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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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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.

Harris Suites fX Sudirman

This budget hotel is housed in a beautiful high-rise building in the heart of Jakarta's CBD, with direct access to fX Sudirman Mall and Plaza Senayan for travellers who want to save on accommodation but spend big in Jakarta's famous shopping malls. Harris Suites offers free Wi-Fi for all guests and complimentary water, tea, and coffee in their modern, bright, and clean rooms.

Novotel Jakarta Gajah Mada

This 4-star hotel is located near Batavia, Jakarta's Old Town, so guests can enjoy all the cultural, artistic, and leisure activities that North Jakarta has to offer. In addition to using the hotel's modern meeting rooms, guests can enjoy delicious meals at the in-house restaurant or relax at the pool, sauna, or spa.

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