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World Travel Guide > Guides > Asia > Indonesia > Jakarta

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the IDs1328Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta International Airport
Places in Jakarta

Travel to Jakarta

Flying to Jakarta

There are no direct flights from the UK to Jakarta. Airlines offering flights to Jakarta with one stopover include Emirates, Etihad Airways, Malaysia Airlines, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines and Thai Airways. If travelling from the USA, you also need to stop at another Asian city en route, such as Hong Kong, Narita or Taipei.

Flight times

From London - 16 hours 30 minutes (including stopover); New York - 23 hours (including stopover); Los Angeles - 21 hours (including stopover); Toronto - 23 hours (including stopover); Sydney - 11 hours (including stopover).

Travel by road

Traffic in Jakarta drives on the left. The minimum driving age is 17. Nearly half of the road network is paved. There are good road communications within Java and, to a lesser extent, on Bali and Sumatra. The other islands have poor road systems.

Speed limits are usually 30-40kph (19-25mph) on inner-city streets, 60-70kph (37-43mph) on intercity roads and 80-100 kph (50-62mph) on motorways. An International Driving Permit is required to drive in Jakarta.

Driving in Jakarta can be a terrifying experience for foreign visitors unused to the roads, so hiring a car with a driver is often the best option.

Emergency breakdown services

Tel: 0800 140 1287.

Routes

Express roads supposedly connect Jakarta with most of the other main cities on the island of Java, but in reality conditions can be poor and congestion is a serious problem. There is a ring road around the city. Toll roads already operate out to the airport and also connect Jakarta with Bandung.

Coaches

Jakarta has four principal bus terminals. Kalideres is 15km (9 miles) north of Merdeka Square and serves the likes of Merak and Labuan. Kampung Rambutan is 18km (11 miles) south of the city centre and offers buses to Bogor and Bandung. Pulo Gadung is 12km (7.5 miles) east of the centre with services to the likes of Padang and Bukittinggi. Lebak Bulus is 15km (9 miles) south of Jakarta's centre with handy services for tourists to Yogyakarta and Bali.

Numerous bus companies operate to and from Jakarta. Two of the most popular are Safari Dharma Raya (tel: +62 21 548 5644; www.safaridharmaraya.com) and Kramat Djati (tel: +62 21 298 25994; http://buskramatjati.com).

Time to city

From Bandung - 2 hours 20 minutes; Surabaya - 14 hours.

Travel by Rail

Services

Jakarta has four railway stations: Kota, Gambir, Pasar Senen and Tanah Abang. The largest and of most use to travellers is Gambir Station on Merdeka Square, which serves destinations to the east such as Yogyakarta and Surabaya.

Operators

PT Kereta Api (tel: 121, in Indonesia only or +62 21 121; www.kereta-api.co.id) is the state operator running all services throughout Indonesia

A digital image at https://illuminoto.com

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Kosenda Hotel

Located in Central Jakarta, this hotel feels luxurious but the low price is quite shocking. The 57 rooms come in three sizes at different price points, so guests can choose how comfortable they want to be, though even the smallest rooms offer great design and high quality service for a cheap price. Kosenda Hotel also offers a restaurant, fitness centre, free buffet breakfast, a coffee shop, and free newspapers and bottled water in the rooms.

The Hermitage Jakarta

This 1920s art deco building sticks out from the hustle and bustle of Jakarta's most prestigious district, Menteng. Visitors can walk to world class shopping malls in addition to an antique art market. The inside of the building is inspired by its early 20th century history but is marked by upscale, modern features and finish that are sure to give any guest a luxurious vacation away from it all.

Oakwood Premier Cozmo

Minutes from Ambassador Mall and Kuningan City Mall, the Oakwood Premier Cozmo Jakarta offers guests 5-star quality, air-conditioned rooms in the middle of Jakarta’s high-class shopping and entertainment district. Guests can choose between rooms or apartments, and the hotel comes with an outdoor pool and fitness center in addition to four restaurants and 3 coffee shops on the premises.

Gondia International Guesthouse

This homely guesthouse with a small garden in a quiet street provides a good respite from Jakarta. It's a decent alternative from the hostels and guesthouses of Jalan Jaksa and has comfy rooms and a friendly ambience.

Red Planet Hotel Pasar Baru

Right next door to the famous Ramayana Pasar Baru market, this hip hotel offers guests the chance to explore Central Jakarta without straying too far from their accommodation. Each room has free Wi-Fi, custom-made beds, flat-screen TVs, and of course air conditioning to survive the year-round sky-high temperatures.

Grand Hyatt

Only in the moderately priced bracket if booked in advance because this is a luxurious residence bearing the hallmarks of quality expected from a Grand Hyatt. Located in the Pinheiros financial district, it has all the amenities you could wish for, including high speed internet, a choice of bars and restaurants, 466 rooms and suites and an exemplary spa. The Wine Library bar offers guests a giddying choice of 2,500 bottles. Breakfast included.

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