Banyuwangi to Jakarta

The Blambangan Ekspres is the one direct train from Banyuwangi to Jakarta and, at about 1,030km, Indonesia's longest passenger rail journey. It starts at Ketapang, beside the ferry port for boats from Gilimanuk on Bali, calls at Banyuwangi Kota and Rogojampi, climbs through the plantation country around Kalibaru to Jember, then runs via Probolinggo, Pasuruan and Sidoarjo to Surabaya and along the northern line through Bojonegoro, Cepu, Semarang Tawang, Pekalongan, Tegal and Cirebon to Jakarta.

The train: one train a day, with eksekutif carriages and new-generation ekonomi coaches. It leaves Ketapang in the mid-afternoon and arrives at Pasar Senen early the next morning, a journey of around sixteen and a half hours, so the Kalibaru hills pass in the late afternoon and the long north-coast stretch is covered overnight.

Coming off the ferry: Ketapang station is a short walk from the port. Leave a generous margin if you are crossing from Bali on the day, as queues at Gilimanuk can be long at weekends and holidays.

Arriving in Jakarta: the train ends at Pasar Senen, in central Jakarta, and also calls at Jatinegara. It does not serve Gambir.

Alternatives: to break the journey, take a train to Surabaya and continue the next day, or head for Malang. For West Java, the Sangkuriang runs direct to Bandung.

Check current departures and fares in Access by KAI. For the opposite direction, see Jakarta to Banyuwangi.