Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian government has allocated Rp883 billion (around US$48.7 million) in transportation stimulus funding covering four modes of transport to make travel more affordable during the 2026 Christmas and 2027 New Year (Nataru) holiday season.
"Last year, the budget stood at Rp387 billion. This year, we are allocating Rp883 billion for the same four modes of transport, representing an increase of more than twofold in stimulus funding for Christmas and New Year travel," Deputy Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Drajad Hari Wibowo said.
Speaking at the 2026 Nataru Mobility Expo in Jakarta on Sunday, he said the allocation followed President Prabowo Subianto's directive to facilitate public mobility while stimulating economic activity in the final quarter of 2026.
"The program covers four modes of transportation: rail, sea transport, ferry services, and air transport," he said.
Wibowo added that the funding would be used to provide various travel incentives and discounts across the four modes of transport.
"The government is fully covering the value-added tax (VAT) on domestic economy-class airline tickets for flights from December 22 to January 10. This applies to tickets purchased from October 20 onward, meaning people can already start buying tickets," he said.
Regarding railway services, he said the government was offering a 30-percent discount on commercial economy-class train tickets for journeys in Java and North Sumatra from December 22 to January 4.
A similar 30-percent discount applies to economy-class sea transport on all routes for journeys from December 17 to January 10.
Meanwhile, state-owned ferry operator ASDP is waiving port service fees for pedestrian passengers and Class II and Class IVA vehicles at 14 ports for crossings from December 22 to January 10.
"We are continuing this policy from last year because it has proven highly beneficial for public mobility, the national economy, and regional economies," Wibowo said.
The deputy minister described the Nataru holiday season as an important opportunity to boost economic growth, noting its potential to benefit the tourism, trade, industrial, and household sectors.
"For that reason, the government considers it important to ensure that people can travel safely, comfortably, and affordably," he said.