Medan

Medan is a very large city on the north coast of the island of Sumatra in Indonesia, and the capital and largest city of North Sumatra province. Medan isn't a tourist destination, but it's a convenient stepping stone to other places like the 'weekend getaway' Berastagi, the island of Penang, Malaysia, and the popular, beautiful crater lake, Lake Toba.

Understand
Medan is the fourth-largest city in Indonesia after Jakarta, Surabaya and Bandung. With a population of about 2 million people, it is the largest city outside of Java. No ethnic group forms a majority; the largest ethnic groups are the Chinese, Javanese, Toba-Batak, Minangkabau, Mandailing Batak, Karo Batak, Southern Indians, and Northern Indians, and there are many more ethnic minorities.

Each ethnic group contributes to thousands of tasty, mouth-watering dishes found in every corner of Medan. They offer to locals and tourists dozens of food streets and hawker centers to suit their appetite at any time of the day. From the sweet Javanese cuisine, to delicious Batak grilled pork, to hot Padang dishes, from savory Chinese noodles, to spicy Indian curry, this varied cuisine is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It is obvious why the locals are so into food. The city is quite well known for "food-tourism", especially amongst other Indonesians.

It's interesting to contrast the old, Dutch style green areas, with parks, lawns, and huge old Dutch houses (now turned into government offices or commercial business) and the hundreds and hundreds of newer, shoddy shophouses sprawled together by the hundreds in the commercial areas along with a few modern style malls.

Look out for the motor becaks! A sort of motorized rickshaw, they are a common sight throughout Medan, spewing black smoke everywhere. Although be patient when searching for one, as some drivers often demand large amounts of money and have a temper.

Get in
Medan's Kualanamu International Airport and Belawan sea port are visa-free and visa-on-arrival points.

For more visa information, see the Indonesia page.

By plane
Medan's international airport,, is in Deli Serdang, about 45 minutes from the city. It handles domestic and regional international flights. If you are from London or Amsterdam or are able to transit via either city, look out for Garuda Indonesia, as they often randomly commence flights between the cities.

After arrival, ATMs are quite easy to find in the interior of the airport. An information desk is also available.

International
There are direct international flights from Penang (for around US$70 return) and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, Singapore, and Bangkok.


 * AirAsia from Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Bangkok
 * Firefly Airlines (operated by Malaysia Airlines) from/to Kuala Lumpur (via Subang Airport)
 * Lion Air from Penang
 * Malaysia Airlines from Kuala Lumpur
 * Sriwijaya Air from Penang
 * Jetstar from Singapore
 * Saudia from Jeddah

Domestic
For destinations within Indonesia, there are some regional airlines and LCC that serve Medan to other cities, mostly around Sumatra island.
 * Citilink (part of Garuda Indonesia) from Jakarta, Batam, Bandung
 * Garuda Indonesia serves several cities in Sumatra and Java island
 * Indonesia AirAsia from Yogyakarta and Palembang
 * Lion Air serves big cities in Sumatra and Java island
 * Sriwijaya Air / NAM Air from Padang, Pekanbaru, Batam and Jakarta
 * Susi Air serves smaller cities in Aceh and North Sumatra
 * Wings Air (part of Lion Air group) serves smaller cities in North Sumatra, Aceh, Dumai and Jambi
 * Batik Air (part of Lion Air group) from Jakarta

Public transport
Train service is provided by Railink, a joint venture between Angkasa Pura II and Indonesian Railway. It is the first integrated airport rail link in Indonesia. City check-in and electronic tickets are also available for passengers' convenience.

The airport train runs up to 21 trips (including one facultative trip) a day in each direction with the first trip from beside Merdeka Square on Balai Kota street at 04:00 and the last trip from the airport at 22:00. The last train from the city goes at around 21:00, but check at the train station for the latest schedule. It is the fastest way to get from the airport to central Medan, taking 31-41 minutes. At the train station in Medan, tickets can be purchased only by credit or debit card, not with cash. A one-way ticket costs Rp100,000, unless you can find a promotional offer. A promotional ticket can sometimes be purchased for Rp55,000 online, or through travel agents or external channels (not from vending machines and ticket counters), no schedule change is allowed and the ticket is not refundable. Most updated schedule, pricing and booking can be checked here or from Mobile Application Railink, but it is advised to check at the train station if you want to travel either very early or late. Payment can be done by Klik Pay BCA, Click Pay Mandiri, Visa or Mastercard debit/credit cards.

Buses operated by state-owned bus company DAMRI connect the airport to two destinations in Medan, Jl. Gatot Subroto next to Plaza Medan Fair and Amplas bus terminal. The bus ticket is a lot cheaper than the airport train and normally takes 60-90 minutes to reach the airport, if traffic is not heavy. The last bus from Plaza Medan Fair goes at around 18:00, but this may change from day to day. If you miss the last one, you might be able to get together with others waiting there to go in on a taxi or grab taxi. Or take a rickshaw to the train station and take one of the last trains of the day.

Taxis are Rp130,000-150,000 for the ride to the city center, but will leave immediately, arrive quicker and be more comfortable than the bus. There is a Rp10,000 surcharge to all fares for airport pickup on top of the metered rate. Taxi drivers may be reluctant (that is, the fare may be much higher) to make the trip late at night.

By bus
The central station for all larger buses in Medan is (not located in the center of the city though). This is where a lot of the smaller minivans go, and where travelers need to go to make connecting buses to further cities. Many of the large air-conditioned buses perform overnight routes.

Larger, non air-conditioned buses and large luxury buses (often Mercedes) that are air-conditioned (some have toilets on board, though they are squatting toilets that are difficult to use when the buses are moving, given driving habits and road conditions throughout Sumatra).


 * Trans Mebidang. A bus rapid transit system operated by the state-owned transport company Damri that serves various places around Medan, Binjai, and Deli Serdang. There are two lines that stops at various designated bus stops. Operating hours are 06:00-22:00. Fixed price:
 * Medan - Lubuk Pakam line: Rp7,000
 * Medan - Binjai line: Rp6,000
 * Makmur/Halmahera, Jl. Sisingamangaraja Km 6,7. Large buses (AC or non-AC), runs daily (usually overnight) to major cities in Riau province.
 * Bintang Utara, Jl. Sisingamangaraja across Makmur terminal. Large buses (AC or non-AC) to major cities in Riau province.
 * ALS (Antar Lintas Sumatera), Jl. Sisingamangaraja Km 6,5. Large buses (AC or non-AC), with route to southern part of North Sumatra, Padang, Bukit Tinggi, Pekanbaru, Palembang, Kerinci, and major cities in Java island (Jakarta, Malang, Yogyakarta, Semarang, Bandung).
 * Sempati Star, Jl. Asrama. Luxury double-decker bus with toilet, entertainment screen on board, pillow & blanket, serves several cities in Aceh province. Prices range from Rp180,000 for Patas Executive to Rp430,000 for First Class (2017).

For East, typically Bukit Lawang, use or possibly better bus shops near

For South, typically Berastagi, go to Pt. Almasar Indonesia shop (loket), near Citra Garden 2, south of Medan.

By car
The Trans-Sumatran Highway that connects the whole island crosses Medan's city center. Toll roads exist but only as far as Binjai to the north west and Tebing Tinggi to south east.

By boat
Medan is not near the sea, but nearby Belawan is a major port. The passenger terminal is called.

Ferries no longer run to Penang from Belawan. The nearest international ferry port is Tanjung Balai, Asahan, about four hours by train from Medan.

To/from other parts of Indonesia: Domestic routes are served by PELNI, it links Belawan with various ports in Sumatra and other Indonesian islands.

By train
Medan is connected by rail to other conurbations on the eastern coast of Sumatra, such as Tanjung Balai, Rantau Prapat, Pematang Siantar and Binjai. Executive, business and economy class trains are available, but if your budget allows, take the better class trains, which are faster and more comfortable. Tickets cost between Rp5,000 (economy) to Rp120,000 (executive). Online booking is available at here.

Get around
Medan city is swamped by becaks and taxis (the preferable choice to get around). There is also a form of public transport known as the angkot (small minivan).

By becak
There are two types, the noisy smelly motorized ones, called becak motor, and the human powered pedal ones, called becak dayung, or in English, trishaws or pedicabs. You have to be a good negotiator if you want to go by becak, with price ranging between Rp5,000-30,000 depending on distance and bargaining skills. The pedal ones are becoming scarce, but are much more fun for short trips. Most of their drivers are getting on in years, so they might not want to go too far.

Beware of scam artists who quote you one price to lure you in, even by showing a physical note to show you how much it'll cost, and then demand 10 times that amount when you arrived at your destination. Somehow, it's always 10 times: for example, 3,000 becomes 30,000, 5,000 becomes 50,000.

An audio and video recording of their license card in the becak and the conversation about what was agreed would be a useful defense.

Very few becak drivers speak more than a few words of English, but a map and lots of pointing will get you to the right place, even if it takes twice as long as you thought.

By taxi
Try to pick taxi from a reliable place such in front of malls, shopping centers or airport. Many taxi drivers will resist the use of a meter and want to bargain. Taxis with meters may put them on, but then say there is a minimum charge.

Try to avoid the use of taxis other than Bluebird or Express and always use the meter as they are the two most reliable taxi companies in Medan, this is a general rule that applies throughout the regions of Indonesia where either of these two taxi companies are available.

Medan is also served by online transport. You book them via their app from smart phones. Payment can be by cash, card or electronic wallet. The fee is calculated by app, so no need to bargain. Regularly offer promotions. There have been cases of online transport cars being attacked in a few places like the airport and train station when picking up passengers, though the situation seems to have calmed down. Consult your driver for pick-up point to avoid any problems.
 * Grab The most popular choice and has the largest operated fleets.
 * GO-JEK Famous for its bike fleets, but also start offering car services.

By bus
Public transport is rather haphazard, though there are more or less fixed prices. Small minivans (called sudako or angkot by locals) have painted numbers (1 to 267 in Medan, or sometimes letters like MRX) that signify their routes, which even locals don't have memorized. If you speak Indonesian, just ask where people are standing by the roadsides which "bus" number corresponds to your location and what the price is in advance. When a van with the appropriate number approaches, flag them down as they don't make scheduled stops (just drive along a given route and drop off passengers when told or pick up new passengers when flagged). If you are a westerner, you might want to confirm the price before getting in, though there is another school of thought which believes it is better to just hand over Rp5,000 when you get to your desired destination, especially since drivers are always in a hurry and rarely speak any English. This type of transportation should only be braved by those with a point-to-point knowledge of Medan and a working knowledge of Indonesian so they know where to tell the driver to stop, unless you have a local friend who can take you around, or you have plenty of time to explore the city. Standard fare around town (per 2024) is Rp5,000/trip. Only trip from-to opposite side of the city should go up to Rp10,000-15,000. One easy route is Minibus #3 from the great mosque (at the side of Yuki Simpang Raya mall) to Sambu bus station near Medan Mall. Another useful route is MRX which goes between Amplas Bus Station - Yuki Simpang Raya - Merdeka Walk (near the train station) - Plaza Medan Fair (near Petisah Market)- Plaza Millenium and beyond. Bus routes are available in Moovit and Google Maps apps (Mar 2024).

A larger bus called Trans Metro Deli (green-colored) starts operating since 2020. The buses have AC, serves fixed route and fixed boarding station. Payment is only via electronic money or QRIS.

Talk
All locals will be able to speak Indonesian. However, the ethnic Chinese can often be heard speaking a localised variant of Hokkien known as Medan Hokkien, which is very similar to Penang Hokkien spoken across the Strait of Malacca.

Medan has a very high level of education and many younger people speak English very well. Those over 50 or 60 also tend to speak English and some even Dutch. If you find yourself stuck just tell the person you need someone who speaks English to help and there will be someone there in a matter of minutes. Speaking English well is a highly regarded skill by the locals so anyone who does so is well known and can be found quickly.

The locals will really appreciate your efforts to learn Indonesian, and please not be offended if they will laugh loudly with you too. It is not a mocking expression. Lots of Indonesians have grown up admiring foreign people via pop or Internet culture, and seeing one makes them happy to death.

See


Many tourists choose to use Medan as a quick through-point to travel elsewhere in Sumatra, but the city offers a glimpse of a large Indonesian city still unfrequented by western tourists, and shouldn't be quickly dismissed. However, Medan is more chaotic and has a bit more litter than Jakarta or Denpasar and open sewers abound. Furthermore, not as many people speak English in Medan as in other large Indonesian cities, but even a short list of useful expressions goes a long way, and Sumatrans are still unjaded by westerners.

Medan hosts a great lot of very nice Art Deco buildings from the Dutch colonial era, like the Old City Hall, the Post Office, the Great Mosque and many business buildings in and around Jl. Ahmad Yani. Some of them are in horrible shape, but most of them maintain their old splendor.

Other attractions include:

Spa
Although Sumatra does not have the same international reputation as Bali or Thailand for massage, it still forms a significant part of local culture. In rural areas, there will usually be a masseuse available for low cost, if you ask around, while Medan offers true 'spa' facilities, which are highly recommended for anyone seeking a spa experience away from the hustle and bustle of the city at a fraction of the cost elsewhere in the world.

Mostly hotels also have their own spa. You can contact your receptionist for further info.



Buy
Though Medan doesn't have many super malls like Jakarta or Surabaya, it does have plenty of medium-sized malls.

Eat
With diverse ethnic races, Medan truly is a heaven of culinary. You can find a combination of Chinese food, Western food, Indonesian food, etc all around the city. Common sights are mie pangsit (a variant of wonton noodles, sometimes without wonton - commonly pork, but beef and chicken version exist), nasi padang or nasi minang, kwetiau/bihun/mie/nasi goreng (fried noodle/kway teow/vermicelli/rice), bakso (meatball soup served with/without noodle) and sate padang (satay with spicy yellow sauces origin from West Sumatra).

Others
Durian is one of the most famous fruits of both Medan and North Sumatra. Get the best price and taste when the season comes, which on July and December. North Sumatra has a lot of durian fields like; Sibolangit, Brastagi, Langkat, Sidikalang, Siborong-borong, Tarutung, Sibolga, Nias, Padang Sidempuan, Lima Puluh and Perbaungan. Get Medan durian at Jalan Sumatera, Jalan Semarang, Jalan Adam Malik, Ucok Durian, and more. Rp5,000-50,000 each depending on size and season.

Jalan Majapahit on Petisah area (across from Cambridge City Square) has a lot of stores selling homemade cakes and juices. Most stores also allow sampling before buying. Try the local specialty bika ambon (spongy-texture cake with pandan flavor) or marquisa (passion fruit) juice.

Drink
There are several clubs, pubs and karaoke joints to visit at night in Medan.



Stay healthy
Medical services are easily obtained in Medan. Pharmacies litters around and generally open from Monday to Saturday (usually 09:00-21:00, some may open until 17:00), the same with clinics. On Sunday, most pharmacies and clinics are close, but there are several 24/7 pharmacies called K-24.

Most hospitals open 24/7 and have Emergency Department and ICU. Hospital fees range from medium to expensive. Not all hospitals accept insurance - check before admitting.

Generally, locals have little confidence with hospitals and their medical staffs performance. Locals prefer going to Malaysia (Penang, Kuala Lumpur or Malacca) or Singapore to treat chronic or acute conditions. Such perception has improved considerably, but skilled medical staff are still few. If you are in doubt, avoid government-owned hospital and opt for private hospital instead.



Connect
Free Wi-Fi is offered in most cafes & restaurant; just ask the staffs. Otherwise, plenty of internet cafes sprawl around the city, especially in rural areas. SIM card with internet quota also is very affordable and can be easily obtained.

The area code for Medan and surrounding area is 061.
 * Gojek / Grab. Offer only intra-city services.
 * Gojek / Grab. Offer only intra-city services.
 * Gojek / Grab. Offer only intra-city services.
 * Gojek / Grab. Offer only intra-city services.
 * Gojek / Grab. Offer only intra-city services.
 * Gojek / Grab. Offer only intra-city services.
 * Gojek / Grab. Offer only intra-city services.
 * Gojek / Grab. Offer only intra-city services.
 * Gojek / Grab. Offer only intra-city services.

Consulates

 * 🇨🇳 China
 * 🇮🇳 India
 * 🇯🇵 Japan
 * 🇲🇾 Malaysia
 * 🇸🇬 Singapore
 * 🇺🇸 United States
 * 🇺🇸 United States

Go next

 * Berastagi - a beautiful mountain resort, about 1½ hours' drive from Medan; popular among Medan people for weekend getaways. When it is deemed safe, you can hike the two nearby volcanoes, Sinabung and Sibayak. Check with the local authorities before hiking, as the Sinabung volcano erupted on 2014, and an alert in 2015 caused the evacuation of 10,000 people.
 * Kabanjahe - the capital of the Karo Regency. You can observe and experience the life of Karo people by visiting the villages around Kabanjahe. Kabanjahe is also a convenient post to climb Mount Sinabung. If you wish to spend the nights in the villages of Karo people, go to Gumagaba Youth Hostel located on Jalan SM Raja Simpang Amplas, Medan for information.
 * Bukit Lawang - A 3-hour journey from Medan, the latter half of the journey being a rather bumpy and pot-holed ride. A little village on the edge of Gunung Leuser National Park that was once home to an Orangutan rehabilitation center, which is now closed. However, regular feeding sessions take places at the feeding platforms. Jungle treks can be arranged or you can just relax by the river.
 * Lake Toba - formed by a volcanic eruption, it is one of the biggest fresh water lakes in the world. Has a large island, Samosir, in the middle. It is an absolute must see, a really magnificent place full of Batak culture on the shores of a mesmerizing lake. The food is wonderful, accommodation is cheap and the climate is perfect, it seems to be 25°C all the time. Rent a scooter to explore Samosir.
 * Pulau Weh - Garuda Indonesia operates three weekly flights to Sabang (Indonesia) on Pulau Weh, where some of Indonesia's finest diving can be found.