Day 1: Trans Batam Corridor 05 from Batam Centre to Batu Ampar Port

IMPORTANT: Follow the directions in this post only if you have already purchased and collected your PELNI tickets in advance. Tickets are NOT sold at the Batu Ampar Port. Click here for directions to purchase PELNI tickets in Batam.

Just across the road from the Batam Centre Ferry Terminal lies the familiar Trans Batam Central Busway halt (and now you know why I went to familiarize myself with the busway system during my past two trips).

Here’s a price comparison between the taxi counter at Batam Centre Ferry Terminal versus the Trans Batam Corridor 05.

Taxi from Batam Centre to Batu Ampar: Rp80,000
Trans Batam from Batam Centre to Batu Ampar: Rp4,000 (95% discount)

Well, my choice of commute seems obvious now doesn’t it.

When I got to the busway halt, an ojek driver came to chat me up, asking if I was heading to Nagoya (With my backpack? Seriously?) and that I should get his ojek because it’s more comfortable and the bus wouldn’t come.

Well, with a stroke of luck, the bus arrived within a minute, so there goes his plan, and off I went to Batu Ampar in air-conditioned comfort.

Got a front seat with more space for my backpack.

The interior of the buses plying on Corridor 05.

On the way to Batu Ampar (and Jodoh) though, the bus made a short detour for petrol. Luckily he didn’t take too long, as I was behind my advised two-hour check-in time already.

The driver and conductor were kind enough to drop me off at the nearest spot right at the junction to the Batu Ampar Port instead of the actual halt a couple of hundred meters away, so that was great.

The entrance to the Batu Ampar Port. This port is shared by PELNI ferries, cargo ships, the Indonesian Coast Guard and the Indonesian Navy, so you’ll see everything maritime-related here. And of course, watch out for the trucks.

The entrance toll gate to the port. Vehicles entering the port will have to pay a toll here – good thing I didn’t get a cab as well since I would have to pay this fee too.

Since I have no idea where the passenger terminal was, aside from the advice given by the PELNI ticketing staff that it was “very near”, I asked the guy outside the counter where the terminal was, and his reply was simple.

“Just walk straight until you see many people with many bags on your left.” (In Indonesian, of course.)

Simple enough, sounds like an advice I would give too.

So I walked straight and braced myself.

Expectation:

Credits to the everyday magic.

Reality:

And saw this. I wasn’t sure whether to feel relieved that there isn’t a crowd or worried that I might have found the wrong place.

Once I saw the fluttering banner to the right of the main entrance featuring the KM Kelud’s schedule, I knew I was at the right place. This doesn’t seem so bad.

Due to the amount of pictures taken during the voyage on the KM Kelud from Batam to Jakarta, the journey will be split into parts. 

Next post: Boarding the PELNI KM Kelud at Batu Ampar Port