Jakarta. Passenger traffic at the Kalideres Bus Terminal in West Jakarta has begun to increase ahead of the upcoming Eid al-Fitr holiday, as more than 140 million Indonesians prepare for the annual “mudik” homecoming tradition.

Mudik refers to the tradition of returning to one’s hometown during major religious holidays, particularly Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.

The scale of the annual exodus is significant. Indonesia is bracing for one of its largest travel waves, with an estimated 143.9 million people expected to travel during the 2026 Eid holiday period, according to the Transportation Ministry.

One traveler, Tika, a 27-year-old from Lubuk Linggau in South Sumatra, said she chose to travel by bus because airline ticket prices had risen sharply ahead of the holiday.

“I bought the ticket through an app and got a discount, so I only paid Rp 599,000 ($35),” she said on Wednesday while waiting for her bus at Kalideres Terminal. In comparison, airplane tickets to South Sumatra reached Rp 1 million as of Wednesday.

As a private-sector employee, Tika said the Eid holiday is often the only chance each year to reunite with her family due to limited leave from work.

“It only happens during Eid, once a year,” she said.

Despite the long journey, she said she was willing to travel between 18 and 24 hours to reach her hometown.

Another traveler, Hasanuddin, 47, from Kediri in East Java, said returning home during Eid remains an important tradition for him.

“I want to see my wife and my grandchildren,” he said.

For many travelers, the trip home is not only about family reunions but also about reconnecting with local food and traditions.

“I miss pempek (fish cake) and tekwan (fish cake soup) from South Sumatra,” Tika added, referring to popular regional dishes.

Buses remain one of the most popular transportation options for mudik, largely because of their relatively affordable fares compared with other modes of travel.

At Kalideres Terminal, passengers could be seen moving through the terminal area while waiting for buses bound for various regions across the country. A total of 6,616 passengers passed through the terminal in early March, signaling the start of the seasonal travel surge as people return to their hometowns to celebrate the holiday with family.

According to terminal authorities, Central Java recorded the highest number of departing passengers at 2,575 people. West Java followed with 1,189 passengers, Banten with 1,178 passengers, and destinations in Sumatra with 1,158 passengers. East Java recorded 513 passengers, while Bali and West Nusa Tenggara accounted for the fewest travelers, with only four passengers.

The first peak of the Eid homecoming travel period is expected on Friday, March 13, followed by a second wave on Wednesday, March 18. The return flow is forecast to begin on Monday, March 23, with the first peak expected on Tuesday, March 24, and a second return surge projected on Saturday, March 28.

To support the surge, the government has prepared tens of thousands of transportation units, including 31,000 buses, 829 sea vessels, 255 ferry ships, 392 aircraft, and more than 3,800 rail units, alongside hundreds of ports, airports, and train stations nationwide.

As in previous years, authorities are rolling out fare discounts to ease travel costs. These include full discounts on port service fees for ferry passengers, reduced fares on state-subsidized sea routes, discounts on economy-class train tickets, and lower economy airfares on domestic flights during the peak travel window.

The ministry is also expanding its free mudik program, offering seats on buses, trains, and ships for tens of thousands of passengers, as part of efforts to reduce private vehicle use and ease traffic congestion.