Getting around Bali without a scooter

Short answer: plenty of Australians live in Bali without a scooter, using ride-hail apps for short hops, a regular driver for the big days and a bit of planning around the traffic.

The short version

Gojek and Grab work across most of south Bali, but some villages and spots still have local transport groups who don't want app drivers picking up there [3].
Bali passed a regional regulation in October 2025 requiring app-based tourist charter drivers to hold a Bali ID card and drive DK-plated cars. Details are still being set by the governor [2].
The red Trans Metro Dewata buses are running again, at IDR 4,400 a trip, paid by QRIS [4]. More than 5,000 people a day were riding by mid-2026 [5].
A regular driver hired by the day or month is the most comfortable option for families and anyone outside the main tourist strips.
Smartraveller says use licensed taxis with a meter running, or apps that track the ride and show real driver details [1].

Your options at a glance

Option	Best for	Watch out for
Gojek / Grab (car or bike)	Short trips, airport runs, food delivery	Pickup restrictions in some villages, surge pricing in rain
Metered taxi	Rides from the street, especially in Kuta, Sanur, Nusa Dua	Only use licensed, metered taxis [1]
Day driver	Day trips, school visits, villa hunting	Agree the hours, fuel and parking upfront
Monthly driver	Families, school runs, people living inland	You're effectively an employer; do it properly
Trans Metro Dewata bus	Cheap commutes along main roads	Limited routes, earlier finish times
Your own car	Long-stayers with an ITAS and a local licence	Ownership paperwork, parking, Bali traffic

Ride-hail apps and the local transport fight

Gojek and Grab are how most expats get around day to day. You see the fare before you book, you can pay in the app, and the driver's details are logged, which is exactly what Smartraveller recommends [1]. Download both, because availability and prices change through the day.

The catch is that Bali's conventional drivers have fought the apps for years. Posters protesting app-based taxis have gone up around the island [3], and in some villages and tourist spots, the local transport group (often organised through the village or banjar) runs the rides and doesn't want outsiders collecting passengers. You'll see signs at some beaches, temples and hotel strips.

What this means in practice:

Drop-offs are usually fine. Pickups are where the friction is.
If an app driver asks you to walk to a corner or a minimart car park, do it. They're avoiding trouble.
If a local driver tells you app pickups aren't allowed there, don't argue. Take the local ride or walk out of the zone.

The 2025 regional regulation

On 28 October 2025, Bali's provincial parliament passed a regulation on app-based special tourist charter transport. It requires drivers to hold a Bali KTP (ID card) showing a Bali address and to drive vehicles with Bali "DK" plates. Vehicles need a provincial operating permit, a QR code identity and a "Kreta Bali Smita" label, and must be no more than 15 years old [2]. The official quoted said regular taxi and ride-hail drivers aren't covered, and the sanctions and fares are to be set later by the governor [2]. Driver groups have warned the residency rule could be discriminatory [3].

For you, the likely effect is on pre-booked tourist charters rather than everyday app rides. Keep an eye on how it's rolled out.

Hiring a driver by the day or the month

This is the Bali answer for many families. A good driver knows the back roads, waits at the school gate and turns a two-hour villa hunt into something survivable.

Day drivers

You'll find day drivers through your villa, friends or recommendations in expat groups. Agree in writing (a WhatsApp message is fine):

How many hours and what counts as overtime.
Whether fuel, parking and tolls are included.
Whether the price covers the car or just the driver.

Monthly drivers

If you want someone every weekday, you're stepping into employment territory. That usually means a monthly salary, a clear schedule, meal and overtime arrangements and the religious holiday allowance, known as THR. We cover the rules in hiring household staff in Bali.

Here's how to set one up:

Get two or three recommendations from people who've used the driver for months, not days.
Do a paid trial week on your real routes at real times.
Check their licence. A driver needs a valid Indonesian car licence (SIM A).
Decide whose car. Your own or leased car with their driving, or their car with a higher rate.
Write it down. Hours, days off, salary, overtime, fuel, THR and notice.
Pay on time, by transfer, and keep records.

The red buses: Trans Metro Dewata

Bali's public bus network, Trans Metro Dewata (TMD), was suspended over funding in early 2025 and was back on the road by May 2025 [4]. Six core routes run across the Denpasar–Badung–Gianyar–Tabanan area, with endpoints including Kuta Central Parking, Ubung Terminal, Ngurah Rai Airport, Sanur Terminal, the Monkey Forest parking area in Ubud, Bali State Polytechnic and Nusa Dua [4]. Fares are IDR 4,400 a trip, paid by scanning a QRIS code with a banking or wallet app. First buses leave around 4:30 to 5am and most routes finish by about 7pm [4].

Ridership passed 5,000 a day in July and August 2026, mostly commuters at peak hours, and the provincial transport office has asked for more money for 2027 [5]. There has also been pressure from some politicians to cut the airport route so local drivers can earn more [6]. If you rely on it, check before each move.

The bus suits people living near the main corridors, like Sanur or central Denpasar. It won't get you from a villa down a Canggu gang to a beach club.

Owning or leasing a car

With an ITAS and an Indonesian licence, you can buy or lease a car. Most expats find long-term leasing simpler than buying: the rental company handles registration, servicing and tax, and you hand it back when you leave. If you buy, the registration and annual vehicle tax paperwork sit with the owner, so get local help.

Remember that driving here has the same problems as riding: crashes can escalate quickly and foreigners are often assumed to be at fault [1]. Smartraveller says your Australian licence alone isn't enough to drive [1]. See our scooter and licence guide for the IDP and local licence steps.

Traffic hotspots and timing

Bali's traffic is the real reason people end up on scooters. A few patterns help:

Canggu, Berawa and Pererenan jam badly in the late afternoon. Live close to school and work.
The airport, Kuta and Simpang Siur junction clog at peak hours. The Bali Mandara toll road over the water between Nusa Dua, Benoa and the airport can save time.
Ubud is slow in the centre all day. Plan around school runs.
Ceremonies close roads with little notice. Your driver will know before you do.
Wet season, usually October to April, brings flooding that disrupts roads [1].

Getting to Ngurah Rai and home to Australia

Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS) in Tuban is a short hop from Kuta but can be well over an hour from Canggu or Ubud at the wrong time. Grab and Gojek both serve the airport, with fares shown upfront and official pickup points on arrival [7]. A driver you trust is often the least stressful option for a family with bags.

Bali has direct flights to the main Australian cities, and Perth is only a few hours away, which is a big part of why so many Aussies live here. Tips for cheap, painless trips home:

Leave early. Allow far more time than the map says, especially on Friday and Sunday afternoons.
Watch Nyepi. On Balinese New Year the airport shuts for the day; in transit, you'll have to stay inside the terminal [1].
Check your visa status before you fly back in. Arrival rules, including the All Indonesia Arrival Card, change [1].
Pack cash for small things. Most things take cards or QRIS, but not every parking attendant does.

Got a reliable driver to share, or need one? Ask in Cooee Indonesia, our Facebook group for Australians in Indonesia.

Getting around Bali without a scooter: apps, drivers, buses and the airport run