available at both airports.

Apps to download

• JakLingko — the official app for the integrated payment system; buy multi-modal tickets and manage your JakLingko card.
• TJ:Transjakarta — real-time bus tracking and trip planning across BRT, feeder, and Mikrotrans routes.
• MyMRTJ — MRT Jakarta’s own app for buying tickets and checking schedules.
• Access by KAI — for KRL Commuter Line and airport train tickets and schedules.
• Google Maps — solid for general trip planning across all modes.

When it runs

TransJakarta’s main corridors (1–14) run daily from 05:00–22:00 WIB, with a dedicated AMARI (“Angkutan Malam Hari”) night service covering those same corridors from 22:00–05:00 — between the two, the core network is effectively covered around the clock, though frequency thins out overnight.

MRT Jakarta runs daily from 05:00–24:00, with trains every 5 minutes at weekday peak times and every 10 minutes off-peak and on weekends.

Accessibility

TransJakarta, MRT Jakarta, and LRT Jakarta are all officially recognized by the DKI Jakarta provincial government as accessible public transportation, with information on disability services available through the city’s official channels.

Etiquette & local quirks

• Tap in AND tap out, every ride, on every mode — fares on MRT and KRL are calculated by distance, so skipping the tap-out can cost you the maximum fare.
• Activate a bank card before you rely on it. A fresh Flazz or Brizzi card works for single-mode rides right away, but you won’t get the integrated fare discount until you’ve registered it as a JakLingko Transportation Card at a BCT terminal.
• Jakarta’s traffic is legendary — the busway lanes exist precisely so TransJakarta can skip it. If a corridor bus looks packed, a feeder or Mikrotrans connection is often the less-crowded way to the same stop.

Good to know

• Bring a physical or virtual card as backup. Not every mode’s app works flawlessly for tourists without an Indonesian phone number, so a JakLingko or bank e-money card is the most dependable fallback.
• Language: station and route signage is bilingual Indonesian/English on the newer MRT and LRT systems; TransJakarta and KRL are more Indonesian-first, so having a maps app open helps.
• Heat and rain: Jakarta is hot and humid year-round with a pronounced wet season (roughly November–March) — flash flooding occasionally disrupts KRL and TransJakarta service, so check an app before heading out in heavy rain.