Today Expected to Mark the Peak of the Long Weekend Return Flow, More Than 202,691 Customers Travel Home by Train
After enjoying the long weekend of Eid al-Adha 1447 Hijri, which coincided with Pancasila Day, people are beginning to return to their daily routines. Amid the return journey, rail transportation has once again become the preferred choice, offering reliable travel times, comfortable journeys, and convenient access to activity centers across various cities.
This year's long weekend has presented an interesting pattern of mobility. While travel during the outbound holiday period is generally concentrated on several specific days, customer journeys during this long weekend have been distributed more evenly throughout the holiday period. Various cities have experienced simultaneous travel activity, creating countless travel stories connected through Indonesia's railway network.
PT Kereta Api Indonesia (Persero) recorded that as of Monday, 1 June 2026, at 10:00 WIB, ticket sales for departures between 26 May and 1 June 2026 had reached 1,378,704 tickets. This figure is still expected to increase as ticket sales continue. During the first six days of the long weekend period, from 26–31 May 2026, KAI served a total of 1,176,013 customers across its operational areas in Java and Sumatra.
KAI Vice President of Corporate Communication Anne Purba stated that customer travel patterns during this year's long weekend indicate increasingly flexible public mobility. Rail transportation has been utilized for various purposes taking place simultaneously, ranging from tourism, family visits, and religious activities to business travel that continues throughout the holiday period.
"We are seeing that people now have greater flexibility in determining their travel schedules. Mobility is no longer concentrated on a single day but is spread throughout the holiday period. This pattern shows that rail transportation is being used for various activities taking place simultaneously across many regions."
Daily customer occupancy during the 26 May–1 June 2026 long weekend period:
• 26 May 2026: 215,311 customers
• 27 May 2026: 155,653 customers
• 28 May 2026: 176,866 customers
• 29 May 2026: 192,957 customers
• 30 May 2026: 215,506 customers
• 31 May 2026: 219,720 customers
• 1 June 2026: 202,691 customers
These figures indicate that travel demand remained high throughout the holiday period. Interestingly, customer volume did not experience a significant spike on any particular day but instead remained consistently high throughout nearly the entire long weekend. This pattern reflects the increasing flexibility of the public in planning their journeys according to their individual needs.
This condition also demonstrates that economic, social, religious, and tourism activities took place simultaneously across various regions. The more evenly distributed movement of people has created opportunities for growth in many cities at the same time, both as travel destinations and as points of origin.
This pattern is reflected in the list of customers' favorite travel routes during the long weekend period. Notably, the top routes connect cities with diverse characteristics, including government centers, educational cities, industrial areas, tourist destinations, and cultural hubs that attract travelers from various regions.
Top 10 favorite routes during the period:
1. Gambir – Yogyakarta: 18,278 customers
2. Yogyakarta – Gambir: 15,003 customers
3. Gambir – Semarang Tawang: 11,734 customers
4 Semarang Tawang – Gambir: 11,711 customers
5. Gambir – Bandung: 11,212 customers
6. Pasarsenen – Lempuyangan: 10,331 customers
7. Bandung – Gambir: 10,108 customers
8. Lempuyangan – Pasarsenen: 9,684 customers
9. Surabaya Gubeng – Yogyakarta: 9,181 customers
10. Yogyakarta – Surabaya Gubeng: 9,096 customers
The list highlights Yogyakarta's strong appeal as one of the primary travel destinations during the long holiday period. Three of the largest route pairs are directly connected to Yogyakarta, both from Jakarta and Surabaya. This reflects the city's significant role as a center for education, culture, tourism, and the creative economy.
The high travel volume on the Jakarta–Semarang and Jakarta–Bandung routes also indicates that mobility between major cities continues to be one of the key drivers of public movement. These corridors connect regions with growing economic, educational, and business activities, resulting in consistently strong travel demand throughout the holiday period.
The inclusion of the Surabaya Gubeng–Yogyakarta and Yogyakarta–Surabaya Gubeng routes among the favorites also illustrates the strengthening connectivity between regions. The growth of economic, educational, and social activities across various cities has encouraged more dispersed and interconnected travel patterns throughout Indonesia.
Anne added that the high level of mobility during the long weekend reflects the public's strong trust in rail transportation as an integral part of their journeys.
"Every long holiday brings different stories for every customer. Some return home with cherished memories shared with their families, while others continue their work, education, or businesses that are part of their daily lives. We are grateful to be able to deliver those journeys safely and comfortably. For KAI, every customer who arrives safely at their destination represents an important part of the success of the services we continue to build together,"
VP Corporate Communication KAI