Mudik

Mudik (sometimes also known as pulang kampung) is an Indonesian tradition where people who work in cities travel back to their hometowns or villages during big holidays, especially Lebaran (Eid al-Fitr). This travel happens mostly in big cities across Indonesia, but the most famous part is in Greater Jakarta, where millions of people leave the city. They use trains, planes, buses, and cars, which can make roads and stations very busy.

Hundreds of cars and buses queueing at Port of Merak, Banten with destination to the Port of Bakauheni in Lampung as mudik (homecoming) season began in before Eid, 2014.

The main reason people go home for mudik is to visit their families, especially their parents. It is also a special chance to see relatives they don't see often, who live in other cities, other parts of Indonesia, or even in other countries. Indonesians living outside the country also use the word mudik to describe coming home for the holidays.

Similar traditions exist in many places around the world. For example, many Muslim countries such as Malaysia and Pakistan have homecoming travels around Eid al-Fitr. Other examples include Chinese New Year in China, Songkran in Thailand, Christmas in Europe and Latin America, Easter in Russia, Divali in India, and Thanksgiving in America. In all these traditions, families come together to celebrate important holidays.

Etymology

Mudik by the river aboard Jelatik ship in Riau.

The word mudik comes from an Indonesian term that means "to sail or travel upstream by the river". This idea of moving against the current is also used in other local languages such as Minang, Betawi, Sundanese, and Javanese.

Another name for this tradition is pulang kampung, which simply means "returning home". The word kampung refers to a village.

History

Depiction of mudik by bus on Indonesian stamp

The tradition of returning to one's hometown or family village has deep roots in Indonesian history. Old writings from the Majapahit time tell us that important people often went back to their family homes to honor their ancestors. In Balinese culture, tied to Hindu beliefs, people travel home during special holy days like Galungan and Kuningan, believing this is when ancestors visit the living.

In areas where Islam is common, the mudik tradition usually happens in the month of Ramadhan, just before Lebaran or Eid al-Fitr. Some groups, like the Madurese, do this before Eid al-Adha. Indonesian Christians, such as the Batak people, often return home before Christmas.

Traffic jam on Sumatran East Highway at Banyuasin section during mudik travel

The word mudik became common in the 1970s. At that time, many people moved to Jakarta and nearby areas for jobs, leaving their villages behind. These people still felt connected to their homes and would travel back every year.

Outside of Java, mudik is also common in places like West Sumatra, Riau, Jambi, and South Sumatra, where many workers return home for the holiday. To help with travel during these busy times, the government is building the Trans-Sumatra Toll Road.

Because of the COVID-19 health concerns, the government asked people not to travel mudik in April and May 2020 and May 2021.

Scale

Large numbers of motorcyclists waiting to board the ferry at Merak port during mudik travel in 2007

Many people in Indonesia travel back to their hometowns during a special holiday called Lebaran. The government helps by adding extra buses and trains to carry everyone. In 2013, about 30 million people traveled home. By 2022, this number grew to 80 million, and in 2024, a record 193 million people joined in this travel tradition. This big movement of people can cause traffic jams and make it busy at train stations and airports.

Impacts

Transportation

Train passenger waiting for their train in Jatinegara Station during Mudik travel.

The need for train and airplane tickets goes up a lot a month or two before Lebaran, making tickets more expensive for the most popular travel days. Some airlines add extra flights or use bigger planes to handle more people. The train company Kereta Api Indonesia adds more trains or makes trains longer to carry more passengers. Bus companies also charge more for tickets during this time.

The biggest problems during mudik are crowded roads and long delays on public transport and roads. Many buses, cars, and motorcycles fill the roads, causing long traffic jams every year. This especially happens on the Trans-Java toll road and Java's Northern Coast Road.

People use many ways to travel during mudik, including motorcycles. But the police and officials say this is dangerous for longer trips. Many accidents happen with motorcyclists, so the government tried to offer a free program to help motorcyclists send their bikes by train, truck, or ship while they travel another way. This helped at first, but later many people still used motorcycles.

Business

When many workers leave big cities like Jakarta for Lebaran, businesses, services, and restaurants often close. Streets can look empty because so many people have gone home. The Ministry of Transportation says mudik has a big effect on the economy. In 2022, the money from mudik activities was about 157.3 trillion Rupiah.