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Official Jakarta Airport Taxi Recommendations
IHateTaxis.com recommends the official Jakarta Airport taxi service.
Your best bet is to catch a Blue Bird taxi.
(Read More about Official Jakarta Airport Taxis Below)** Be aware that unofficial or pirate taxis operate at Jakarta Airport and we have given them different safety recommendations as discussed below.
Official Jakarta Airport Taxi Rates & Fares
Blue Bird or Gamya charge:
First kilometre IDR 6,000 First minute waiting Free Per km after 2 Kilometres IDR 2 500 Per minute driving IDR 250
Silver Bird fare is:First kilometre IDR 7 500 First minute waiting Free Per km after 2 Kilometres IDR 3 200 Per minute driving IDR 600
To get to central Jakarta in a Blue Bird you can expect to be paying around IDR 100,000, plus IDR 12,000 or so in highway tolls and IDR 4,000 for airport tax.
For Silver Bird, double the base fare because you are driving in a Mercedes (so IDR 200,000 plus tolls and airport tax)
For Gold Bird, triple the fare because this is essentially a limousine (so IDR 300,000 plus tolls and airport tax).
It is common for the drivers to ask for you to pay the tolls since they either do not have change or do not want you to know that they have any. By and large both labour and fuel costs are quite low in Indonesia in comparison to other parts of the world so taxis are therefore a very cheap ground transportation option.Be prepared to wait a while for a Blue Taxi because they are very popular being both affordable and reliable. Silver Bird is usually easier to get, and if the higher does not bother you then they are worth it. Silver Bird taxis are always black, Gamya are a dull, green colour and Blue Bird are of course blue.
- Always confirm with your Jakarta Airport taxi driver if they take credit or bank cards and if there are any card fees.
Jakarta Taxi Tipping Recommendation: Tipping optional, Round up to next bill/large coin
Official Jakarta Airport Taxi Details
Jakarta Airport taxi photo
Taxis can be arranged at the taxi counters just outside of the customs area in the Jakarta Airport International Arrivals area as either a high end taxi (quasi limousine with Golden Bird) or a private car rental. For cheaper taxi options from the Jakarta Airport, head out the doors to the waiting line-ups in front for either Silver Bird, Blue Bird, or Gamya. All 3 of these taxi companies are owned by the same parent company, the Blue Bird group and they pride themselves on good customer service. It is a reputable company in Jakarta so expect a stress free ride to your hotel. They are very well known and advertise as the brand you can trust.
Please note that Silver Bird taxis are larger cars which should be considered for those with lots of luggage or travelling in a group. Blue Bird and Gamya are smaller cars which are ideal for 1-2 travellers. Most of the cars are less than 3 years old and the drivers are quite polite. English can be hit and miss with taxi drivers but they are generally instructed by the attendants where you need to go. It generally takes 30-45 minutes to get from the Jakarta Airport into the Jakarta CBD.
For your return to the taxi to Jakarta Airport, it is strongly recommended that you allow at least one hour to get to the airport from central Jakarta. If you are leaving the city after 16:00 on any day, but especially a Friday, allow 90 minutes. Arriving into Jakarta from other cities you should plan to arrive after 9am so that you miss the heavy traffic. Morning commute from Jakarta Airport to the city can be as much as 2 to 3 hours depending on rain, inundation, incidents, roadworks or the toll operators randomly changing the payment methods or on/off ramp configurations.
Tip: If you need to transfer between terminals, and don't want to wait for the free but unreliable shuttle bus between terminals (see the Shuttle page for details), you can take a taxi. Ask for the meter to be used (it is not necessary to pay the rather steep IDR 50,000 you may be asked for).
- Advice on dealing with Jakarta Airport taxi drivers.
- Advice on avoiding potential disagreements with Jakarta Airport taxi drivers.
Unofficial Jakarta Airport Taxi Service or Hire Points
Avoid taking the cheap 'tarif lama' taxis (generally white in colour) at the Jakarta Airport and in Jakarta in general. These cars are often on their last legs (i.e., not safe) and should not be operating whatsoever on public streets. The meters are often rigged to run way faster than competing taxis. The taxi drivers have tendency to never have change nor wish to break a large bill.
Pirate Jakarta Airport Taxi Serivce
If you pass the CGK Airport taxi counters in the Arrival Halls of the Jakarta Airport then you will be greeted by a few individuals offering you a taxi. These are agents for other people whom have private cars for hire, but are not licensed taxis.
IHateTaxis.com does not recommend the pirate Jakarta Airport taxi service.
High likelihood you will be ripped off, robbed, and not taken to your final destination. This is not recommended for the novice traveller to Indonesia.
Jakarta Airport Taxi Scams
Fake Birds
Interesting to note that many taxis are painted up as Blue Bird taxi colours to try and cash in on their reputation. There was even a court case against a rival taxi company a few years back and they were forced to change their taxis colour and confess in the newspaper! Make sure you look for the "Blue Bird Group" in big white letters across the top of the windscreen AND the matching door logo.
More Jakarta Airport Transfer & Airport Connection Options
- Jakarta Airport Information
- Jakarta Airport Distance to City Centre
- Jakarta Airport Currency Exchange
- Jakarta Airport ATM & Cash Machines
- Jakarta Airport Wireless Internet Access
- Jakarta Airport Maps
- Jakarta Airport Flights, Arrivals, & Airlines
- Jakarta Airport Taxi Service
- Jakarta Airport Onsite Hotels
- Jakarta Airport Private Transfer Services
- Jakarta Airport Shared Shuttle Transfers
- Jakarta Airport Location & Address
- Jakarta Airport Train & Subway
- Jakarta Airport Hotel Shuttle Transfers
- Jakarta Airport Shuttle
- Jakarta Airport Buses & Coaches
- Jakarta Airport Limo & Private Car Transfers
- Jakarta Airport Car Hire/Car Rental
- Jakarta Airport Other Ground Transportation
- Jakarta Airport Parking & Passenger Pickup
- Jakarta Airport Stopover & Layovers
- Closest Airports to CGK Jakarta Airport
- Jakarta Airport Services & Amenities