Surabaya Transportation

Get in  

Surabaya is the major transportation hub in East Java, with connections to the rest of the island by bus and train, as well as boat. By train from Jakarta takes a minimum of nine hours. There are direct bus connections from all of the major cities in Central and East Java. Surabaya is a major port, so you can use the Pelni ships to or from Makassar (Ujung Pandang), Banjarmasin and Pontianak

By Air

Of course, the fastest way to get to Surabaya is by air. The city's Juanda International Airport (code: SUB) opened a new terminal building in November 2006. The city is served by most of Indonesia's domestic carriers. There are flights more or less hourly to and from Jakarta and Denpasar, with less frequent service to other destinations in Indonesia. There are not too many international airlines still serving Surabaya. Only Singapore's Silk Air flies direct to Surabaya from Singapore. From other countries, you may find it easier to fly through Jakarta or Bali to get to Surabaya.

Adam Air

Very small airline, connecting mainly Jakarta and Singapore.

Batavia Air

Small domestic airline. At last check, web site had no English language version and no online reservation capability.

Garuda Indonesia

Garuda is the national carrier of Indonesia. The have a global network of routes to bring visitors to Indonesia, and of course they have a domestic network which serves the major cities in Indonesia. They have, from time to time, offered heavy discounts (50%) on domestic flights for people coming to Indonesia via Garuda.

Lion Air

Very large carrier, covering about 20 cities in Indonesia, and international connections to Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Singapore.

Mandala Airlines

Covers major cities in Indonesia, including Jakarta, Bali, Yogyakarta and Surabaya.

Merpati Airline

Another large Indonesian carrier, with an extensive domestic network and international connections to Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Has a reputation for very bad service.

Pelita Air

Small domestic airline, serving only about eight cities with scheduled flights, but also has an extensive charter business for both fixed wing planes and helicopters.

By train

Surabaya has two main stations, Surabaya Pasar Turi and Surabaya Gubeng. Trains using the northern main line from Jakarta takes at least nine hours to arrive at Pasar Turi, while trains using the southern main line takes no less than 15. Air-conditioned trains are available on both routes, though. The Argo Bromo Anggrek, Sembrani and Gumarang trains use the northern line, while the Bima uses the south line. All these trains have air-conditioned eksekutif accommodations.

Trains from Bandung and Yogyakarta use the Gubeng station. The Argo Wilis travels at daytime, allowing passengers to enjoy the scenery in the western part of the route. The Sancaka travels to Yogyakarta and took apporximately 6 hours. Railway connections to Bali is made by the Mutiara Timur express to Banyuwangi, transferring to buses before the ferry crossing to Gilimanuk. Don't forget to buy salak bali.

By sea

PT Angkutan Sungai Danau dan Penyeberangan/PT ASDP: daily ferry service from Ujung Kamal, Madura to Tanjung Perak, Surabaya.
PT Pelayaran Nasional Indonesia/PT Pelni: passenger ships from Makassar to Tanjung Perak, Surabaya. Other routes are available. Website: PT Pelni.



Get around   


Taxis, buses, and other have yellow vehicle number plates.

By taxi

Taxis are plentiful on the streets of Surabaya. Some taxis are not renowned for its reliability and honesty, get the well known taxis eg. Blue Bird Group, Silver and Express and insist on the meter. Figure on Rp 20,000 for a cross-town trip and Rp 70,000 to the airport.


By train

Commuter city trains is extremely limited, serving some parts of Surabaya and Sidoarjo.


By bus

It is not recommended to travel in Surabaya by bus, since it's always so crowded and there are many pickpocket and beggars.

Other transportation

'Becak' is a traditional transpotation in Surabaya, but you'll probably won't use it, since 'becak' aren't allowed in major streets. 'Angkot'(Angkutan Kota) or 'Mikrolet' is a public transportation that use cars that are modified and painted. But it's hard to get around with this transportation, because their route is a bit confusing. And there are pickpockets too.

Get out

• Mount Bromo is a popular two-day trip from Surabaya.
• Tretes and Trawas is one hour away. Pleasant villas among hills. Good eats. There are many roasted corn stalls at night.
• Malang and Batu is two hours away. Recreation, such as picnics and clubs