Getting Around, Bandung Travel, Transport and Car Rental
(Bandung, West Java, Indonesia)
Finding your way around Bandung is not always easy and public transport in the city is not especially well developed. The local 'angkot' minibuses tend to provide the best way to travel short distances within Bandung, and whilst are very cheap, these city shuttles are not usually known for being comfortable.
The roads in central Bandung can be quite confusing, since a number are one-way only, and signposts are not always used. However, tourists wishing to take a look at some of the many sights on offer around West Java will often choose to rent a car, for the sheer convenience and independence that it provides.
Airports / Arriving by Air
Husein Sastranegara International Airport (BDO)
Address: Jalan Dokter Djunjunan, Bandung, 40001, Indonesia, ID
Tel: +62 022 601 5871
Located just 6 km / 4 miles to the north-west of Bandung city centre, Husein Sastranegara Airport is little more than a ten-minute drive away. Although the choice of airlines and destinations is fairly limited here, around 500,000 passengers now use the airport each year, travelling to Batam (Riau Islands), Denpasar (
Bali),
Kuala Lumpur (
Malaysia), Singapore and
Surabaya.
Soekarno Hatta International Airport (CGK)
Address: Building 601, Jakarta, 19101, Indonesia, ID
Tel: +62 021 550 5074
Most people flying into West Java tend to favour Jakarta's Soekarno Hatta Airport, since the international transport connections here are so extensive. Jakarta Airport is actually located just outside of this capital city, in the suburb of Tangerang (
Banten), and is to be found approximately 170 km / 105 miles to the north-west of Bandung, being less than two hours away by road. Some 32 million passengers currently travel to and from Soekarno Hatta Airport, arriving here from all over
Indonesia, as well as major international cities in
Australia,
China,
Germany,
Japan,
Malaysia, the
Netherlands,
Philippines,
South Korea,
Thailand,
Turkey and the
United Arab Emirates.
Car Rental
Hiring a car in Bandung will allow you to properly explore western Java, with the Indonesian capital city of
Jakarta being roughly a two-hour drive away, using the Cipularang toll road. However, during periods of heavy rain, particularly at the height of the rainy season (December and January), the Cipularang toll road may close, due to the possibility of landslides. An alternative, albeit slower route, from Bandung travels through Cianjur and Puncak, before finally reaching Jakarta. Many visitors choose to hire their car from rental agencies at Jakarta Airport, although local car rental is readily available in Bandung, on roads such as the Jalan Cipaganti, the Jalan Dr Junjunan, the Jalan Gatot Subroto, the Jalan Jajaway Dago Atas, and the Jalan Lamping.
Buses and Coaches
Various bus transportation is on hand in Bandung and links the city with surrounding destinations. The Leuwi Panjang (Leuwipanjang) bus terminal is located around 5 km / 3 miles to the south of central Bandung and provides a very affordable way to travel to Bogor (three hours), Jakarta (four hours) and Sukabumi (three hours).
Further bus transport is available on the easterly outskirts of Bandung, at the Cicaheum bus station, where buses travel between Cirebon (three and a half hours), Garut (two hours) and also Pangandaran (six hours). Air-conditioned minibuses also travel to Pangandaran and Jakarta's Soekarno Hatta International Airport, while luxury long-distance coach transport runs as far as
Yogyakarta. For short distances around the city, public transport comes in the form of DAMRI buses, and also minibuses known as 'angkots'. Although very popular and cheap, the actual routes used by the angkots are often vague and difficult to predict. Simply raise your hand to stop an angkot minibus, and then check your destination and price.
Trains
Many travellers headed for Jakarta prefer to use the local PT Kereta Api Indonesia trains for this journey, choosing the Parahyangan service. Departures from Bandung travel to Jakarta on an hourly basis, between 04:00 and 20:30, offering a journey time of just three hours. Further train transport runs along the Bandung to Surabaya route, stopping at Banjar, Yogyakarta and other destinations en route and running both day and night. The main advantages with travelling by train include added comfort and excellent views along the way.
Taxis
If you find the whole idea of using angkot minibus transport a little confusing and difficult to understand, then taxis are really the best way to get around the city. Taxi travel should also be charged by a meter and if your taxi driver insists on charging a fixed price, then it is often best to politely decline and find another taxi. Bandung Blue Bird taxi transport is generally considered the most honest and reliable currently operating within the city.
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