Landing smoothly at Husein Sastranegara International Airport, Bandung
“He who knows how to be aggressive and yet remains patient, becomes a receptacle for all of Nature’s lessons,” said Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu,
His words are worth listening to in this airport, where the typical scenario after your flight lands is for everybody to suddenly feel the need to rush. Some even have a habit of standing up before the aircraft comes to a complete halt.
But at Husein Sastranegara International Airport in Bandung, patience is a good thing. Here’s the first reason: Although there are several lines, including one dedicated for foreigners, at the immigration check point, in practice, things tend to turn chaotic. The queuing space is not big enough and it can get very uncomfortable if you are disembarking from a full flight.
Secondly, after the immigration check point, you will need to wait for your baggage. This will take some time too despite the short distance between the airplane and the terminal. This long waiting time is probably due to the short conveyor belt.
Again, expect some hubbub due to the limited space. My personal view is that being the last one to get off the airplane can reduce the unnecessary competitive edge to be the first to get everything done. This also tends to make you more vulnerable to outbursts from tired and cranky fellow passengers.
It would be better to just walk down the plane at ease. If you do this, you will find your waiting time at immigration, baggage and customs to actually be a lot faster and stress-free.
Taxis and other transportation
The TAKSI (taxi) counter is located just outside the arrival gate. The staff there will ask your name and destination and will give you a coupon with number written on it. Proceed to the outdoor section of the terminal, where the taxi boarding point is located.
If you are carrying a lot of luggage, it would be better to ask for help from the airport porter because even with the help of a trolley the airport's ramps are quite steep and challenging. Tip the porters as you wish but if you have more than three heavy suitcases, the tip should be bigger than Rp 25,000 (US$2.58).
Your cab fare is will depend upon your destination. A trip to Dago will cost you around Rp 45,000 – Rp 50,000, one to Lembang is between Rp 80,000 – 100,000 and one to Gatot Subroto (Trans Studio Mall) is priced at around IDR 50,000.
Alternatively, you can rent a vehicle to suit your needs by inquiring with the person at the rent counter, next to the taxi counter. This counter opens daily from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. while the taxi counter will still be at your service until the last arrival from Kuala Lumpur at around midnight.
Visa
Citizens from countries included in this list deplu.go.id do not need a visa for a short visit in Indonesia. If you do need one, the visa on arrival counter is available at the arrival hall before the immigration checkpoint.
Read also: Airport guide: Dealing with Customs and Immigration at Soekarno-Hatta
