Get In

By plane

Surakarta has its international airport, Adisumarmo International Airport (IATA: SOC), which serves flights from/to Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, as well as multiple domestic destinations. If you plan to arrive by plane, then you could take a direct flight from Jakarta (1hr 15minutes trip, 12 flights per day, five flights by Garuda Indonesia, two flights by Sriwijaya Air, and five flights by Lion Air). Or flight from Kuala Lumpur (2hr trip, every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday by Air Asia), or Singapore (2hr trip, every Monday, Thursday and Saturday by Air Asia).

By train or bus

First, you have to arrive at Java Island, either Jakarta (largest city and also capital city, west hub) or Surabaya (second largest city, east hub). Surakarta is almost in the middle of those two cities. Then you can either take a train (4-5hr from Surabaya, 8-10hr from Jakarta) or bus (5hr from Surabaya, up to 12hr from Jakarta) to Surakarta. Surakarta is landlocked, so there:s no water transportation option. Express trains from Jakarta take around 8 hours while from Surabaya take around 5hours. Express trains serving Solo include Argo Lawu, Argo Dwipangga, Bima and Gajayana (to/from Jakarta, all with AC), Argo Wilis, Turangga and Lodaya (to/from Bandung), Argo Wilis, Turangga and Sancaka (to/from Surabaya). You can check and buy the ticket in here.

If you arrive at Yogyakarta (south hub), you can then take the train to Surakarta (leaves every hour or so, cost about $0.7, beautiful scenery of paddy fields along the track), or taking a bus (approx 2 hours, cost about $1.5), or taking a taxi.

If you arrive at Semarang (north hub), you can then take the bus or taking a taxi to Surakarta (approx 3 hours). No train connects Semarang-Solo.

If you take the train, then you should stop at Stasiun Purwosari (Purwosari Station) or Stasiun Balapan (Balapan Station) depend on where your stay during in Surakarta. Purwosari Station located on the city's main avenue, Jl. Slamet Riyadi, while Balapan Station is the central station and location near the main bus terminal (Tirtonadi Terminal)

If you take the bus, then you should stop at Terminal Tirtonadi (Tirtonadi Terminal). The Balapan Station and The Tirtonadi Bus Terminal located within the same vicinity, although not on adjacent to each other. There are regular services throughout the island, including Jakarta (13 hours) and Surabaya (5 hours).