To alleviate the city’s notoriously bad traffic, starting in 2004 Jakarta developed a mass transit system called the TransJakarta Busway. These buses occupy a dedicated lane which was taken from a portion of the existing road. Great news for the buses because they have a virtually jam free road, but bad news for the motorists since what's left of the road is taken away. The buses are clean, safe and air conditioned, though often full. Stations have doors that are opened only when buses come, the buses have LCD displays and recorded announcements of the next stations. There are staff inside every station and every bus making sure things work smoothly. The ticket costs a flat Rp. 3,500 (US 40 cents) far or near. It's fairly cheap for commuters who are traveling long distance. 
However, the Busway is not without its downsides. If you're changing buses, particularly at the interchange station, prepare to do battle with hordes of large crowds waiting for the connecting buses, the bustling and pushing getting on and off. Everybody intent on boarding the first available bus passing by as the buses go past can only take a few passangers at each stop and you're left waiting for the next one to turn up. And getting to the bus itself is also a bit an ordeal because the Trans Jakarta use high level platforms with high floor buses, leaving most commuters the tiring task of long walking to the bus stop linked by over head bridges. Obviously it's a hundred times less stressful taking Busway than being in traffic and even better than that, it's cheap! And if you want a good workout? ... take the busway! 
*first photo on the above right courtesy of skyscrapers forum
4 comments:
when my husband and i went home last year, including a couple of friends of mine, i took them to friends'get-together in Manila. we left at around 6 PM and by then the traffic was already bumper to bumper plus it was stuffy in the car even with air-conditioning. they couldn't hold still and were profusely mad for making them go through the horrible traffic. they would open window for fresh air but all they got was hot polluted air. i promised that i would not ever take them again for a ride anywhere in manila. whoa! such a horrible experience!
whoaaa! the traffic looks familiar, very similar in Manila.
The fair to the train is cheap. I could imagine elbow to elbow when changing buses. I experienced the same thing when I visited Manila even Cebu City.
whoaaa! the traffic looks familiar, very similar in Manila.
The fair to the train is cheap. I could imagine elbow to elbow when changing buses. I experienced the same thing when I visited Manila even Cebu City.
Belle & Fe : am sure, I feel home in Manila if I see the traffic there :)
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