Just the Ticket for Bali and Surabaya

(7/4/2011)

The islands of Bali and Java are now connected with an integrated transportation system of bus and rail transportation, operated jointly by the State Railways (PT Keterta Api) and the State Bus Company PT Perum Damri.

Passengers from Surabaya bound for Bali or traveling the reverse direction can now buy a single ticket at one of a number of train or Damri bus stations in Surabaya or Bali that will cover both the train trip between Surabaya and the East Java ferry port of Banyuwangi and the bus trip overland between Gilimanuk and Denpasar, Bali.

Dubbed the coordinated inter-modular ticket system (tiket terpadi antar moda – titam), the new ticketing system became available on July 1, 2011, with the first ticket purchased by the vice-president of marketing of PT Kereta Api, Husein Nurroni.

The Commercial Manager for the Jember operational area of PT Kereta Api, Burhani Sulthom, said: “Passengers only need to buy a ticket from Surabaya to Denpasar-Bali at the closest train station because they will be transported using rail that connects them to a Damri bus waiting to cross (the straits) at the Ketapang ferry and heading for the Denpasar bus terminal.”

Burhani, quoted by the State news agency Antara, sees the inter-modular system as a more practical approach to travel, eliminating the need for travelers to search for a vehicle for the last leg of their travel from the Ketapang-Gilimanuk crossing to Bali. He also insists that the “one ticket” system also saves time and expense for holidaymakers destined for Bali.

The cost of an inter-modular ticket from Surabaya to Denpasar-Bali runs between Rp. 150,000 (US$17) and Rp. 175,000 (US$20). From that amount the bus ticket on Damri from Banyuwangi (East Java) to Denpasar comprises Rp. 65,000 (US$7.40) of the total cost, with the remaining amount for the train journey.

Tickets from Bali to Surabaya are also available for purchase from the Damri Bus office in Bali.