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The Indonesian capital is a fascinating and rambunctious city of some of nine million people with lots to offer - a history that dates back half a million years, arts and culture, lively shopping and even livelier nightlife. It is the largest Muslim nation in the world with Western influences brought by the early Portuguese traders and Dutch colonists.
Getting There
Soekarno-Hatta (62 21 550 5179 or 5307-9) international airport lies 20 kilometres northwest of the city. Terminal 1 handles international flights, while Terminal 2 caters for domestic. The terminals are linked by a shuttle bus. Trains from the rest of Java end their journey at Gambir station (www.infoka.kereta-api.com) in central Jakarta. Hapag-Lloyd (www.hlkf.de) is one of the specialist cruise lines docking at Jakarta.
Weather
Two words sum up Jakarta's weather: hot and humid. The wettest period is from October to February, when some rain can be expected every day, frequently in torrential bursts. March to September is generally dry. The year-round average temperature varies from 27-32oC.
Important Numbers
| Ambulance | 118 |
| Fire | 113 |
| Police | 110 |
| Tourist Information Hotline | (62) 21 520 5455 |
Transportation/Getting Around
| Taxi |
Car Hire |
Bus |
Bajaj | |
| Hotlines | Jakarta is home to around 30 taxi companies. Blue Bird ((62) 21 7941234) and Silver Bird ((62) 21 7981234) are two of the more prominent ones. |
A reliable car (and driver) eases many of Jakarta's traffic woes. Avis ((62) 21 314 2900) is the best known international operator, but there are also many local car hire firms, the best known is Astra Rent a Car ((62) 21 5735757) |
As Jakarta's older public bus services are both uncomfortable and frequented by pickpockets, they are really the transport of last resort. |
Motorbikes with a passenger cabin attached, Bajaj (pronounced Badge-Eye) are cheaper than taxis but are by no means comfortable. |
| Fare range/ destinations |
Flagfall from Rp5,000. Insist on using the meter. |
From Rp870,000 per day. |
Rp2,000 or Rp5,000 for air con. |
Rp5,000 for a short trip. Haggle! |
| Operating hours | 24 hours |
24 hours |
24 hours, though less frequently at night. |
24 hours |
| Rail |
Ojek |
Busway |
||
| Hotlines | Commuter services run from the center to the suburbs of Tangerang, Bekasi, Depok, Bojonggede, Bogor and Serpong. (62) 21 692 8515 Hotline: 121 |
'Perilous' perhaps best describes Jakarta's motorcycle taxis. But they do bypass traffic jams. |
The rapidly expanding TransJakarta or Busway system ((62) 21 7228727) will include seven different lines by 2007. Busway (or TJ) uses dedicated traffic lanes to speed its progress. |
|
| Fare range/ destinations |
From Rp6,000 |
Rp5,000 for a short trip. Haggle! |
Fares from Rp3,500 |
|
| Operating hours | 24 hours |
24 hours, though more scarce at night |
5.00 am - 10.00 pm daily |
*Remarks: The local currency is Indonesian rupiah "Rp"
Local Language
Learn more about local language from below.
| English | Local language |
| Hello | Halo |
| Goodbye | Selamat tinggal |
| Thank you | Terima kasih |
| How are you? | Apa kabar? |
| Fine | Baik |
| What is your name? | Nama anda siapa? |
| My name is | Nama saya… |
| Nice to meet you | Senang bertemu anda |
| I'm sorry | Maaf |
| Excuse me | Permisi |
| You're welcome | Terima kasih kembali |
| Yes | Ya |
| No | Tidak |
| Do you speak English? | Bisa bahasa Inggris? |
| I can't speak Indonesian | Saya tidak bisa berbahasa Indonesia |
| Help! | Tolong! |
| I don't understand | Saya tidak mengerti |
| Where is the toilet? | Di mana toiletnya? |
| How much is this? | Berapa harganya? |
| Expensive | Mahal |
| Cheap | Murah |
Business and Finance
As the capital of Indonesia, Jakarta is the site for the headquarters of the country's major oil, mining, agriculture and manufacturing corporations. The current government is campaigning to increase economic growth and investment and create jobs. Bank Indonesia, the Central Bank, maintains the stability of the Indonesian Rupiah, which is linked to a basket of currencies of Indonesia's major trading partners. The US currency is widely accepted throughout the country.
The above information is for reference only. They may be provided to HSBC by other persons or compiled by HSBC from information and materials provided by other persons. HSBC does not warrant the truth, reliability, accuracy or adequacy of the above information and HSBC assumes no liability for any reliance on them by you or any other persons. Please contact the relevant merchant, company or organisation for further details.
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