Long Read
Pekanbaru Transport Chaos: An Indie Film Scout’s Guide to Surviving Angkot Warfare
listen-if you’re trying to shoot guerrilla-style footage in this city, mastering *angkot routes is more important than your lens choice. pekanbaru’s public transport feels like a deleted scene from a jarmusch film: loud, humid, and weirdly poetic.
(bookmark that map before you get stranded near a kelapa sawit plantation).
angkot adventures: the bloodstream of pekanbaru
i clocked 47 different routes last week. here’s what matters:
- panam route angkots (blue stripe, smells like durian) will get you from terminal payung sekaki to pasar bawah for 5k IDR-but they vanish after 7pm like vampire taxis.
- simpang tiga drivers are either philosophers or maniacs. overheard one muttering about "bodi harus rata!" while slam-dodging a becak. tips: sit near the sliding door to escape fast when they stop for sate marlboro breaks.
- download the TRANSPEKANBARU app. it’s glitchy as hell but shows real-time(ish) routes. last updated 2019. perfect for that analog aesthetic.
grab bike works fine near malls, but locals swear the real gems are freelance guys outside pasar citra. drunk advice from a warung vendor: "if his helmet looks like a cracked coconut, negotiate harder-3k IDR per km MAX."
wildcard: ojek payung exist. yes, motorcycle-taxis holding umbrellas during monsoons. poetic? yes. safe? jury’s out. filmed one guy doing it while balancing mie sagu-potential short doc material.bus terminal survival skills
terminal payung sekaki is where reality fractures. rumor from a batik seller: "they inflate prices if you smell like sunscreen." counter-measure: wear crumpled kemeja flannel and mutter "berapa normalnya?" like you’re late for work. buses to dumai (3hrs) cost 75k IDR-smuggle snacks unless you want mystery ikan goreng at rest stops.
data dump (from a kopi-splattered notebook):
- rent: 4jt IDR/month gets you a kost near jln sudirman with AC and 3G signal (sometimes)
- weather: it’s currently ‘angry sauna’ season. carry a towel. 91% humidity makes your camera grip feel like a belut.
- escape routes: padang (45min flight) for cooler air and better kopi hitam, or take a sketchy bus to bukittinggi* if you need mountain drama shots.
local subreddit gems: r/riau drama | pasar bawah’s gorengan rankings | simpang tiga street art map | curated warung playlist
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