Leaders in East Java have confirmed that the new Banyuwangi-Denpasar Fast Boat service will be up and running soon.
Although the service was anticipated to be operating by the end of June 2025, the Denpasar City Government has confirmed that there is still work to be done.
As reported to the media by the Governor of East Java, Khofifah Indar Parawansa, in April 2025, a new direct fast boat service will soon connect passengers between Denpasar and East Java’s Banyuwangi.
The sea shuttle route is set to dramatically reduce travel time between Bali and East Java and help reduce traffic on the often congested Denpasar-Gilimanuk Highway.
Speaking from Marina Boom at Banyuwangi Port in April, Governor Parawansa told reporters, “Ahead of the Banyuwangi-Denpasar (Bali) fast boat operational process, I want to check the readiness of the infrastructure at Marina Boom. Later, the operator will come here again to check the necessary completeness.”
He revealed that the service was set to be up and running by June 2025, welcoming hundreds of passengers every day. Governor Parawansa shared his hopes that the new sea taxi connection would help bring more tourists and business travelers to East Java and improve the connection for Indonesian residents who need to travel between the two regions for work and to visit family.
Governor Parawansa showcased efforts to level up the Banyuwangi Port area to help improve the passenger experience and showcase the best of East Java’s hospitality. He shared, “For the passenger waiting room, the design has a Banyuwangi feel.”
The Governor was accompanied on his visit but the Regent of Banyuwangi Ipuk Fiestiandani who told reporters “So far, the public transportation center has been designed with a strong Banyuwangi feel, such as at the Banyuwangi City station which has just been revitalized and Banyuwangi Airport is also thick with the Banyuwangi feel.”
However, in response to the highly anticipated launch of the new boat service that would help connect Bali tourists to iconic East Java tourist attractions such as Mount Ijen, the Denpasar City Government this week announced that there is a long way to go before such a service is operational.
In fact, the Mayor of Denpasar, I Gusti Ngurah Jaya Negara, told reporters that no official partnership has been made between the transportation authorities of Denpasar and Banyuwangi, nor have any agreements been signed between the Denpasar City Government, Bali Provincial Government, and the teams on the East Java side.
Mayor Negara told reporters, “When we went to Surabaya to attend APEKSI, the Governor and her Deputy Governor had indeed conveyed that there would be the operation of this fast boat.”He added, “But until now, there has been no signing of the cooperation because after all the port is in our area, in Denpasar.” Noting “We are still waiting for information. Until now there has been no direct discussion with us.”
While the idea seems still very much on the cards, any prospective dates for the service’s launch have been removed from the table.
Nevertheless, Bali continues with plans to improve tourism connectivity and use the island’s waterways to tackle traffic congestion. Earlier this week, the Badung Regional Secretary, Ida Bagus Surya Suamba, confirmed that construction on the new Canggu-Cemagi Boat Terminal will start in the 2026 budget year.
The new boat terminal will help connect tourists via fast boat services with Canggu and Cemagai directly from I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport. As Bali’s Canggu becomes ever more popular, leaders are on a mission to tackle rampant traffic congestion in the area that is starting to negatively impact tourists’ experience on vacation and the day-to-day lives of local residents. The new fast boat services from I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport are also expected to offer direct boat transfer services to Nusa Penida and other top coastal resort destinations in the province.
