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Bus, train seats to be upped for Idul Fitri
The Yogyakarta-chapter Organization of Land Transportation Owners (Organda) says it has readied hundreds of buses to anticipate a jump in passengers heading to their home villages ahead of Idul Fitri and returning to major cities after the festivity
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he Yogyakarta-chapter Organization of Land Transportation Owners (Organda) says it has readied hundreds of buses to anticipate a jump in passengers heading to their home villages ahead of Idul Fitri and returning to major cities after the festivity.
Separately, state-owned railway operator KAI Regional Office VI for Yogyakarta said it had prepared more than 3,000 additional seats.
'For this year's Idul Fitri holiday season, we have prepared between 600 and 700 intercity buses to carry home-bound travelers,' the head of Organda's tourism and intercity interprovincial (AKAP) buses division, Hantoro, said on Wednesday.
Hundreds of buses, he said, had been prepared not only to anticipate increases in regular passengers but also to facilitate free homebound travel events held by state-owned enterprises, government institutions and national private companies.
'Several government institutions, state-owned enterprises and private companies have booked buses for their free homebound travel events,' said Hantoro.
Assembly points with the largest numbers of homebound travelers are Bekasi, Cikarang, Depok and Tangerang.
Hantoro said Organda would likely impose extra charges, or tuslah, during the holiday given the added congestion buses would have to contend with.
'If we don't impose fare increases, bus owners will suffer losses,' he said.
'Normally, an intercity bus can be rented for Rp 2.9 million (US$217.5) per day. Seven days before and eight days after Idul Fitri, we will apply an extra charge, reaching 35 percent of the bus' normal rental price at the maximum,' said Hantoro.
KAI Yogyakarta, meanwhile, said it had prepared 3,528 additional seats distributed in four additional train services for Idul Fitri. The services are Argo Lawu serving Jakarta-Surakarta, Taksaka serving Jakarta-Yogyakarta, Lodaya serving Bandung-Surakarta and Sancaka, which serves Yogyakarta-Surabaya.
'The four additional Idul Fitri services are part of our efforts to maximize services, using available facilities,' said KAI Yogyakarta corporate communications manager Sutiyatmoko. (ebf)(+++)
