Govt prepares Rp883 bln subsidy for Christmas, New Year travel period

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian government has earmarked up to Rp883.4 billion (approximately US$48.81 million) in ticket subsidies for the upcoming Christmas and New Year 2026/2027 holiday period, aiming to ease travel expenses and maintain affordable public mobility.

Transportation Minister Dudy Purwagandhi announced that the fiscal stimulus will cover four major modes of transportation, including commercial aviation, rail networks, state-owned passenger vessels operated by Pelni, as well as ferry services managed by ASDP.

"In order to reduce the costs of holiday travel and returning home, the government has prepared a tariff stimulus of Rp883.4 billion for four modes of transportation: airplanes, trains, Pelni ships, and ASDP crossing ships," Dudy confirmed in Jakarta on Tuesday (November 10).

Beyond easing travel expenses, the financial relief is expected to boost the consumption of micro, small, and medium enterprise (MSME) products and stimulate local economies across regional destinations.

Given the limited subsidy quota, the minister advised the public to plan their itineraries in advance and purchase tickets exclusively through official operator channels to prevent fraud.

Alongside the tariff stimulus, Minister Dudy emphasized that safety remains the top priority ahead of the year-end exodus.

The ministry has mandated rigorous safety inspections and ramp checks across road, rail, maritime, and aviation sectors.

"We want to ensure that everyone who travels during the Christmas and New Year period can use transportation that is safe, secure, and operational—so safety checks must be carried out thoroughly," Dudy emphasized.

Key sectoral preparations include land transport, where bus fleet fitness monitoring is being optimized via the integrated MitraDarat digital system.

In the maritime and ferry sector, seaworthiness tests are being conducted on 2,140 vessels throughout November 2026 across 132 technical implementing units (UPT).

For aviation, ramp inspections are scheduled at 20 airports, alongside safety readiness audits at 223 airports from December 1, 2026, to January 5, 2027.

Additionally, in the railway sector, minimum service standard (SPM) and infrastructure inspections are underway to oversee thousands of daily train trips during the holiday season.

The minister concluded by highlighting that the success of the year-end transportation rollout requires strict operator discipline and solid coordination between central and regional governments as well as all relevant stakeholders.

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Translator: Muhammad Harianto, Yashinta Difa
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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