Free Shuttle Service To Be Offered To Tourists In Bali’s Ubud To Solve Traffic Issues

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Officials in Bali’s popular cultural hotspot of Ubud are trialing a new shuttle bus service that they hope will help improve the tourist experience in the town. The shuttle service is designed to help reduce traffic and illegal parking in central Ubud. 

The issue of tourism-related traffic jams in central Ubud has been an ongoing issue for years. Now officials are taking a firm and proactive approach.

They are in the process of trailing a new shuttle service for tourists and are cracking down on illegal parking throughout the town center. 

Starting from 15th May until the end of December, officials in Ubud will be trailing an electric vehicle shuttle bus service that will operate from the early morning until late at night every day to ensure that tourists can explore Bali’s cultural capital with ease. 

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The plan outlines how tourism drivers and self-driving tourists will be directed to park their cars or mopeds in the central parking areas, like the main parking area around the Ubud Monkey Forest.

From these strategic parking spots, tourists will be able to hop on the shuttle service into town. 

This park-and-ride style facility will be free for tourists and will operate from 6 am until 11 pm daily.

Gianyar Police Chief, AKBP Ketut Widiada, told reporters, “There will be changes in traffic flow on several sections or road lanes while observing developments and the traffic situation in the Ubud District area.”

A similar free shuttle bus service is also being trialed down in Canggu with much success. 

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AKBP Widiada continues to share that traffic violators or drivers who park in Ubud Center illegally will get a tap on the shoulder from the authorities.

He explained, “We appeal to the public, especially those working in Ubud and also tourists, to obey the rules for mutual convenience.”

A joint effort from the Gianyar Police and the Gianyar Regency Transportation Service will begin to conduct ‘raids’ on illegal parking in the town center.

The main areas of focus will be Jalan Raya Ubud and Jalan Hanuman, two of the busiest streets in Ubud. 

AKBP Widiada added,”We have agreed with the Transportation Agency to take strict action against arbitrary parking in Ubud. We will use humane methods first; after that, we will take action.”

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During a key stakeholder meeting held in Ubud on Tuesday, 9th May, officials from Gianyar police, the Directorate General of Land Transportation, the District Transportation Service, and other stakeholders in Ubud were all in agreement that changes to the traffic flow in Ubud need to be made. 

This conversation has been on the table for some time. In early April, officials in Ubud spoke openly about the need to address the traffic congestion caused by the volume of traffic in Ubud and the counterintuitive nature of the intersecting one-way systems that are often ignored by drivers in the name of convenience. 

It is clear that stakeholders in Ubud are making very public efforts to improve the tourism experience and public safety in the area.

While Ubud is considered a very safe destination, a series of police patrols have been conducted in the last week to ensure that safety remains a number one priority in the tourism destination.

Patrols were increased during the BaliSpirit Festival, and Ubud Police Chief Kompol I Made Uder explained that twenty officers would be deployed to patrol Ubud throughout the night. 

Police Chief Uder said, “The main targets are people and prohibited items such as weapons and other dangerous goods and motorists who violate traffic rules.”

Officers also dropped by some of Ubud’s leading nightlife venues to ensure that the atmosphere remained fun, safe, and comfortable for those on a night out. 

He concluded, “Apart from that, it also pays attention to the safety of the visitors, most of whom are foreign tourists, still comply with the existing rules in music performances so as not to cause complaints from the environment around their respective places of business.”