Jakarta: Using the MRT, Airport Link train and Skytrain
 

G'day,

Not quite sure if this qualifies as a trip report or destination info, but starting off here...

So I was in Jakarta last week for the first time in a long while, and wrote up my experience testing out the shiny new MRT and the almost as new Airport Rail Link & Skytrain services while I was at it:

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Jakarta by rail: MRT opening week


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Jakarta by rail: Airport Rail Link and Skytrain

Both are very welcome additions to Jakarta's sorely lacking public transport network and a potential shortcut to its notorious traffic jams, but there are quite a few glitches you should be aware of.

Thanks for that. My use of the rail link mirrored yours - with a clunky connection on the skytrain, though I was blessed with card payment that went through faultlessly. Touch wood, as they say :eek:

So if we take the airport railink, and getting off at BNI city station.
And if we then want to take MRT, i'm guessing it's the "Dukuh Atas BNI" station.

Are those 2 connected?
From Google map looks like we have to go outside and walk quite a bit.

As far as I can tell they're not directly connected, but there are signposts both ways. It's about a 400m walk along the road that appears less chaotic than most Jakarta streets.

When I was in Jakarta last week, I used the rail link. My foreign credit card wasn't accepted since a PIN is needed to completed the transaction, but my debit card was fine. Also, I found that not too many people use the train, at least on the occasion I used it. Though I was somewhat shocked that a lady my age (mid-20s) decided to sit next to me when the two rows in front of my own were empty. I though for a moment or two I was possibly being marked, but she ended up getting off on the second stop. Overall, it's a nice way to get to the city center and would take it again if I visit Jakarta once more.

I think the MRT supposed to take one of those e-money card from some of the big banks.

I also saw this Jak-Lingko card. It says it's good for bus, trans-jakarta, MRT and LRT.
FAQ Jak Lingko ? PT Transportasi Jakarta

I was in Shanghai and for single-tickets you got a one time use card instead of a token. I do remember Taipei used the plastic tokens for single tickets. I don't mind the single use cards like Shanghai's and hope that Jakarta doesn't copy Singapore's small deposit for a cheap single ticket card (Yes, I do know you get the deposit back after a few trips but I experience they get damaged if not handled carefully.) I also hope that they don't have minimums for redeposits like Hong Kong does (Seriously, $50HKD minimum when all you need is less than 1 HKD to get the fare to the airport!?! That was infuriating especially when I wanted that extra HKD to pig out on egg tarts!)