Traveling by bus in Bali

In Bali, the situation with buses is not very good. There are the following options:

 City buses with designated routes.

Trans Metro Dewata (Dewata Metro)

In 2020, four public bus routes under Trans Metro Dewata were launched in Bali. The buses are modern, clean, and equipped with air conditioning. They operate very frequently. The downside is that the routes are designed to meet the needs of local residents and have limited coverage of tourist areas, although they pass through Kuta and Ubud.

You can find the current map of routes and bus schedules by downloading the Teman Bus ("Bus Friend") application.

These are good, spacious, air-conditioned, and affordable buses. The only problem is that there are only a couple of routes for the entire island. These buses are operated by the Trans-Sarbagita company, which has a contract for city transportation with the administration.

These buses only stop at designated bus stops. They are convenient for reaching some of the attractions on the island.

These are small, low minibusses, and it's not an option to travel long distances in them. Also, without knowledge of Bahasa, it's difficult to understand where they are going ;) You need to ask in advance where it's heading and how much it costs.

You can flag down a Bemo right on the road by simply raising your hand. Tell the driver where you want to be dropped off. Of course, there are no air conditioners in Bemos.

In Denpasar, there are several Bemo/bus terminals from which you can depart to different parts of the island:

- Ubung Bus Terminal: Mostly serves routes to the north and west. Destinations include Batubulan Terminal, Tanah Lot, Mengwi, Tabanan, Antosari, Lalang Linggah, Bedugul, Medewi, Negara, Gitgit, Sukasada Terminal (Singaraja), and Gilimanuk Terminal (ferries to Java).

- Batubulan Bus Terminal: Services routes to Sukawati, Mas, Ubud, Candi Dasa, Gianyar, Klungkung, Bangli, Padangbai (ferries to Lombok and Gili), Amlapura, and Penarukan Terminal (Singaraja).

- Tegal Terminal: Services routes to Ubung Terminal, Kereneng Terminal (Denpasar), Kuta, Sanur, Ngurah Rai Airport, and Nusa Dua.

Bemos often look like this

Routes from the Mengwi Bus Terminal now operate to various destinations. Previously, these routes were serviced from the Ubung Terminal. However, after the launch of the Mengwi Terminal, Ubung ceased to handle buses that operate between islands.

From the Mengwi Terminal, you can travel to Surabaya, Yogyakarta, and even Jakarta. The journey is quite lengthy. It is advisable to use these buses either if you are afraid of flying or if you have significant budget constraints. During the eruption of Mount Agung and the closure of the airport, buses from the Mengwi Bus Terminal transported passengers to Surabaya and Jakarta.

This is a private company focused on tourist services, but they also operate regular bus services between different areas in Bali. They run routes connecting the airport, Kuta, Sanur, Ubud, Padang Bai, Candidasa, Tirta Gangga, Amed, and several other destinations. When you purchase a ticket on the Perama Tour website, it automatically shows you the designated bus stop where you should board.

It's a quite decent way to reach remote areas. The schedule and prices can be found on their website.

Tickets should be booked a day in advance or can be purchased directly at the location. The buses are comfortable. Unfortunately, boarding and disembarking of passengers are only done at designated Perama Tour stops; pickups from hotels are not provided.

The company Kura Kura has a quite extensive network of routes covering the touristy south of the island. They have several lines. "Kura-kura" translates to "turtle".

The cost ranges from 20,000 to 160,000 Indonesian Rupiahs, depending on the route.

In tourist areas like Kuta, Seminyak, Ubud, and Sanur, you can also find offers from companies at tourist kiosks whose services are generally similar to those of Perama Tour. The advantage is that minibusses pick up tourists directly from their hotels. There are no major companies similar to Perama, so if you want to find a convenient option in Kuta, Seminyak, Sanur, or Ubud, simply stroll along the nearby streets and inquire at travel agencies about their bus service offerings.