Jakarta. The Jakarta provincial government on Thursday launched a new TransJabodetabek bus route connecting Blok M in South Jakarta with Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, offering commuters and air travelers a new public transportation option between the capital and the country’s main gateway.

The route, officially named SH2, was inaugurated by Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung at Blok M Terminal on Thursday.

“Today we are starting something new that many people have been waiting for — the launch of the TransJabodetabek SH2 service connecting Blok M and Soekarno-Hatta Airport,” Pramono said during the ceremony.

The new corridor stretches 65.1 kilometers and has an estimated travel time of about 121 minutes. The service runs daily from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., with buses arriving every 10 to 20 minutes.

At the initial stage, the Jakarta administration has deployed 14 buses for the route.

The buses will operate round-trip with stops at Terminals 1, 2, and 3 of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. Along the route, they will also stop at 23 points, including 13 within Jakarta and 10 outside the capital.

To encourage ridership, the provincial government has set a promotional fare of Rp 3,500 for the first three months, particularly to accommodate increased travel during the upcoming Eid al-Fitr holiday season.

Pramono said the fare would be evaluated after the promotional period, as the subsidy burden on the city budget is considered substantial.

“The Jakarta government has decided to keep the fare at Rp 3,500 for the first three months. After that, we will evaluate it because the burden and subsidy are quite large,” he said.

He added that the fare could later be adjusted to between Rp 10,000 and Rp 15,000 depending on the results of the evaluation.

The governor projected the new route would initially serve between 1,900 and 2,000 passengers per day.

Meanwhile, Tangerang Mayor Sachrudin welcomed the launch of the service, noting that the city — which has a population of around 2 million — often experiences heavy congestion as a buffer zone for Jakarta.

He said the new TransJabodetabek route could help reduce traffic bottlenecks at several border areas between Jakarta and Tangerang.

“I strongly support and appreciate this collaboration. Hopefully, this service can help reduce congestion at several points, both in Jakarta and in Tangerang,” Sachrudin said.