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Connecting between Banda Aceh and Padang

Replies: 8 - Last Post: Sep 16, 2012 1:13 AM Last Post By: udangompong

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mikio44

mikio44 avatar

Sep 12, 2012 1:22 PM
Posts:  39

Connecting between Banda Aceh and Padang

TTers,
Anyone out there have some up to date info on connections between Banda Aceh and Padang? As best as I can tell there are no direct flights or buses either. Does everything more or less have to go through Medan or some other city? I looked for plane tix online just now and found a ticket that connects thru Jakarta and takes 10 hours all told for 100us. It's more than I would have wanted to spend to connect between these two places and I hate the idea of flying thousands of miles out of my way, but I may consider it if the alternative is an epic, torturous bus trip. Thanks, any help is always appreciated.

udangompong

udangompong avatar

Sep 12, 2012 2:31 PM
Posts:  198

1

It's a long way but if you look on a map you will see that travelling from Padang to BA via Medan is almost a direct line. Flying with either Sriwijaya or Lion Air in 2 stages, probably the total cost will also be around US$80-100 but total flying time will only be a couple of hours

Klemencja

Klemencja avatar

Sep 12, 2012 2:48 PM
Posts:  555

2

There is a night bus from Banda Aceh to Medan leaving at 06.00 pm. It takes about ten hours. The bus ride then from Medan to Padang is something between 24 and 30 hours.

mikio44

mikio44 avatar

Sep 13, 2012 12:12 AM
Posts:  39

3

Thanks for the responses.
@1
Oddly enough when I searched for tickets (on utiket.com) from Banda Aceh to Padang the only thing that turned up was connections through Jakarta. I had to search the tickets through Medan by separate legs (BA to Medan, Medan to Padang) in order to come up with the flights (right now super cheap at under 70usd promo rates in total).

@2
Thanks for that info. I suspected that would be the case on the epic bus ride and I don't know that I can take it, especially as there seems to be an easy alternative to take at a reasonable price.

lukemackin

lukemackin avatar

Sep 13, 2012 12:13 AM
Posts:  192

4

I agree with udangompong. Just picking some random September dates and looking on Lion Air's website right now, it's about 300,000 IDR from Banda Aceh to Medan, and 420,000 IDR from Medan to Padang. Sriwijaya is 280,000 to Medan and 390,000 to Padang.
Yeah, don't do the bus ride.

mikio44

mikio44 avatar

Sep 13, 2012 12:21 AM
Posts:  39

5

Okay, let me follow up with another bus vs flight question. How about the relative cost vs time for Kutacane to Banda Aceh? I believe that NBA flies from Kutacane to Banda Aceh but not sure about the specifics (I've read it's once a week, twice a week, canceled, et.al.). And a bus ride I expect is going to be similar to the Padang jaunt, but am hoping someone knows in some greater detail what it would entail to go from Kutacane to BA via bus or plane.

GaryD

GaryD avatar

Sep 13, 2012 3:23 AM
Posts:  695

6

I have done the bus ride from Padang to Medan with stopovers at Bukitinggi and Prapat, The trip took several days.

smirky1

smirky1 avatar

Sep 15, 2012 10:19 PM
Posts:  31

7

Everybody should try that bus ride once in their lives !! what a show, i think that could be a thread all on its own.

How you doing Pam ?

If you can afford the £50 or so fly with lion air

Enjoy

udangompong

udangompong avatar

Sep 16, 2012 1:13 AM
Posts:  198

8

March 2010: much as with Pamela's trip

Kutacane - Ketembe 1hr, 10,000pp
Ketembe - Blankejeren 2.5hrs 15,000pp
Blankejeren - Takengon 5.5hrs 80,000pp
Takengon - Banda Aceh 8hrs 80,000pp

Total travelling time 17hrs. Total cost IRP185,000pp

Conclusion: a slow but scenic trip but don't do it just to save money

Omp
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