By Air
Taking a plane is the fastest way to reach Bandung. Book your ticket beforehand as this is necessary to secure a seat. AirAsia Airlines provides flights from Kuala Lumpur (KUL) and daily flights from Denpasar, Bali (DPS), and Medan (MES) to Bandung (BDO) and vice versa. Malaysia Airlines also provides daily flights between Kuala Lumpur and Bandung.
Deraya Airlines also operates a daily flight from Jakarta (Halim Perdanakusuma Airport) to Bandung (Hussein Sastranegara Airport). While Merpati Nusantara Airlines flies daily between Bandung-Bali, Bandung-Labuan Bajo, Bandung-Surabaya, and Bandung-Medan.
Wings Air, subsidiary of Lion Air, operates flight routes of Bandung-Bengkulu, Bandung-Palembang (South Sumatra), and Bandung-Tanjung Karang (Bandar Lampung). Sriwijaya Air and Susi Air also provide flights to and from Bandung.
By Land
Train
This is an ideal choice if you enjoy good views along the journey where your eyes will be spoilt by the beautiful lavish green of undulating hills, terraced paddy fields, and tea plantations. From Jakarta, the 180 km journey takes 3 hours.
PT. KAI Persero (Kereta Api Indonesia) provides excellent train services to reach Bandung from several cities in Indonesia:
If you depart from Gambir Train Station in Jakarta, Argo Gede Parahyangan will lead you to Bandung. Argo Gede serves only Executive class but it is a comfortable and faster train. The first train will leave at 05:30 a.m. everyday and the last train at 08:30 p.m. on weekdays or 09:30 p.m. on Sunday.
If you depart from Surabaya Gubeng Train Station there are several trains that offer a scenic journey to Bandung. Turangga (Executive), Harina (Executive), Argowilis (Executive), and Mutiara Selatan (Business) run the route daily. So, get ready to pack your bag as the first train leaves at 07:00 a.m.!
Bus and Shuttle Car
There are also convenient buses operated by Primajasa, which will take you to Bandung (Bandung Supermall) directly from Soekarno-Hatta Airport in Jakarta. The cost is around USD 8.5 per person.
However, if you’re looking for something private and elegant, shuttle cars (X-trans, CityTrans, and Primajasa) are also available at the airport. The cost is approximately USD 14.0 per person. All of them provide great, reliable, and safe services.
Angkot
You won’t want to miss the unique experience once you decide to take a ride in one of Bandung’s most common transportation, the Angkot. It is an acronym from Angkutan Kota, Indonesian for “City Transport”. This is the cheapest public transportation you can get in Indonesia. So, don’t expect a five-star service or much convenience when going around with it.
Angkot in Bandung comes in red, green, pink, yellow, blue, and occasionally a combination of two clashing colors. In English, Angkot is pronounced similar to the word ‘uncaught’ with /ŋ/ (NG) instead of the usual /n/ sound. Angkot is a public transport minivan with a single entry-and-exit door on the left or at the back. This transport has a long seat and not-so-long one, facing sideways and each other. The long one, decent enough for the Asian physique, can accommodate seven people, while the other one accommodates five.
The most important thing to know is how to say “KIRI” (pronounced: key-ree), Indonesian for “left”. Why “left”? It is because Indonesians drive on the left side of the road, just like in Europe. So, Kiri is an indication that you need to stop right there, or else the Angkot will just keep going. If you think getting lost is exactly what you want to do on your vacation, then go on!
The Angkot has no fixed fare as this depends on how far you wish to travel, but fares generally range from Rp2,000 to Rp5,000. It is best to ask the driver or kernet (the assistant driver) about the fare to go to your destination. Hail an Angkot as you would a taxi.
Taxi
If you’re confused with the routes of the Angkot or if it’s just too uncomfortable, then a taxi is the best choice for you to travel around Bandung. Official taxis in Bandung use meters but be careful when choosing an unmetered Taxi. Blue Bird is the best known and reliable taxi service.
Car
Using your own car or renting a car is probably the easiest and the most convenient way to explore Bandung. There are many reliable local car rentals that you can find in Bandung.
Ridesharing services
You can also book a ridesharing service by using apps such as Gojek or Grab. To use it, you can download from Play Store for Android or Appstore for iOS. The app provides a service such as transportation by car or motorcycle. You can choose what mode of transportation you are going to use. You also don’t need to worry about the charge for the service since the app already tells you how much it is.
Ojek Pangkalan
In some places, ojek pangkalan provides a service of transportation by motorcycle. You can call them from their base and they will come to you straight. However, the price for the service would be unreliable since they did not provide a meter.
Damri
Damri is a service that is provided by the local government in the form of a bus. That way people can travel in the most efficient way without worrying about traffic. The price varies from Rp3,000 to Rp6,000 depending on the place where you’re going. However, you must be careful with your belongings since it is vulnerable to be pickpocketed.
Shuttle Buses (Travel)
Shuttle buses, more colloquially known as “travel”, are transportation services that serve the route from Jatinangor to Bandung and vice versa. There are several shuttle bus options, including Arnes Travel, Pasteur Travel, Flociti Travel, and Geulis Travel.