Jakarta. Jakarta is considering raising fares for its Transjabodetabek bus network as ballooning subsidy costs put growing pressure on the city’s budget, although Governor Pramono Anung Wibowo pledged the increase would be carefully calibrated to avoid pushing commuters back to private vehicles.

The Jakarta provincial government aims to finalize the fare adjustment plan by June 2026 as it seeks to reduce the fiscal burden of operating 18 Transjabodetabek routes connecting the capital with surrounding satellite cities.

The city administration has allocated Rp 401 billion ($24.5 million) in subsidies from the regional budget to maintain operations across the network.

Passengers currently pay a flat fare of Rp 3,500 per trip, far below the actual operating cost of around Rp 15,000 per passenger. As a result, the government is subsidizing between Rp 11,500 and Rp 12,258 for every individual journey.

“Fundamentally, I will seriously consider this so it does not cause people to return to using private vehicles,” Pramono said in Central Jakarta on Wednesday.

The governor said maintaining growth in public transport usage remains one of the administration’s main priorities as Jakarta continues efforts to reduce traffic congestion and dependence on private cars in the greater metropolitan area.

According to Pramono, any decision on fare adjustments will take into account affordability for commuters and the broader goal of encouraging more residents to shift to mass transportation.

He added that the city government is also planning to expand the Transjabodetabek fleet to improve service quality and passenger comfort.

“So that more people choose public transportation — that is what we will continue pursuing,” he said.

The additional buses are expected to reduce waiting times, increase passenger capacity, and widen access to public transportation services across Greater Jakarta.

Despite the planned tariff adjustment, Pramono stressed that the Transjabodetabek system would continue receiving government subsidies.

He said the administration was more focused on building an integrated transportation network across the Jakarta metropolitan region than debating subsidy contributions from neighboring municipalities.

“Of course it will still be subsidized. However, there will be several adjustments that are necessary,” Pramono said.

The Transjabodetabek network has become a key pillar of Jakarta’s broader effort to improve urban mobility as the city grapples with chronic congestion, air pollution, and rising commuter demand from surrounding areas including Bekasi, Depok, and Tangerang.