Kampung Rambutan Terminal Buzzes as Annual Holiday Exodus Kicks Off

Ahead of the Eid holiday, travelers have begun to pack the Kampung Rambutan Bus Terminal in East Jakarta.

We are seeing a steady daily increase in homebound travelers

The majority of those departing from the terminal are bound for regions across Sumatra, including Palembang, Medan, Lampung, Bengkulu, and surrounding areas. Other homebound travelers are en route to several cities on the island of Java, such as Malang, Yogyakarta, and Surabaya.

Kampung Rambutan Bus Terminal Head, Revi Zulkarnain stated that the holiday travel rush has been evident since last Saturday, March 7.

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According to him, the uptick in passenger volume is driven by workers who have opted to begin their annual leave early.

"We are seeing a steady daily increase in homebound travelers as more people start their holiday breaks," he expressed, Wednesday (3/11).

Beyond private-sector employees, many local traders are also opting for an early exodus to maximize their time with family in their hometowns.

"Online ticket bookings for departures between March 16 and 18 are already picking up steam. We anticipate a sharp spike in the holiday rush starting seven days before Eid through three days prior," he explained.

He provided a granular breakdown of the terminal’s recent activity: on Saturday (3/7), March 7, 959 travelers departed aboard a fleet of 143 buses. That figure climbed on Sunday (3/8), March 8, reaching 1,272 passengers across 147 units, while Monday (3/9), March 9, recorded 1,136 departures serviced by 153 buses.

"As of 1 PM today, 332 passengers have already departed on 50 buses. We expect these numbers to continue trending upward through the evening," he noted.

Among those heading out early was Dwi Suryadi, 38, who was bound for Prabumulih, Palembang. He said, he made a conscious decision to depart ahead of the peak period to secure a longer stay in his hometown.

"My office has already closed for the holiday, so I’m getting a head start. If I wait until closer to Eid, the traffic becomes a nightmare and bus fares usually skyrocket," he admitted.

Suryadi noted that bus fares to Palembang have already begun to climb, rising from the usual Rp 350,000 to Rp 400,000 (approximately $22 to $25).

"The increase is still within reason given the massive demand during the holiday rush," he added

This 38-year-old gave the terminal’s recent multi-million dollar renovation a thumbs-up, commending the leap in service standards and modern amenities. However, he admitted that one issue still lingers: aggressive solicitation.

"The only real downside is the porters who occasionally cross the line with their sales pitches. In the future, I’d like to see more structure and decorum in how those services are managed," he stated.