The enduring spirit of Lebaran holiday travel still strongly permeated Pasar Senen Station in Central Jakarta on Monday afternoon, March 23. The station was visibly packed with passengers, comprising those who had just arrived in Jakarta and others who were just embarking on their mudik (exodus to hometowns) journeys.
This vibrant atmosphere was palpable throughout the station, with waiting areas overflowing. Many passengers resorted to sitting on the floor because they could not find available seats. Long, snaking queues of passengers awaiting departure were also a common sight. Travelers carried a diverse array of luggage, from personal bags to boxes filled with traditional oleh-oleh (souvenirs or gifts) for loved ones.
Amidst the sea of faces, individual stories of homecoming and departure painted a vivid picture of the Lebaran experience. Sulastri, a 56-year-old traveler, represented those making an early return. She had to hasten her journey back to the city from Pemalang as her husband was scheduled to resume work.
“Because the father wants to go to work tomorrow,” Sulastri explained when interviewed.
Sulastri had departed for her hometown in Pemalang on Lebaran day itself, Saturday, March 21. Her return to Jakarta, however, was swift, making for a brief visit. According to her, this particular mudik was primarily dedicated to the cherished Indonesian tradition of silaturahmi, fostering family bonds.
“In Pemalang, it was just about meeting family,” she stated.
From Pemalang, Sulastri carried a bounty of regional delicacies and gifts, including peanuts, lepet, tempeh chips, and peyek.
Conversely, others faced different challenges in their Lebaran journey, like Lilin, 60, who was only just beginning her mudik. She admitted that she could only depart for Surabaya on this particular day due to significant difficulties in securing tickets previously.
“There were no tickets; they were all sold out,” Lilin recounted.
She explained her futile attempts to secure tickets online approximately a week prior to Lebaran, only to find them completely sold out. Consequently, she only managed to obtain tickets for her journey on H+2 Lebaran (two days after the holiday).
“I wanted (to buy tickets) about a week before Lebaran, but there weren’t any. I only managed to get three (tickets) for this trip,” Lilin shared.
Lilin was traveling with her child and grandchild to visit another child residing in Surabaya. She confessed that she had not yet planned when she would return to Jakarta.
“I don’t know,” she admitted.
The broader patterns of this annual migration were echoed by official predictions from PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) Daop 1 Jakarta. Franoto Wibowo, the Public Relations Manager for KAI Daop 1 Jakarta, forecasted the highest influx of passengers during the return journey period to occur between March 23 and 29.
“Data indicates that the peak of passenger arrivals is anticipated to happen from March 23 to 29, with daily volumes ranging between 48,000 and 51,000 passengers. These figures will gradually decline until April 1, but the volume will nonetheless remain significant,” he stated in a written release.
Summary
Pasar Senen Station was notably crowded on Monday, March 23, with passengers arriving in Jakarta and others embarking on their Lebaran mudik journeys. Waiting areas were overflowing, and long queues were common, reflecting the enduring spirit of holiday travel. Sulastri, 56, was an early returnee from Pemalang, having made a brief visit for silaturahmi as her husband had to resume work in Jakarta.
Conversely, Lilin, 60, was only just beginning her mudik to Surabaya on March 23, having faced significant difficulties securing tickets online about a week before Lebaran. PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) Daop 1 Jakarta’s Public Relations Manager, Franoto Wibowo, anticipated the peak of passenger arrivals in Jakarta to occur between March 23 and 29, with daily volumes ranging from 48,000 to 51,000 passengers.