Jakarta airport transfer suggestions to city hotel

[Oscarq]

Arriving CGK next week on QF approx 1700hr. Deciding should I organise and prepay for transport prior to arrival such as through the Qantas web site, or is it safe to arrange a taxi or chauffeur drive on arrival? There seems to be a major trustworthy problem with some taxi companies in Jakarta. Appreciate AFF members thoughts & experience please.

 

[moa999]

Silverbird taxi (the upmarket brand of Bluebird who is the major operator) - generally Merc E classes.

I'm sure you know but Jakarta traffic can be mind bogglingly bad

 

[Oscarq]

Thank you for reply moa999. Are you aware do Silverbird have a desk in arrivals or are they at a rank on the roadway. Do they take credit card?

 

[ksthommo]

I can provide the answer. There's a Silver Bird Desk before you leave the arrivals hall, otherwise you can book at a desk in the arrivals area.
Can also pre book at Executive Taxi - Blue Bird Tbk | Blue Bird Group
Online reservations, Golden Bird. You can select type of vehicle and the cost.

 

[dajop]

This month had two trips to Jakarta - first time I had pre-booked vehicle, second time just went to Silver Bird desk outside arrivals (adjacent to roadway) and it was much quicker due to queues at pre booked desk. On the outside desk can choose between prepaid (cash I think) or metered (can pay by card).

 

[Oscarq]

Thank you for your guidance Ksthommo and dajop. Provides me with greater confidence as this is my first trip to Jakarta. moa999 appreciate your reminder, I have read the traffic can be terrible, will need to ensure I allow plenty of travel time for my return flight.

 

[RoMambai]

I've been to CGK many times. If for whatever reason you miss the silverbird desk (and you shouldn't as it is clearly marked after you've collected your luggage and as you walk out to the public gallery) and you find yourself outside (it happened to me the first time I went there) then turn right and walk 30m and you'll see the bluebird rank (wished I had known that at the time. Instead I was at the mercy of touts). Get in line and you can pay the driver once you get to the hotel atm. Bluebird cabs are considered safe - I understand there hasn't been a reported case of theft or assault involving foreigners.

CGK is a daunting, seething knot of a place but stand your ground, keep a smile on your face and you'll be fine. Look lost or flustered and the sharks will pick you a mile off. They're harmless; just looking to make a buck on some fairly hard scrabble streets.

 

[Reds2011]

I've been to CGK many times. If for whatever reason you miss the silverbird desk (and you shouldn't as it is clearly marked after you've collected your luggage and as you walk out to the public gallery) and you find yourself outside (it happened to me the first time I went there) then turn right and walk 30m and you'll see the bluebird rank (wished I had known that at the time. Instead I was at the mercy of touts).

There is also a silver bird rank outside. Turn left instead of right depending on which exit you come from and they are pretty obvious. I never use the inside desk.

 

[Oscarq]

Thank you for the advice RoMambai & Reds2011, I can now arrive aware when & where to look for transport. I'm sure I will enjoy my visit to the "seething knot of a place".

 

[RoMambai]

I meant it in the nicest possible way. I've spent a lot of time in Jkt and it's a city that is close to my heart.

Thank you for the advice RoMambai & Reds2011, I can now arrive aware when & where to look for transport. I'm sure I will enjoy my visit to the "seething knot of a place".

 

[ajw373]

There are two up market taxis you can get from CGK. Silver bird as mentioned, and for that just walk outside and look for the silver bird sign. It's actually black in colour and there are two ranks at terminal 2 where qantas comes in.

The second company is called Tiara and their stand is near the silver bird ones. Most Tiara cars are BMW's.

Since T3 opened and the roadway outside T2 has become a mess I've found there to be bigger queues for silver birds so of late been using Tiara more.

And of course traffic at that time of day on a weekday can be madness. So take a leak before getting in. I've had it take almost 3 hours to get to the Mega Kunnigan area before and the norm that time of day is close to 2 hours. It's just crazy.

 

[Oscarq]

Most helpful ajw373, will keep a lookout for the Tiara stand. Appreciate the pre-travel advice.

 

[Oscarq]

Sitting with Ansett in the Jakarta JAS lounge waiting for QF42 to load. Jakarta started a long weekend on our arrival Friday night. The traffic was an absolute nightmare. Departed Soekarno-Hatta Int. at 6pm took 3hr 10 min to Jakarta central. Allowed plenty of time for the return travel which took 55 minutes from hotel. This confirmed google maps but I did not dare trust them given the traffic in CGK. Used Tiara in & Silver out both good. Can now claim to have been to "The seething knot of a place" (love that term thanks RoMambai).

 

[ajw373]

Sitting with Ansett in the Jakarta JAS lounge waiting for QF42 to load. Jakarta started a long weekend on our arrival Friday night. The traffic was an absolute nightmare. Departed Soekarno-Hatta Int. at 6pm took 3hr 10 min to Jakarta central. Allowed plenty of time for the return travel which took 55 minutes from hotel. This confirmed google maps but I did not dare trust them given the traffic in CGK. Used Tiara in & Silver out both good. Can now claim to have been to "The seething knot of a place" (love that term thanks RoMambai).

Sorry for the 3+ hour trip. Bet if I didn't say that can happen it wouldn't have. The big durian can be a bit like that sometimes. And Same with trip back. When you leave plenty of time as contingency you never need it.

 

[Ansett]

And of course traffic at that time of day on a weekday can be madness. So take a leak before getting in. I've had it take almost 3 hours to get to the Mega Kunnigan area before and the norm that time of day is close to 2 hours. It's just crazy.

Took over 4 and Half Hours to go from Airport to Park Lane at Kunnigan on Friday. Really enjoyed that first beer upon check in. There was a public Holiday on Tuesday Balinese Day of Silence and it semed every one was heading out of town and making a long weekend of it.

 

[Scarlett]

Just a note or heads up for those traveling to Jakarta (and Indonesia in general): when dealing with traffic and transit times you need to add buffers to what Google and Waze tell you is the expected journey time. This is due to the large number of GoJeks and other motorbike/scooters which will not spend as long stuck in traffic. They will cause an overall ‘quicker’ aggregate travel time to be displayed on web / apps. If you’re in a car or taxi you are likely to be more stuck in traffic then all the two-wheelers.
It’s why the answer on journey times is often expressed with a smile and shrug of the shoulders...

 

[Scarlett]

Just remembered a good example:
My neighbor was visiting a local tourist attraction on a long weekend. It took his car over 10 hours to get back home. After the first hour he gave up and walked the 2 hours to get home. His driver went back to get the car that night when the macet had cleared!

Indonesia has a road network designed for a nation of 50 million people... unfortunately it’s population is over 260 million.

 

[Mr_Gimlet]

Do Bluebird do online bookings for Silverbird? I am sure I saw something last time I looked but I can't see anything - or are we supposed to use the app now for prebookings?

 

[ajw373]

Do Bluebird do online bookings for Silverbird? I am sure I saw something last time I looked but I can't see anything - or are we supposed to use the app now for prebookings?

Not sure your question. If you are are talking about a car from FROM the airport just go to the Silverbird sign outside and join the queue.

If from town then it is the same app for silverbird and bluebird. You just select which one you want. That said been a whilst since I’ve been to Jakarta so haven’t seen the app in over a year.

 

[Mr_Gimlet]

Not sure your question

From the airport. I am pretty sure you could prebook a transfer from the airport on their website - and you went to the desk to 'collect' it. It seems to have disappeared (or moved?).