JAKARTA: In commemoration the city’s 497th anniversary on Saturday (June 220, the Jakarta administration is offering a special flat rate of Rp 1 for public transportation, from the Transjakarta bus rapid transit (BRT) and the Jakarta light rail transit (LRT) to the Jakarta mass rapid transit (MRT).
Jakarta Transportation Agency head Syafrin Liputo said the special fare would apply on June 22 and 23 as a special gift for residents.
"The Rp 1 fare [is part of the city’s efforts] to encourage more people to use public transportation [for] their mobility or daily activities," Syafrin said recently, as quoted by Kompas.com.
The special anniversary rate does not apply to public transport users that enjoy free services on normal days, however.
Last year, Transjakarta BRT recorded 1.1 million daily passengers, while the Jakarta LRT transported around 2,800 commuters each day and the Jakarta MRT served at least 91,000 passengers per day.
Authorities have attempted to push for wider public transport use to address the city’s chronic congestion through various measures, such as integrating the BRT, LRT and MRT services.
According to TomTom Traffic Index’s Ranking 2023, most Jakartans spent 23 minutes, 20 seconds on average to travel 10km, and also spent a longer time on the road than the residents of Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur or New Delhi.
In addition to the special anniversary fare for travelling within Jakarta, Whoosh operator PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia China (KCIC) is offering a 20 per cent discount on fares for the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed rail (HSR) service to celebrate Jakarta’s birthday.
The discounted rate applies only to Premium Economy tickets for trips made on June 22 from West Java’s Tegalluar Station in Bandung regency and Padalarang Station in West Bandung regency to Halim Station in West Jakarta.
The city is slated to hold its 497th anniversary ceremony on Saturday at the National Monument (Monas) in Central Jakarta. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
