Media and Article Courtesy of Viory.Video
Thousands of travellers converged at Jakarta’s Pondok Pinang shadow bus station on Wednesday, as the annual holiday Eid al-Fitr ‘Mudik’ exodus reached its peak, straining unofficial transit hubs across the capital.
Footage shows dense crowds of passengers packed into the busy terminal area, queuing with bags and scanning for buses as they prepare to leave the city.
“I’ve been waiting for the bus since 4:00 PM. I chose the bus because there is no train service to Banjarnegara, so travelling by bus is my only option,” says Desti, one of the passengers.
Authorities estimate around 143.9 million people are travelling nationwide this week, with Jakarta serving as a major departure point.
“I’ve only been waiting for the bus for about half an hour. I’m not sure how much longer I’ll be here – last year, we ended up waiting until 7:00 PM,” says Rizky, another traveller.
Informal bus stations such as Pondok Pinang have become key bottlenecks, as travellers scramble to secure seats on intercity routes.
“I’m heading to Banjarnegara, Central Java. I’ve been waiting for the bus since 4:00 PM,” said passenger Desti. “I chose the bus because there is no train service to Banjarnegara, so travelling by bus is my only option.”
Despite government efforts to stagger departures and ease congestion, vehicle volumes leaving the capital are expected to reach their highest levels on Wednesday, with major routes toward Sumatra and Central Java seeing the heaviest traffic.
‘Mudik’ is Indonesia’s massive annual exodus where millions of people travel from cities to their hometowns to celebrate Eid al-Fitr with family.
This tradition, often involving millions of people, causes significant nationwide travel congestion across roads, railways, airports, and seaports.
Article and Content by Viory.Video
