The Yogyakarta to Bromo tour is a popular option for tourists travelling through Java. It’s easy to understand why. Bromo National Park is famous for its amazing views. It’s really a photographers dream destination and getting there can be half the fun. So to help you plan your trip from Yogyakarta to Bromo I created this short guide. Whether you want to fly, take a train or go on a mega road trip, I’ve got you covered. Let’s get started.
General Information
Mount Bromo is located close to the cities of Malang and Surabaya. The easiest way to go from Yogyakarta to Mount Bromo is via Surabaya. Bromo is located between 4 regencies: Probolinggo Regency, Pasuruan Regency, Lumajang Regency, and Malang Regency. Surabaya is further away, but it has more options of ways to travel. Malang is a bit tricky to get to, but it’s closer to Bromo and arguably a nicer place to visit. The map below should help you with the geography of East Java.
Map of Central and East Java. Red lines are main roads and black and white striped lines are rail tracks.
Yogyakarta to Surabaya Flights
There are direct flights between Yogyakarta and Surabaya. The route between Yogya and Surabaya is flown by several airlines, such as Garuda Indonesia (the national carrier), Wings Air and Sriwijaya Air. If you have the money I’d recommend Garuda, followed by Lion Air then Sriwijaya Air.
Flying is easily the quickest way to get from Yogyakarta to Surabaya. The flight takes just one hour and five minutes. One thing to keep in mind if you decide to fly is that Surabaya Airport is located far out of the city. It will take you at least 30-45 minutes to reach Surabaya (city) from the airport. If you want to go direct to Bromo on your first night in the city, then I’d recommend arranging a car rental and a driver to meet you at the airport.
Yogyakarta to Surabaya & Malang by Train
It’s easy to take the train from Yogyakarta to Mt Bromo. There is a regular train service to Surabaya, Probolinggo and Malang. Trains depart from Tugu Train Station, which is located in the center of Yogyakarta near Jalan Malioboro. The Yogyakarta to Surabaya train journey takes between four to five hours. Ticket prices start at around Rp155,000 for a return ticket.
Malang is further away from Yogyakarta than Surabaya. While it does have an international airport there are no direct flights from Yogya to Malang. If you want to visit Malang from Yogyakarta the most convenient way to get there is by train. Some trains that go to Malang pass Surabaya, but not all of them. Trains to Malang from Yogyakarta depart from Tugu Train Station.
The final option is Probolinggo, which is the closest train station to Bromo. This is the most convenient option if you want to to go directly to a hotel near Bromo. However, there are only two trains per day to Probolinggo (No anymore! You have 5 schedules per day to choose from. And also it has several class option: Economy, Business and Executive). Remember, some of the trains from Yogyakarta to Probolinggo departs from Lempuyangan train station in Yogyakarta, not Tugu train station.
Below is the timetable for Yogyakarta to Surabaya by train, Yogyakarta to Malang by train and Yogyakarta to Probolinggo by train. You can visit the official Indonesia Rail Company website to book your train ticket online. Make sure to book your ticket early and be at the train station 30 minutes before your departure time (well… I usually arrive at the train station 15 minutes before, but I always print my ticket first, for example, one day before departure). I recommend booking your ticket through Tiket.com or Traveloka.com.
Train Schedule – Yogyakarta to Surabaya
| Train | Departure Time | Arrival Time |
|---|---|---|
| Bima 44 | 00:52 | 05:38 |
| Mutiara Selatan 112 | 01:38 | 06:24 |
| Turangga 50 | 03:30 | 08:14 |
| Sancaka Pagi 84 | 06:45 | 11:37 |
| Argo Willis 6 | 16:00 | 20:19 |
| Sancaka Sore 86 | 16:40 | 21:55 |
Train Schedule – Yogyakarta to Malang
| Train | Departure Time | Arrival Time |
|---|---|---|
| Bima 44 | 00:52 | 08:15 |
| Mutiara Selatan 112 | 01:38 | 09:10 |
| Gajayana 42 | 02:00 | 08:34 |
| Malioboro Ekspres 102 | 07:45 | 15:11 |
| Malioboro Ekspres 104 | 20:45 | 03:49 |
Train Schedule – Yogyakarta to Probollinggo
| Train | Departure Time | Arrival Time |
|---|---|---|
| Logawa 188 | 08:12 | 17:35 |
| Sri Tanjung 194 | 07:00 | 16:10 |
Yogyakarta to Bromo Car Rental
A road trip through Java is a real adventure. The best route to take if you plan to drive from Yogyakarta to Bromo is to go to Malang. The first part of the journey from Yogyakarta through to Solo is along a busy main road and there is not much to see on the way. However, once you get past Solo the trip becomes a lot more interesting and the countryside can be really spectacular. The area around Tawangmangu is one of the highlights of the trip. The area is in the highlands. The hills are covered with deciduous forest and the farmland is rich and fertile (you can buy fresh strawberries from the roadside stalls, which make for a tasty and healthy snack).
If you drive from Yogyakarta to Malang you will pass Tawangmangu. The area is fertile and farmers’ fields carve up the countryside.
It takes about 10 hours to drive from Yogyakarta to Malang. Most tourists will stay overnight at a hotel in Malang and then leave very early in the morning to go to Mt Bromo for sunrise. This is a nice option; not only do you get a private driver who will take you where you want to go, it’s also a great way to see the countryside of Java. However, be warned: all this driving is tiring.
While it is possible to drive from Yogyakarta to Surabaya and then to Bromo the route doesn’t really make much sense. Not only is it a longer drive, but there’s less to see on the way.
Final Thoughts
There’s no ‘best way’ to go from Yogyakarta to Bromo. If you’re on a tight itinerary I’d recommend flying from Yogyakarta to Surabaya and then arranging a car rental to take you to Bromo the next morning. If you have the time, however, a road trip through Java is a great experience. Whatever option you decide to choose in the end, I hope this article helped you with your travel arrangements.
Have you followed the backpacking trail from Yogyakarta to Bromo? How did you make the journey? What form of transport would you recommend?
Still need to book your hotel for Yogyakarta? Save yourself some time! Here’s a list of the best hotels near Malioboro for every budget.
Hi Firsta … Thanks for your blogs/ guides. I’ll be coming from Yogya this coming June 20 and I’m going to Mount Bromo on a day trip. I’d like to ask if what will I do upon reaching Probolinggo? What’s the next ride? I’d like to see the sunrise in Mount Bromo. How much will it cost me? Also upon reading different blogs, all of them suggests that tourists should go to Surabaya first by train then bus from Surabaya to Probolinggo. I am a bit confused now. Which route will I take to Bromo – via Surabaya or the direct train to Probolinngo? Thanks..hope to hear from u soon.
Chris
Hi Chris,
You can take a train directly to Probolinggo from Yogyakarta, and it is closer from Probolinggo to Bromo rather than from Surabaya to Bromo. Surabaya to Probolinggo is 2-3 hours journey.
To learn more about it, please check this: http://discoveryourindonesia.com/yogyakarta-bromo/.
Hope it helps.
Hi, thanks for this amazing informative article, I’m going to be doing the opposite route (Mt Bromo to Yongjakarta) in a few days. Do you recommend spending one night in Yongjakarta or should I go directly to Borobodur? Thanks!
Hi Raphael. Thanks for the kind words. I’d definitely recommend staying in Yogyakarta for one day so you can visit Borobudur and Prambanan temples.
Hello! This has been really useful as I’m really struggling to plot the journey out. We’re coming from Yogyakarta to Mt Bromo on the way to Bali (haven’t worked out areas yet) to Lombok, Gilis and back to Bali before heading back to London.
If we fly to Surabaya which seems the quickest route, do you have accommodation recommendations as I can’t find anywhere that offers trips or reviews the hotel helping. I then need to get us to Bali from there and work out the best route, so any help and info again really appreciated.
Thank you so much for your help.
Rosie
x
Hi Rosie. I would recommend flying. For hotels in Surabaya you can check this post.
Hi,
This was really helpful. I wanted to go to Ijen further from Mt Bromo. How do you suggest I do that? Thanks in advance.
Hi Surabhi,
What suggestion do you need? You probably can find a taxi / motorbike taxi from Probolinggo train station to Cemoro Kandang area (Bromo)/ your hotel in Bromo.
Hello! Can I check if it is possible to rent a bike from Yogyakarta for a week and ride to Bromo via the below 2 paths?
1) Yogy –> Solo –> Batu –> Malang –> Jemplang –> Cemoro Lawang
2) Cemoro Lawang –> Jemplang –> Malang –> Pacitan –> Yogy
Was thinking of doing one route each direction. I was thinking of doing doing each direction within 10-12 hrs, or do you recommend a stop in between? And also will the route from Jemplang to Cemoro Lawang be difficult for a motorbike to go through due to the sandy path? Really appreciate your advice, thank you!
Hi Yang,
I am not sure if it is possible/not to use the motorbike (that you rent in Yogya) to go all the way to Bromo.
I did a road trip with my husband on a motorbike. We stop in Malang (stay overnight) and continue from there to Bromo on the next day.
We didn’t go through Jemplang. We go through Probolinggo (before Probolinggo you turn right after Tongas Asri Restaurant). We stay in Lava View Lodge and hire a jeep. It is difficult for a motorbike to go through the Bromo area. It is ok with a trail bike.
Probillinggo, also i am thinking of skipping the Sunrise to Bromo as the weather here has been very cloudy i had the same problem when i did the Sunrise to Borobudur the weather was very cloudy foggy very dissappointing ,my plan B was to trek to the Viewpoint around 5.
Hi Adam, sounds as a great plan, especially if you stay in Lava View Lodge. The view from in front of the lodge is equally amazing (with the view point).
Hi.
Im going to Probolinggo from Yogya next week.
Im still struggling to find the best train to Probolinggo.
Whether to take Ranggajati and depart from Tugu Station Yogya (business class and more expensive) or to take Sri Tanjung and depart from Lempuyangan Station Yogya (way lot cheaper).
I have searched for the seats in Sri Jati and it seems less comfortable for a 10-hour journey.
If i take Ranggajati i will arrive around 6.15 pm. is it easy for me to find transport to cemoro lawang that evening? i have booked a hotel at cemoro.
tks for your advise
Hi Erma,
I would personally choose Business/Executive class rather than the Economy class, just because the comfort and also the travel time, but if you are tight of budget, the economy class is fine too.
I never travel from Probolinggo train station to Cemoro Lawang at night, but I guess it should be a popular thing to do. The journey from the train station to Cemoro Lawang area is around 1,5-2 hours.
I guess you can find a travel/mini bus, unfortunately I don’t have any idea how much does it cost. I have heard sometimes you have to wait for a while until the mini bus full with passengers.
I would recommend to do search more about it (how to do it the best way). All the best for your travels.
hi there i want to ask is it possible for me to do a one day trip to bromo ? is it enough ? because i am planning to go to yogya first then to bromo for a day.
Hi Nur,
Do you mean a day trip to Bromo from Yogyakarta? It is not possible. At least you have to stay for a night.
You can also arrange a flight from Yogyakarta to Surabaya, get pick up at the airport at around 10 pm and do the Bromo sunrise on the next day.
Back to Surabaya again to fly out on the same day. That is possible but the arrangement is going to be expensive especially if you are a single traveller. Hope this helps.
hi,
wanna ask Surabaya to probolinggo via train go and return, train ticket need buy in advance? or I can just buy it on spot?
thank you for the advice in advance.
jane
Dear Jane,
It is better to get the tickets in advanced as they are limited. Hope you have a great time in Indonesia.
Dear Firsta,
Do you think it is possible to travel in one day from Borobudur to Bromo? I mean, taking a taxi from Borobudur to Yogya, then a train from Yogya to Probolinggo and lastly a taxi from Probolinggo to Cemoro Lawang?
I would be arriving in Probolinggo at 17.30.
Also, how long in advance would you recommend I book train tickets, and can I book them in Jakarta? And are the train schedules reliable?
Thank you for your wonderful blog!
Hi Christel,
I have sent an email to you. Hope you received it ok.
Hi Firsta!
I’m thinking on visiting Bromo from Yogya. I’ll finish my visit in Yogya on Thursday evening after 4p.m) and my next stop is Mt Bromo. What do you think is my best option to get there. Should I sleep that day in Yogya and start my journey to Bromo? Or maybe there is a train to Probolinggo in the night? Or should I make a night in Surabaya and in the next morning go to Bromo??
Finally after visiting Bromo I wanna get Ketapang to take the ferry to Bali. How can I do that? What do you think is my best option? Thank you!
Hi Fer,
Have you checked the train ticket booking site?
As I know there are no late train from Yogyakarta to Probolinggo. If you want to go to Probolinggo, I would recommend to stay one night in Yogya and get the train on the next day.
You have to get a bus from Bromo to Banyuwangi, or a train from Surabaya/Probolinggo to Bayuwangi Baru station.
All the best for your trip!
Hello Firsta,
Firts of all kudos on your great travel blog and for sharing your valuable experience 🙂
I have the idea of renting a car in Yogyakarta to drive to Malang or Probolinggo, and do the Bromo Mountain tour the next day. I have unfortunately not found any car rental that allows to rent a car in Yogja and leave it in Probolinggo, or continue to Banyuwangi and leave it there. My final destination is Bali, so I would not return to Yogja to return the car. I wanted to know if maybe you know of a car rental that allows to pick up a car in one place and drop it off in a different place?
I also have a question regarding something mentioned above by Adam. Is there a special time during the year that is better to see the beautiful morning views of mount Bromo, and when the clouds lift easier around the caldera?
Thanks!
Camilo
Hi Camilo, I never heard of a car rental company who can do things like that. Get the car in Yogya and drop off the car in Banyuwangi. As for Bromo, it’s really tricky. During the dry season is the best time to go, but if you come during the rainy season, sometime the morning is so beautiful and crisp! If you are lucky and it’s not raining during your visit.
Hello Firsta,
Me and four of my friends are coming to Java in early March and are hoping to visit Borbodur, Mt Bromo and the Ijen Crater. We are on a rather tight budget. We are planning on having 5 days in Java, we will be based in Yoyojarta to begin with as we fly to the airport. What would you suggest is the best way to split up our days knowing the 3 main places we want to see. We will be moving into Bali after this. So want to finish our time in java by getting the ferry from Banyuwangi.
Dear Bee,
I’ll get in touch through email. Speak to you soon.