Aside from the topics of waste management and tourism, the hottest topic in Bali’s hitlist is transportation.
As the island’s road infrastructure continues to struggle under the pressure of tourism and development, leaders are on a mission to improve public transport links to benefit local people and ease traffic congestion for tourists.
It is almost impossible not to get caught in a traffic jam at some point during a vacation in Bali.
Whether it’s traveling from I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, navigating around Jalan Bypass Road to enter the Bukit to explore destinations like Uluwatu, or on Jalan Raya Ubud in the heart of the arts and cultural capital of Ubud, traffic congestion is an unavoidable reality in Bali for both locals and tourists.
The lack of public transport is one of the leading causes of traffic congestion, especially in the central south of the island, where the highest concentration of tourist resorts is located.
Factors such as the sheer volume of vehicles on the roads and their limited capacity also play a huge role, but officials regularly note the modest level of public transport availability as a leading cause of traffic congestion.
For tourists visiting Bali for the first time this upcoming high season, one of the best pieces of advice to take on board is to leave nearly double the recommended travel time to drive between destinations.
While checking maps apps like GoogleMaps can be helpful the predicted travel times are always drastically underestimated, and planning day trips around peak traffic flow times is highly advisable too.
As Bali’s leaders double down on their commitments to bring affordable and efficient public transport to the province, some stakeholders are calling for the province to follow Jakarta’s example.
There are a number of public transport developments in the pipeline, including the development of the Bali Urban Rail Network and a new series of bus routes that will connect tourists with top destinations in Badung Regency, Gianyar Regency, and Tabanan Regency. However, all of these solutions are a long way from being launched.
Jakarta is known to be one of the most congested cities in the world. Bali’s traffic issues pale in comparison to Jakarta’s often overwhelming congestion.
To help create new and novel solutions to the problem and to put the government at the forefront of creating change, the Governor of Jakarta, Pramono Anung Wibowo ,has just signed a new Governor’s Regulation (Pergub) which requires all State Civil Apparatus (ASN), or civil servants, within the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government to use public transportation every Wednesday.
Governor Wibowo told reporters, “We have signed a gubernatorial regulation that every Wednesday, we will ‘half force’ all ASN in Jakarta. They must take public transportation.”
According to the Jakarta Transportation Agency and the President Director of TransJakarta, the city is connected 91% with public transport routes.
Bali is a long way off from achieving such connectivity, but with the successful relaunch of the Trans Metro Dewata bus service this week, new opportunities for easy transportation are awaiting both tourists and the local workforce.
The Trans Metro Dewata bus service is the biggest public transport service in Bali. The service operates six routes that can connect tourists from I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport to the Ubung Central Bus Terminal in Denpasar and onward to destinations like Ubud and Sanur.
Routes also service Kuta, Nusa Dua, and Denpasar’s top tourist attractions. A one-way fare costs IDR 4,400 and can be paid using contactless on each bus.
Nevertheless, the most popular and efficient mode of transport for tourists in Bali is a taxi, whether hailing an online taxi via Grab or GoJek or hiring a local private driver.
By the end of 2025, a series of new sea taxi services will be launched to help tourists travel directly between Bali’s leading coastal resorts. The plans are set to further reduce traffic congestion between top resorts and offer tourists an affordable and scenic means of travel.
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watson
Sunday 27th of April 2025
The traffic problem in Bali has never been a problem of public transportation, but a problem of the infrastructure, Roads, especially those that lead to those attractions they are only two-lane, which is really too few.It needs to upgrade not only its public transport but also its road system.The most important thing is actually his road system.
Exp
Sunday 27th of April 2025
Few here cares about using "public transport" as people can buy their own new motorbike with a tiny down payment or even much cheaper used ones and run it on heavily subsidized gasoline.
Along Sanur and Kuta beaches zones there must be like 10,000 motorbikes parked on top of each other everywhere, 99% by locals.
Shorty
Saturday 26th of April 2025
'...and a new series of bus routes that will connect tourists with top destinations in Badung Regency, Gianyar Regency, and Tabanan Regency...'
Why this concentration on tourists? Their movement is a minor part of the traffic problems.
The overwhelming amount of road congestion is locals going about their business.
Boris
Saturday 26th of April 2025
The Metro Dewata buses initially operated the during the pandemic until being cancelled some months ago , due to lack of funding but principally I assume because they were barely utilised. They must have been a considerable burden on the budget.
Its a common situation worldwide, people prefer their personal transport. The Balinese traveling from their homes and even distant villages need their motor bikes. Tourists will prefer to be picked up and dropped off by private vehicles and guides , or rent a motor bike.
Unfortunately this “natural law” of personal transportation also applies to train and metro services. Of course with the metro, tourists traveling from the airport with their baggage will need taxis or shuttles to get to their accommodation and likewise when they leave so there will still be a concentration of traffic in the popular areas. Underground lines construction are often delayed so it could be several years before completion. What happens in the meantime . More new cars on the roads and improved road connection from Kalimantan ferry point for Java.
It surely is a difficult problem. It needs spending billions on the roads and traffic limitation schemes with pedestrianisation serviced only by an extensive shuttle service.
I live in Nusa Dua , I can get to the airport within 15 mins by using the toll road .
Thommo
Saturday 26th of April 2025
"Jakarta is known to be one of the most congested cities in the world. Bali’s traffic issues pale in comparison to Jakarta’s often overwhelming congestion." I've lived in both Jakarta and Bali. Bear in mind Jakarta makes the top 3 for cities with the worst traffic in the world and one of the filthiest. It's a sh..hole full stop. Balis traffic does not pale by comparison to Jakarta it is chaotic, dangerous and overwhelmed. Poor roads, no rules, poorly and corruptly policed and locals who park and disrupt traffic flow everywhere. Vehicle breakdowns, traffic accidents, unrepaired potholes, kids riding freely around with no helmets, no license and joy riding. Pretty comparable to Jakarta. And governance that simply does nothing but pay lip service and have no control. Decades of ignoring the reality and now it's just getting worse.