Jakarta. Jakarta’s flagship bus rapid transit operator Transjakarta is weighing its first ticket price hike in two decades as operational costs continue to outpace fares, the company’s chief executive said Tuesday.

Transjakarta has kept its flat fare unchanged at Rp 3,500 (about $0.22) since 2005, only one year after the establishment of the agency overseeing the system. In that year, Jakarta’s minimum wage was still around Rp 700,000 per month. In 2025, the fare remains the same, while minimum wage has risen sharply to Rp 5.4 million.

“The Rp 3,500 fare has been in place since 2005 for 20 years. We are studying public sentiments carefully,” Transjakarta CEO Welfizon Yuza told reporters at Jakarta City Hall on Tuesday.

Despite the stagnant ticket price, the real economic cost to run the service per passenger has climbed materially. Since 2024, Transjakarta’s operational cost per rider is roughly Rp 13,200, meaning the Jakarta Provincial Government covers the Rp 9,700 gap in subsidies.

“During the Covid-19 period, government subsidy per passenger even reached Rp 16,000,” Welfizon said. He said subsidies have trended down since then as operational efficiency improved, falling to Rp 11,400 and then Rp 9,700.

Even at Rp 3,500, Transjakarta’s fare is still considered cheap by global norms. Welfizon compared average major-city public transport fares globally at around 1.5 euro, while Transjakarta’s economic cost is only around 0.75 euro per ride.

Still, the city government is now reviewing a possible adjustment, balancing public purchasing power and long-term service sustainability. No formal decision has been finalized.

Unofficial discussions among policymakers have indicated a potential fare range of Rp 5,000 to Rp 7,000, although this remains under study. Public reaction has already begun to surface with many commuters say they could accept a higher fare if accompanied by better service.

“A Rp 2,000 increase makes sense, as long as facilities are upgraded. More buses so we don’t wait too long, and better safety on board,” said Yoga, a daily user interviewed at Blok M bus stop.

Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung signaled that a price adjustment is likely inevitable, warning that the subsidy load is no longer fiscally sustainable.

“Subsidies per ticket now reach about Rp 9,700. With fiscal strain from a Rp 15 trillion cut in revenue-sharing funds from the central government, this is a heavy burden on our budget,” Pramono said.