In-bound travelers arrive home
October 22nd, 2007
With schools and offices ready to reopen Monday, the number of holidaymakers arriving at the city’s bus terminals and train stations is climbing, with the influx peak predicted to occur this weekend.
Deputy head of Central Jakarta’s Senen train station, Agung Wahyu, said the number of arrivals at the train station had began to rise Wednesday, with a total of 10,190 passengers that day.
On Friday, the number was predicted to reach 13,000, or an increase of almost 30 percent.
“The peak time will be this Saturday and Sunday; we predict the number will reach up to 20,000 passengers on each of the two days,” Agung said Friday.
He said the number of arrivals on regular days stood at around 3,000 passengers.
Agung told The Jakarta Post in addition to the 18 trains that operated regularly, seven reserve trains had been prepared to anticipate the influx.
“We started using them today,” said Agung, adding that most of the trains would transport passengers from areas in Central Java and East Java to Jakarta.
A rise in the number of arrivals has also been witnessed at East Jakarta’s Pulogadung and Kampung Rambutan bus terminals, and at West Jakarta’s Kalideres bus terminal.
Pulogadung terminal has seen at least 80,000 people arrive on more than 1,800 buses over the last four days, while Kampung Rambutan terminal reported a total of 64,665 arrivals from Monday to Wednesday, with most originating from Central and East Java.
On regular days, around 3,000 people arrive at Pulogadung terminal.
Pulogadung’s arrival terminal manager, Eddy Purwoko, said Thursday the number of arrivals had gradually increased from Monday with the peak predicted to occur this weekend.
Meanwhile, head of the Kalideres bus terminal, Rustam, said the number of holidaymakers returning to the city through the terminal in the five days following Idul Fitri had increased by 15 percent to 12,687, compared to the same period last year.
The number of buses arriving during the period, he said, had also increased from 729 in 2006 to 784 this year.
Rustam said newcomers from short-distance areas, such as Serang, Lebak and Pandeglang in Banten, and Lampung province contributed to the increase in the number of arrivals.
He said these people came to Jakarta seeking employment.
“To anticipate an influx of returning holidaymakers at this terminal, we are working together with the busway and other intercity bus operators; around 200 buses will operate over 24 hours,” he said.
Train stations and bus terminals have also witnessed an increase in the number of passengers leaving Jakarta for their hometowns.
“I spent my Idul Fitri holiday in Jakarta, visiting neighbors and relatives. I made plans to leave for my hometown of Losari (Central Java) after Idul Fitri because my family there will celebrate the holiday this weekend,” said Zubaedah, 58, who has lived in Jakarta for almost 40 years. (11/23)
Multa Fidrus contributed to this story from Tangerang.
Source: The Jakarta Post
Entry Filed under: World Tourism News
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