Selling fast: Commuters buying express bus tickets from ticket vending machines at Larkin Sentral Terminal in Johor Baru. — THOMAS YONG/The Star
JOHOR BARU: Express bus tickets from Johor Baru to other parts of the country for the Hari Raya Aidilfitri holidays have been snapped up.
Johor Baru Bus Operators Association president Datuk Dr Suchdav Jotistrop said that so far, 90% of tickets have been sold out, with Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah and Penang among the popular routes.
“Those hailing from the four states booked their tickets in the first week of the fasting month,’’ he said.
Suchdav said this is because many people from Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah and Penang are working in Singapore and living in Johor Baru, Pasir Gudang, Kulai and Senai.
He added that there were also many Kelantanese working at the tom yam stalls in Johor Baru.
Suchdav said the popular destinations were Kota Baru and Kuala Terengganu, while for Penang, it was Butterworth, followed by Alor Setar and Sungai Petani in Kedah.
He added that demand for express bus tickets had improved after Malaysia reopened its international borders and transitioned to the endemic phase since April 1 last year.
Citra Indomas Ferry Services proprietor Azhari Mohd Amin said Indonesian workers are expected to throng the Stulang Laut International Ferry Terminal in the last week of Ramadan.
He said their destination is Batam Island and from there they would take flights to their hometowns in Indonesia.
Azahari said those who are taking flights back home from the island come from Java, Sumatera, Lombok, Kalimantan and Sulawesi.
“Those taking the ferries are not only Indonesian workers in Johor, but include people from other states in the peninsula.”
He also said Indonesian construction and plantation workers have already made their early journey back home at the start of the fasting month.
“We have been recording a passenger load of 70% since April last year which is still low compared with the pre-Covid-19 days,’’ Azhari said.
He said there would be no ferry services on the first day of Hari Raya and services would resume on the second day of Syawal.
Azhari said there are 12 departures from the terminal from the Stulang Laut Terminal and Batam Terminal, with the first ferry leaving Johor Baru at 7.15am and the last one at 6pm.
He said Indonesians seeking medical treatment at the private hospitals in Johor Baru and Singapore are also using the Stulang Laut Terminal.
“They are not only coming from Batam and Tanjung Pinang but also from Jakarta and Medan.”
