It’s fair to say that Bali’s roads could benefit from more public transport than they currently see and getting around the island means understanding what your options are for transportation in Bali.
Public Transport In Bali – The Bad News
Bemos?
The bemo services that were once ubiquitous on the island are long gone and consigned to the dustbin of history. We can’t believe how many blogs and supposedly authoritative sources are still telling people to head to the bemo terminal in Denpasar, it’s not there anymore.
Bemos were Bali’s answer to tuk-tuks and jeepneys but we’re not overly nostalgic for them as they were very uncomfortable and the drivers often used to add a “foreigner tax” to the fares.
Public Buses?
There are some public bus services here in Bali. But they tend to be long-distance public buses that connect Bali to Java and involve a ferry journey.
There are also 7 bus routes that are supposed to serve tourist routes on the Trans Metro Dewata System and that’s fairly cheap. However, recent reports say that the buses don’t get much use as, despite decent coverage of the island, they don’t follow routes that people want to use.
The Train Service?
There’s been talk of a train service here in Bali for years. This year, there even appears to be some progress on that service as announcements have been made regarding breaking ground for the new Metro.
Sadly, even if everything goes to plan with building the Metro (and based on experience in other parts of Southeast Asia, it rarely does), you won’t be able to ride a train in Bali for another decade.
Public Boats?
There was also some talk of using boats to ferry people between the beach towns. Fortunately, the talking ended when everyone remembered how strong and unpredictable the offshore current can be here.
There is one boat service, GoBoat, that runs from Uluwatu to Canggu and back, but given one of their first boats sank – we’re not recommending that you use the service.
We’d all like to beat the traffic in Bali, but probably not by drowning.
Public Transport In Bali – The Good News
FINNS Loop
The FINNS Loop is an awesome new public transport service in Berawa, Canggu.
The loop which is a partnership between FINNS and Grab allows you to jump on and off a shuttle bus service in the area and it’s completely free! You don’t need to be a customer of any of the businesses on the route to use the FINNS Loop service.
It stops at FINNS Beach Club, Berawa Beach Estate, Secana Beachtown, Vinyard Pemelisan, Lapangan Desa, Manggis Hair & Beauty, Milk and Madu, FINNS Recreation Club, Canggu Station and Koa D’Surfer Hotel.
The service runs from 6 a.m. to midnight every day except for Nyepi (and there may be a curtailed service on the evening before Nyepi too) and there’s a bus every 20 minutes, so if you miss one, you won’t have to wait long for another.
The only downside to the FINNS Loop is that, for now, it only covers Berawa but we think it’s a great example of what public-private partnerships could do to create more public transport options on the island.
Ferry Service
There are also some ferry services that can get you from Bali to the Nusa Islands (Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan) and while these are technically private transport, they function in the same way as public transportation tends to.
That is there are published schedules that are, mostly, adhered to and regular reliable trips on a daily basis.
You can also catch ferries to other parts of Indonesia such as the Gili Islands, Lombok and Java.
The ferry ports are found in Sanur, Tanjung Benoa, Padang Bai and Gilimanuk.
Other Transport Options In Bali
So, what do you do on an island with no public transportation? The good news is that there are plenty of options and they’re much cheaper than they would be at home.
In fact, it’s fair to say that most people in Bali don’t miss public transport at all.
Airport Transfers
Airport transfer services are very handy if they’re included in your accommodation fee. The hotel has a driver waiting for you at the airport (with your name on a sign) and they collect you and all your luggage and take you to your hotel with no fuss or bother.
However, if you have to pay for a transfer, it’s often much more expensive than just using a ride-share service.
Ride-Sharing And Taxi Drivers
We recommend that everyone downloads the Grab and Gojek apps onto their phones before they arrive in Bali. These are the two main ride-sharing apps and they’re very convenient to use.
There used to be problems using these services at the airport but that’s no longer the case and they each have a lounge installed for you to wait for your ride at the international terminal.
They are the most common form of transport on the island and they’re absolutely ideal for exploring Southern Bali and even Central Bali around Ubud.
The advantage of these services over using Bali taxis is that Bali taxi drivers often ignore the fixed rate they agreed upon thanks to your awesome haggling skills and demand more money when you arrive at your destination.
There is an exception to this rule – Blue Bird Taxis have a great reputation for honesty, but sadly, other taxi drivers have now taken to faking the Blue Bird vehicles to fool visitors because of this reputation.
The good news is that Blue Bird now has its own app and you can enjoy the air conditioning in their taxis and be certain that the taxi you’re in, really is a Blue Bird taxi.
Private Driver And Car
It’s really easy to get a chauffeur in Bali. You can rent a car with a driver for just 500,000 IDR (that’s $35 USD or $50 AUD) for 8 hours and the cost includes the petrol! (Though it’s nice to leave a little tip and buy the driver’s lunch too).
That means unlimited travel around the island for a fixed fee. You can’t say fairer than that.
Motorbike Taxis
You can get motorbike taxi services through Grab and Gojek but we don’t recommend using scooters even as a passenger in Bali.
You may also find them on the street, they are usually more honest than standard taxi drivers but there’s no guarantee they won’t try to rip off tourists who haven’t used an app to protect themselves.
The roads and driving standards make accidents a question of “when not if”. It’s better to use a car.
Motorbike And Car Rental
We don’t recommend motorbike rental or car rentals in Bali. The roads are poor, the driving here is often worse and it’s a stressful and dangerous experience.
This is particularly true for scooter users who face very high risks of accidents and injury.
If you do want to rent a car or scooter here you will need:
A current international driver’s permit (IDP) – this is issued by an authority in your own country and is in addition to the license
To be 100% sober – blood alcohol negates any insurance you may have
If you’re a scooter user, you must also wear a crash helmet – no helmet? No insurance.
A recent case in Bali saw an Australian injured in a road accident needing $750,000 to cover his medical bills and get home. That’s why we recommend renting a car and private driver. It’s cheaper in the long run and much less risky.
Walking
You can walk around Bali but it’s not always safe or easy. The sidewalks/pavements are often impossible to navigate due to trees, raised platforms, etc. and if they are OK, then they’re often used by motorbike taxis and other scooter users as bonus roads.
Walking on the road is also difficult due to potholes and very heavy traffic. The author of this piece walks in Bali a lot, but it’s easiest to walk before the sun comes up when there’s almost no one on the road.
FAQs
Does Bali Have Good Public Transportation?
No, in fact, there’s very little public transport in Bali at all. It’s a problem that Bali’s leaders are currently working on and there’s likely to be a Metro system in the near to medium-term future.
However, for now, you will have to rely on exploring Bali in a Bali taxi, ride share, on a motorbike taxi or your own motorbike, or renting a private car and driver or having your own vehicle.
What Is The Best Way To Get Around In Bali?
If you’re in Berawa, FINNS Loop is the best way to get around the neighbourhood. Otherwise, we’d recommend that you use the Grab or Gojek apps to get between popular parts of the island.
If you intend to go off the beaten path then a private car with a driver is always your best option for safety and convenience.
What Is The Cheapest Mode Of Transport In Bali?
Walking is always free and cycling is fairly close to free as many hotels and guesthouses offer free bicycles to their guests in Bali. However, there’s no doubt that both of these modes of transport can leave a little to be desired.
After that, renting a scooter is the cheapest way to get around Bali but, we don’t recommend it. You will find that it’s hard to stay safe on a scooter here and you won’t save much money if you have to deal with a hospital bill from an accident.
The best cheap way to get around Bali is to use Grab or Gojek or even to hire a private car and driver for the day.
Is There Uber Or Grab In Bali?
Grab is in Bali and it’s part-owned by Uber (and strangely, Uber is also part-owned by Grab). The other major ride-share app here is Gojek but there are ride-sharing services out there too.
Final Thoughts On Public Transport In Bali
Public Transportation in Bali is lacking, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t get around easily. Ride-sharing is very popular and it’s so cheap that it usually costs less than taking a bus would back home.
Renting a car and a driver for the day can also be a great way of getting to a bunch of different tourist sites cost-effectively and it means you also have someone to look after your stuff when you’re at each site.
The FINNS Loop service is a very exciting addition to the public transport environment in Bali and we hope it inspires a few more public-private partnerships to make getting around areas in Bali much easier.
More Bali Blogs:
The Ultimate Bali Travel Guide: Everything You Need To Know To Visit Bali With Confidence
Exploring The Best Bali Temples – The Island of the Gods’ Most Iconic Sites
34 Best Rice Terraces, Bali: The Most Beautiful Rice Fields In Bali
