250,000 Commuters Travel Daily from Bekasi City to Jakarta — High Hopes for the MRT East-West Line
- Publish
- 2025/06/21
- Update
- 2025/08/16
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Introduction
In the Jakarta metropolitan area, known as JABODETABEK, which centers around Indonesia’s capital Jakarta, a large number of people commute from neighboring cities to the capital. Among these, an especially noteworthy group is the 250,000 commuters traveling daily from Bekasi City to Jakarta.
This article presents an overview of commuting trends from Bekasi City to Jakarta and the region’s transportation infrastructure, supplemented with data and video footage.
Precautions when conducting an on-site inspection in Indonesia
Some visitors consider, "My primary purpose is to conduct maintenance work at the factory, but the visa application process appears cumbersome. I will simply enter on a Visa on Arrival (VOA) and carry out the work discreetly."
However, there have been numerous cases where entering without the appropriate visa for the intended activities has resulted in significant legal and operational issues. It is therefore strongly advised to obtain the correct visa prior to travel.
Here are the types of visas and their purposes.
Commuting from Bekasi to Jakarta — In Numbers
250,000 Bekasi Residents Commute to Jakarta
Compiled by PT. TRICRUISE MARKETING INDONESIA based on data from Databoks “Ini Wilayah Jabodetabek dengan Pekerja Komuter Terbanyak”
According to 2023 data from Statistics Indonesia (BPS), the cities and regencies within the JABODETABEK metropolitan area with the largest numbers of long-distance commuters (Pekerja Komuter) are as follows: Bogor Regency (459,775 people), East Jakarta City (432,627 people), Bekasi City (406,446 people), and Depok City (399,268 people).
Ranked first, Bogor Regency spans nearly 3,000 square kilometers and borders multiple cities and regencies, including Bogor City, Depok City, East Jakarta City, Bekasi City, Bekasi Regency, South Tangerang City, and Tangerang Regency.
Second-ranked East Jakarta City is the most populous city within the Special Capital Region of Jakarta and borders North Jakarta City, Bekasi City, Depok City, South Jakarta City, and Central Jakarta City.
Third-ranked Bekasi City is located directly east of Jakarta, with an area of approximately 210 square kilometers — about one-third the size of Tokyo’s 23 wards. In 2023, then West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil stated that “250,000 Bekasi City residents work in Jakarta,” which suggests that around 62% of the city’s long-distance commuters travel to Jakarta.
As of 2024, Bekasi City’s population is approximately 2.6 million. Of these, about 1.57 million people — roughly 60% — are aged between 20 and 59. This means that about 1 in 10 residents overall, and about 1 in 6 working-age adults, commute to Jakarta.
References:
- Databoks “Ini Wilayah Jabodetabek dengan Pekerja Komuter Terbanyak”
- Detiknews “RK: Seperempat Juta Warga Bekasi Kerja di DKI, Jadi MRT Sangat Membantu”
- BPS Kota Bekasi “Jumlah Penduduk Menurut Kelompok Umur dan Jenis Kelamin (ribu jiwa) di Kota Bekasi, 2024”
Jakarta MRT Extension to Bekasi
Bekasi City is connected to various parts of Jakarta by train and bus services. In 2023, the opening of the LRT Jabodebek, which links the greater metropolitan area, added another commuting option.
In addition, plans are progressing to extend the Jakarta MRT to Bekasi.
Currently, the Jakarta MRT network consists of two planned lines — a north-south line and an east-west line. The Phase 1 section of the north-south line opened in March 2019. Construction of the Phase 2 section is also underway, with a targeted opening in 2029.
Meanwhile, Bekasi City will be served by the east-west line, for which a groundbreaking ceremony was held in 2024.
The east-west line will run from Cikarang in Bekasi Regency, located east of Bekasi City, through Bundaran HI Station in Central Jakarta, and on to Balaraja in Banten Province. The first phase, Stage 1, will connect Medan Satria in Bekasi City with Taman in West Jakarta. The second stage will extend the line further west to Kembangan. Construction of Phase 1 is scheduled for completion by 2031.
References:
- CNBC Indonesia “Asyik! Warga Bekasi, Siap-Siap MRT Timur-Barat Bakal Dibangun Agustus”
- JICA “Jakarta Metropolitan Area Urban Railway East-West Line Project (Phase 1) (Stage 1)”
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Taxi Troubles
IT company
We had planned to use a ride-hailing app for local transportation; however, due to the combination of the morning rush hour and heavy rain, no taxis were available even after waiting for over 30 minutes. In the end, we arranged a motorcycle taxi on short notice, but heavy traffic caused further delays. As a result, we were forced to postpone one of the two business meetings scheduled for the morning.
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Interpreter Issues
Cosmetics manufacturer
While traveling from central Jakarta to a client in the suburbs, our freelance local interpreter suddenly canceled. Since English was not widely understood in the area, we were unable to fully convey the finer nuances of our business discussions, which was highly regrettable. We came to realize that it would have been better to engage a professional interpreter through a reputable agency rather than relying on a low-cost freelancer.
Commuting from Bekasi to Jakarta — In Video
Evening Rush Hour from Jakarta to Bekasi
Watch the video
This video was filmed on the evening of Thursday, April 17, 2025, by a commuter traveling from Pulo Gadung in East Jakarta to Harapan Indah in Bekasi City. Evening rush-hour traffic jams are an everyday occurrence, but on this particular day, congestion was especially severe — the motorbike journey along a route of just over a dozen kilometers reportedly took more than three hours.
Bus Commuting from Bekasi to Jakarta
Watch the video
TransJakarta, Jakarta’s city bus network, has been expanding its services to neighboring cities such as Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi. As part of this effort, a new route connecting Bekasi City with Cawang in East Jakarta was launched in May 2025. For Bekasi residents, this provides an additional commuting option to help avoid the overcrowded trains and traffic jams that plague motorbike commuters.
This video shows the new service two days after its launch, around 9:00 AM. Since it was a new route and after the morning rush hour, there were relatively few passengers, and the person filming was able to get a seat mid-journey. The toll road was also relatively clear, making for a comfortable ride.
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●Creative agency
I traveled without arranging an interpreter, but when I faced difficulties dealing with the local police, they came to my aid.
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●Recruitment agency
When I suddenly needed a conference room, I truly appreciated that they arranged one on my behalf.
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●Cosmetics manufacturer
After finishing drinks with colleagues late at night and being unable to find a taxi, they arranged a car for us, which was a great help.
Expectations for More Diverse Commuting Options
Bekasi City and neighboring Bekasi Regency are located near Jakarta and are increasingly recognized as commuter towns, with many new residential developments under construction. Naturally, the current figure of 250,000 daily commuters to Jakarta is expected to continue rising.
Although new transport options such as the LRT and additional TransJakarta routes are now available, overcrowded trains and severe road congestion during peak commuting hours remain serious issues. As a result, there are growing expectations for the completion of the MRT East-West Line.
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