In a nutshell
- Soekarno–Hatta Airport is one of the largest airports in Southeast Asia — here’s our complete Jakarta Airport arrival guide with everything you need to know.
- We walk you through the airport procedures step by step: from landing to customs, including which entry documents to prepare in advance.
- Our top recommendation for getting into the city is the train — it’s affordable, comfortable, and completely sidesteps Jakarta’s infamous traffic.
- We also cover all other transfer options — bus, taxi, and private transfer — plus our picks for airport hotels if you’re just passing through.
Arrival at Jakarta Airport
On our Indonesia trip, we landed in Jakarta ourselves and traveled from there all the way across Java. Here are all our tips for what you need to know about Soekarno–Hatta International Airport (CGK).
We strongly recommend filling out all entry documents online in advance — it’ll save you a lot of time at the airport.
These are the documents you need to enter Indonesia:
- Electronic Visa on Arrival
- Health Declaration
- Customs Declaration
- Passport (valid for at least 6 months)
Note: Always check the latest entry and document requirements with your country’s foreign ministry or embassy before you travel. Our information is from October 2024.
Read all our travel tips for Indonesia
From the Plane to Customs
After getting off the plane, be prepared for a decent walk through the terminal — it took us a good 15 minutes to reach customs.
Along the way, you’ll see signs with QR codes for the Customs Declaration at regular intervals. If you haven’t filled it out in advance, now’s your chance.
Our tip: Jakarta Airport offers free Wi-Fi that’s easy to connect to — no hassle at all.
Once you reach immigration, you’ll pass a few counters where you can purchase a Visa on Arrival. If you already have the online visa, you can walk straight past them.
If you haven’t applied for the visa online, you do it here. It costs around 30 euros and you can pay by card. When we were there, the counter was completely quiet.
You then have two options for getting through customs:
- Electronic passport control
- Passport control at the counter
You can only use electronic passport control if you’ve filled out the Electronic Visa on Arrival. For children, it’s only available from age 6.
If you got your Visa on Arrival on-site, you’ll need to line up at the counter. When we were there, there was a short line at the counter — at the electronic kiosks, we walked right through without waiting.
Our tip: Withdraw cash right before going through customs. There are a few ATMs on the left side just before the checkpoint.
Once you have your stamp, you’ll need to show your Customs Declaration QR code a few steps further along.
After that, your carry-on goes through another security check, and then you pick up your checked luggage.
By the way: We didn’t have to show the health form at Jakarta Airport. Your experience may differ, though.
From Jakarta Airport to the City
You have the following options to get from the airport to the city center with Jakarta’s top attractions:
- Train
- Bus
- Taxi/Grab
- Private transfer
Option 1: Taking the Train from the Airport to the City Center
When we heard about Jakarta’s notorious traffic, we didn’t think twice — we took the train.
First, hop on the free Skytrain to the airport’s train station. It’s very well signposted inside the terminal, so you won’t get lost.
Ride the Skytrain to the Train Station and follow the signs from the platform.
You’ll emerge in a hall where there are ticket machines on the left.
The machines are available in English and Indonesian. Enter your destination station (most likely Stasiun Tanahabang or BNI City) and pay by credit card. Our ticket cost 70,000 IDR (4 euros).
Your ticket gets you through the turnstiles — these only open a few minutes before the train departs, so don’t panic. Trains run regularly, so you usually don’t have to wait long.
The ride to the city center takes about half an hour.
Important: You need to tap your ticket on the turnstile again when you exit.
Outside the train stations, there are usually tuk-tuks and scooter drivers waiting who can take you to your hotel.
Option 2: Taking the Bus from the Airport to the City Center
As an alternative to the train, you can take a Damri bus to the city center. The advantage here is that buses stop at more locations and cover different streets — which might actually put you closer to your hotel than the train stations do.
The bus terminals are clearly signposted at the airport, and you can buy your ticket on the spot. We don’t know the exact prices, but they’re a bit lower than a train ticket.
We couldn’t find the exact bus routes online, which was one reason we went with the train instead. That said, you can always ask at the bus terminal whether any routes pass near your hotel.
Option 3: Taking a Taxi from the Airport to the City Center
Taxis are waiting outside all terminals. There are several providers in Jakarta. We recommend booking through the Grab or Gojek apps — it’s cheaper than hailing a taxi on the spot.
Just keep in mind that with a taxi — just like with a bus — you’re at the mercy of Jakarta’s traffic.
Option 4: Private Transfer from the Airport to the City Center
You can also book a private transfer to your hotel in Jakarta in advance. This is the most comfortable option — someone meets you right at the terminal and takes you directly to your door.
Book a private transfer from Jakarta Airport
Hotels near Jakarta Airport
If you’re just making a stopover in Jakarta, your best bet is to book a hotel near the airport. There are plenty of options in all price ranges:
Read all our hotel tips for Jakarta:
