Government Reports Smooth Eid Exodus, Urges Early Return Travel

RRI.CO.ID, Bekasi – The government ensured that the 2026 Eid exodus runs smoothly, safely, and in a controlled manner. The public is also encouraged to plan their return trips earlier to maintain overall travel efficiency.

Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture, Pratikno, stated that the high level of public mobility this year was effectively managed thanks to cross-sector collaboration and the use of technology in traffic management. "Thank God, the exodus went smoothly and safely. Compared to last year, the number of travelers increased, but the number of accidents actually decreased. This shows that high mobility can still be managed well and has become safer," he said while reviewing the 2026 Eid Holiday Traffic Management at the Jasa Marga Toll Command Center (JMTC) Monitoring Post in Bekasi on Wednesday, March 25, 2026.

Monitoring data shows that the peak of the outbound exodus occurred on March 18, 2026 (H-3), with over 270,315 vehicles, an increase of about 4.6 percent compared to the previous year. Overall, the total number of vehicles leaving Jakarta reached approximately 2.52 million, a slight increase of 0.9 percent.

This data aligns with the report from the 2026 Integrated Eid Transportation Central Post, which indicated that the peak of traveler movement occurred simultaneously across various modes of transportation. On H-3 of Eid, the highest movement was recorded in ferry transportation with 403,883 passengers, followed by rail transportation with 401,238 passengers, air transportation with 311,836 passengers, and land transportation with 232,016 passengers.

Despite the increase in mobility, safety levels showed significant improvement. Throughout the outbound exodus period, the number of road accidents decreased by about 16 percent compared to 2025, from 31 incidents to 26 incidents. This confirms that the management of the exodus not only accommodated the increased movement but also became more effective in ensuring public safety.

Pratikno underscored that these achievements were the result of cross-sector collaboration that prioritized fast, data-driven coordination. "All of this is thanks to the cooperation of all parties who planned, anticipated, and responded quickly and accurately, supported by technology such as widespread CCTV coverage, intelligent transport systems, and data analysis," he said.

Entering the return flow phase, the government observed a more positive trend. The peak of the return flow occurred earlier on March 24, 2026 (H+3), with a volume of around 256,338 vehicles, a decrease of 5.9 percent compared to the previous year. This pattern indicates that the return flow is becoming more evenly distributed and not concentrated at a single point in time.

On the other hand, the total number of vehicles returning to Jakarta reached approximately 1.96 million, an increase of about 6 percent compared to last year. This increase reflects high levels of public activity, but with a more controlled movement pattern.

Pratikno reminded of the importance of maintaining momentum in managing the return flow to ensure optimal results. "Now we are entering the return flow stage. We call on officers to remain focused, continuing their hard work and smart, data-driven efforts," he stressed.

He also urged the public to schedule their return trips earlier to avoid congestion during the peak return dates. "We encourage the public not to wait for the return peak on March 28 and 29. Start your return trip as soon as possible, from today, March 25, you can already head back. Also, take advantage of the toll road discounts on March 26 and 27 to make your journey smoother and more comfortable," he said.

The government remains optimistic that, with strong collaboration between authorities and the public, the 2026 Eid return flow can proceed in a more evenly distributed, safe, and controlled manner. "We extend our deepest gratitude to all ranks of the Indonesian Military (TNI), Indonesian Police (Polri), the Ministry of Transportation, and state-owned enterprises for their hard work. While the public traveled for Eid, these personnel remained on duty to serve. We thank them wholeheartedly," he conveyed.