With the Christmas and New Year holidays only two weeks away, authorities are ramping up coordination and operational readiness to manage the expected surge in nationwide travel. Indonesia’s Ministry of Transportation has forecast the peak travel periods for this year’s holiday season.
Transportation Minister Dudy Purwagandhi announced that outbound travel is projected to reach its highest level on 24 December 2025, while the return flow is expected to peak on 2 January 2026. Most travelers are anticipated to begin their journeys in the morning.
“Most people prefer to depart between 07:00 and 09:59 on both the outbound and return peaks. This trend will guide the operational management of terminals, stations, airports, seaports, and peak-hour arrangements,” Dudy said during a working meeting with Commission V of the House of Representatives, as quoted by CNBC Indonesia.
Private cars remain the leading mode of transportation for the 2025/2026 holiday period, accounting for an estimated 51.12 million trips (42.78%). Motorcycles follow with 22 million trips (18.41%). Rail travel ranks seventh with 3.94 million trips (3.29%), trailing buses, rental cars, travel services, and air transportation.
Dudy emphasized that the strong preference for private vehicles underscores the need for intensive traffic management to prevent severe congestion, especially along toll roads and key access routes to major transport hubs.
“Public preference for private vehicles indicates the need for strict traffic control, especially along toll roads and access routes to major transport hubs,” he noted.
Integrated Command Post and Extensive Safety Checks
To monitor nationwide movements during the year-end holiday season, the Ministry of Transportation will operate the Integrated Nataru (Christmas and New Year) 2025/2026 Command Post from 18 December 2025 to 5 January 2026. The ministry has already conducted ramp checks on 40,683 land vehicles, 987 ships, 191 ferries, 363 serviceable aircraft, and 3,333 rail units. The ministry also projects 37.99 million domestic tourist movements throughout the travel period.
“We estimate the peak outbound traffic on 24 December 2025 will reach around 17.18 million people, and the return peak on 2 January 2026 is forecast to involve 20.81 million people,” Dudy concluded.
Authorities are preparing for two major risks during the holiday period: a surge in passenger volume and extreme weather conditions. The ministry will continue coordinating with the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) and relevant stakeholders, including deploying additional personnel in critical areas.
Mitigation measures are being prepared across all transportation modes:
Land Transport
- Buffer zones
- Delaying system
- Contraflow and situational one-way schemes
- Adjusted ferry traffic routes
Sea Transport
- Navigation vessels and patrols
- Buffer zones at ports
- Additional alternative ports
Air Transport
- Ramp checks
- Extended airport operating hours
- Increased flight capacity
Rail Transport
- Special monitoring zones (DAPSUS)
- Emergency standby materials (AMUS)
- Strengthened supervision at level crossings
The government also urges the public to anticipate congestion around tourist destinations, crowded arterial roads near traditional markets, and areas with rail crossings. Dudy stressed that cross-agency coordination is essential to ensure a safe, smooth, and comfortable holiday travel experience for millions of Indonesians.
Source: CNBC Indonesia, Kompas
Photo Credit: Dok/BKIP Kemenhub
