Radin Inten II International Airport

Radin Inten II Airport sits in South Lampung Regency, about 40 kilometres west of Bandar Lampung, the provincial capital. Named after a local hero from the region, the airport operates as a small international gateway serving southern Sumatra. It handles a mix of domestic flights — primarily from Jakarta, Batam, and Palembang — and a limited number of international routes, mostly from Malaysia. The terminal is compact but functional, with a concrete runway that can accommodate narrow-body aircraft like the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320. Because of its location along the Sunda Strait, the airport can face disruptions during volcanic activity from Anak Krakatau, though these are rare.

Getting There

The airport lies roughly 40 to 45 minutes by road from Bandar Lampung’s city centre, depending on traffic. The main route is the Trans-Sumatra Highway (Jalan Lintas Sumatera), a two-lane road that cuts through a mix of urban sprawl and palm plantations. Most passengers take private taxis or ride-hailing services such as Gojek or Grab, which are widely available from the city. The typical fare to the airport is around 150,000–200,000 Indonesian rupiah. There is no direct public bus, but a local minibus (angkot) route passes near the airport turn-off, requiring a final motorcycle taxi (ojek) ride to the terminal. For those driving, the airport has a paid parking lot with both covered and open spaces. The parking fee is about 5,000 rupiah per hour for cars. Renting a car in Bandar Lampung is also an option; several agencies offer airport drop-off. The road is generally well-maintained, but avoid peak hours in Bandar Lampung (7:00–9:00 AM and 4:00–6:00 PM) when congestion can add up to 20 minutes.

Inside the Terminal

The terminal is a single-story building with separate check-in and arrival areas. On entering, you find a large check-in hall with airline counters — Lion Air, Batik Air, and Citilink have permanent desks. The queue system can get chaotic during the busiest times, which are Monday through Thursday around 3:00–4:00 PM, when multiple flights depart simultaneously. Security screening is efficient; two x-ray machines handle passengers and carry-on luggage. After security, the departure lounge offers a small selection of seats, a snack kiosk, and a smoking room. The terminal has wheelchair-accessible entrances and a wheelchair-accessible car park adjacent to the main door. Inside, there is a wheelchair-accessible toilet, a regular toilet, and a changing table in the family restroom. Baggage storage is available near the check-in area for a small fee (around 50,000 rupiah per bag per day). On-site services include a money changer, a small pharmacy, and a waiting area with air conditioning that works reasonably well. The arrival hall is straightforward: luggage carousels, customs (with a green/red channel system), and a taxi queue outside. The entire terminal is compact — you can walk from check-in to gate in under five minutes. Wi-Fi is free but requires a local SIM card for SMS verification; without it, the connection is limited.

Radin Inten II Airport and South Lampung Regency

South Lampung Regency (Kabupaten Lampung Selatan) is a region of remarkable geographic and cultural diversity. It occupies the southern tip of Sumatra, facing the Sunda Strait and the islands of Java and Krakatau. The regency is best known as the gateway to the Krakatau Volcano — the most famous volcanic system in Indonesia. Many travellers fly into Radin Inten II specifically to take boat trips from the nearby port of Kalianda to Anak Krakatau, the volcano that emerged from the caldera after the catastrophic 1883 eruption. The trek to the volcano’s rim is a highlight, but the entire area around the strait offers snorkelling, diving, and pristine beaches like Pasir Putih and Merak Belantung. Beyond the volcano, South Lampung is home to Way Kambas National Park, a major elephant conservation centre about two hours east of the airport. The park offers elephant rides, jungle trekking, and the chance to see Sumatran elephants in a semi-wild setting. For cultural experiences, visitors can explore the traditional villages of the Lampung people, known for their distinctive woven fabrics (kain tapis) and intricate embroidered clothing. The local cuisine is a draw in itself: seafood is abundant, and the signature dish is "seruit" — grilled fish served with a spicy sour sauce of tempoyak (fermented durian) and chili. The regency also has a strong agricultural base, with vast coffee, coconut, and rubber plantations. The people are generally welcoming, though English is not widely spoken outside of tourist-oriented businesses. Because the airport is relatively new (upgraded from a domestic airstrip in the early 2010s), it still feels less crowded than larger Indonesian airports, and the surrounding area retains a laid-back, rural character. For travellers willing to venture beyond the terminal, South Lampung offers a genuine slice of Sumatran life without the heavy tourism infrastructure of Bali or Jakarta.

Practical Information

Radin Inten II Airport is open daily from 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM. However, it is not open all days for flights; some airlines may not operate on certain public holidays when the airport is closed to commercial traffic. Confirm with your airline for specific operating hours on your travel date. The official website is not consistently updated; a more reliable source is the airport’s Instagram page (@radininten2) for real-time announcements. The direct phone number for airport inquiries is +62 721 799 9900. For taxis, use the official airport taxi counter inside the arrival hall to avoid overcharging — the set fare to Bandar Lampung city centre is 200,000 rupiah. If you have a layover, the baggage storage service allows you to explore briefly, but trips to the volcano are too long for a short stop. One concrete tip: if you are flying out during the busy Monday–Thursday afternoons, arrive at least two hours before departure — the check-in queue can be slow, and the departure lounge fills up quickly.