From Feeder Services to the Sea, Transjakarta is Preparing to Connect Jakarta and the Thousand Islands.

Jakarta - Almost a decade ago, Transjakarta only functioned to bring residents to port terminals before passengers continued their journey by ferry to the Thousand Islands.

Now, far broader responsibilities are being prepared for the service. Starting 2027, the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government plans to transfer management of all sea transportation routes to the Thousand Islands from the Office of Transportation over to PT Transportasi Jakarta (Transjakarta).

This handover will not only cover vessel operations. All departure port areas and full terminal operations will also fall under Transjakarta's management authority.

With this plan, Transjakarta will no longer operate purely as a land transport system that drops passengers off at Jakarta's coastline. The entire service framework is being built to connect end-to-end journeys from land all the way out to sea.

Head of DKI Jakarta Transportation Agency Budi Awaluddin stated this transfer is designed to integrate Thousand Islands travel with Transjakarta's established public transport system already used daily by Jakarta residents.

"Going forward, it is entirely possible that these ferry services will be directly connected with land transport modes including Transjakarta buses and Mikrotrans shuttles right at the departure terminals," Budi stated on Saturday (15/8/2026).

If this concept is realised, residents will be able to make a fully seamless multi-modal journey from their home all the way to the Thousand Islands. Travellers may take Mikrotrans shuttles or Transjakarta buses directly to the port departure point, then continue their journey onwards by ferry.

However, Budi emphasised that route patterns and official departure points are still being finalised in coordination with Transjakarta, meaning this land-sea integrated network has not yet been confirmed as the final route plan.

This Is Not Buses Sailing On Water

The phrase "Transjakarta going to the Thousand Islands" does not mean Transjakarta buses will operate at sea.

Basri Baco, Deputy Chairman of the DKI Jakarta Regional House of Representatives explained that the transport mode will remain vessels. What is being extended to the sea is Transjakarta's standard service model: ferries will run on fixed scheduled routes at regular intervals, rather than only departing once they are completely full of passengers.

"It's not buses going out to sea. It's ferries that run on regular fixed loops just like Transjakarta buses," Basri remarked.

This concept is critical for the Thousand Islands, as ferries are not merely tourist transport. Sea transportation is the core daily mobility lifeline for communities living and working across the entire island chain.

Through this more reliable scheduled service model, the government aims to guarantee mobility certainty while expanding affordable public transport access for permanent island residents.

Ports Are The Core Foundation Of This Plan

The biggest change will not only apply to the vessel fleet.

Budi confirmed Transjakarta will also manage all port operational and technical support activities, including full authority over departure terminal grounds. This means the planned integration does not stop at the sea journey itself, but covers the entire passenger transfer point between land and sea transport.

This plan actually builds upon an earlier policy concept.

Back in 2016, the DKI administration already operated Transjakarta feeder bus services to Kali Adem Port. These buses carried local residents and tourists from locations across Jakarta to the port, before passengers continued by sea to the Thousand Islands.

Now, the scope of this system is being expanded substantially.

Where previously Transjakarta services ended at the port gates, from 2027 Transjakarta will also oversee and operate the sea journey itself.

Big Ambitions Come With Big Challenges

This expansion will require far more than just an official transfer of authority.

Transport observer Deddy Herlambang has called on the DKI administration to conduct full safety audits of all crossing ports, plus comprehensive seaworthiness inspections for every vessel that will be used under the new system.

Traditional vessels that no longer meet minimum safety standards, Deddy advised, should be decommissioned and replaced with suitable modern fleets.

He also noted that both Muara Angke Port and Ancol Marina are not yet fully equipped to handle increased passenger crossing volumes.

This means the more integrated the transport system becomes, the higher the requirements will be for operational capacity and safety protocols.

On the regulatory side, the DKI administration is still finalising institutional frameworks and legal basis for the transition, including fare structures and subsidy schemes, assignment mechanisms, contractual arrangements, and the handover transition period from the Office of Transportation to Transjakarta.

Unified cross-modal ticketing across the entire journey is also being proposed, as a measure to make travel to the Thousand Islands more accessible and attractive for users.

If all these plans are successfully implemented, this change will amount to far more than just appointing a new operator for island ferries.

Jakarta is working to build one continuous connected travel chain, linking residential homes, feeder shuttles, Transjakarta buses, port terminals, all the way through to the destination islands.

This is what gives the concept of 'Maritime Transjakarta' its full meaning.

In 2016, Transjakarta brought passengers to the edge of the sea. In 2027, Transjakarta is being prepared to sail with them.