Soekarno Hatta International Airport

Description

The Jakarta Airport, named after Indonesia's first president and vice-president, is the largest airport in Indonesia. It is located 20 kilometers northwest of the capital Jakarta. 

The airport is not so massive as to make it overwhelming for a first-timer. The facilities may not match those offered in developed countries, but clear signs and courteous staff are always there to give assistance to travelers.

The main feature of the Soekarno-Hatta Airport is the traditional architecture with tropical gardens in the middle of the waiting rooms. The architecture gives a touch of traditional Javanese designs it was intended to look like the traditional Javanese house called Rumah Joglo. The airport was designed by Paul Andreu, a French architect who also designed the Charles de Gaule Airport of Paris. 

Address

Jakarta International Soekarno-Hatta Airport Building 601, Kab. Tangerang, Banten, Indonesia.

Phone

+62 811 984 138

Terminals

The Soekarno-Hatta Airport has three terminals Terminal 1 is for domestic arrivals and departures, while Terminal 2 and 3 caters to international flights as well. There are many helpful guides within the airport for which terminal passengers need to go to depending on their flight. Both arrival and departure are served by staff within the terminal centers who are very helpful and active. The inside of the terminal area is clean and offers open and bright surroundings for travelers to relax before and/or after a journey. 

Prayer Facilities

The Airport has a number of Muslim prayer rooms. All terminals have prayer rooms. In terminal 2 there are more than one prayer room in both the public areas and transit areas. They cater to the needs of both male and female worshippers and a partition separates the male and female sections of the prayer rooms.

Separate toilets and ablution facilities are also provided for males and females next to the prayer rooms. The interior of the prayer rooms is bright, spacious and adorned with decorative glass. All prayer rooms are open to worshippers 24 hours a day. The signs to the prayer rooms (Moshallah) are easily noticeable. But if one is still not able to find them, you can ask the welcoming airport staff for directions.

Halal Food

Being a Muslim country, it is "assumed" most food is Halal. As such not many food outlets are certified Halal by the certifying authority (Majelis Ulema Indonesia - MUI). However it is advisable to take care when choosing the place to eat although the outlets that sell non halal food do in general have to express very clearly that they serve non-halal food.

There is a range of food outlets in the Airport including a new integrated food court. They offer fine quality food and beverages at reasonable prices. 

Transport

The journey from the airport to the city center can take around 1 hour to 2 hours depending on the traffic.

There are many options available for getting from the airport to the city and back. If passengers have not arranged to be picked up at the airport, the first thing to do after coming out of the customs is to walk towards the Bluebird Taxi booking desk from where a chauffeured car can be hired. Bluebird is a reliable company that can make the trip to town much more comfortable.

Bluebird offers two choices to get to the city. First is a metered limousine known as the "Silverbird" and second is a limousine with an hourly charge called the "Goldenbird". The Silverbird is basically a big taxi, whereas the Goldenbird is an unmarked car (usually a Volvo or a Mercedes). They would cost around 120,000 to 220,000 rupiah to the city depending o the type of Taxi you choose.

The best option for those on a low budget would be to go for the air-conditioned buses, which goes to the city every 30 minutes. The DAMRI shuttle bus route covers Rawamangun, Blok M/Kebayoran, Gambir, Bekasi, Depok and Bogor. The charges range from 3,000 to 4,000 rupiah for the trip.

Shopping

There are numerous shops in Terminal 1. In Terminal 2, there is a duty-free, a gift shop, newsagents and bookshop as well as many other shops. A very large shop called "Plaza Bali" in the international hall has top outlets from all over the world. 

Amenities

The airport provides the travelers with a wide range of other facilities, such as banks, moneychangers, ATMs, a post office, food outlets, shops, left luggage and porter services, first aid amenities, baby care rooms and 24-hour telecommunications services, including fax and telex.