Here is a brief guide for those visiting for the first time in Jakarta.

Arrival at the airport

On the way from the gate to passport control you will find the switch for the VISA on arrival. If such a need to go next to this switch. There are two VISA: valid for one week or 30 days. A week costs 10, 30 days $ 25. These visas are valid for tourists and business. There is no way to extend this, so you must leave the country before the expiry of VISA again. Are prerequisites for a Visa on Arrival is not. Apart from a valid passport. Payment can be made in cash in dollars (preferred), made in Indonesian Rupia or by credit card, the latter often meets with difficulties and will not be accepted gladly. You pay on the first switch and the second then you get the VISA entry. The whole usually takes less than a minute.
If you then have to be VISA, or it had been before, you go to passport control. It is reviewed every pass. Nevertheless, it is usually quite fast and also very friendly. Even if you have a VISA: The border officer will determine whether you should enter! So even kindness on the part of the traveler is advised. Enter any of the usual stories about "little gifts" to officials to be allowed after 4 years and I can not confirm a number of entries.

Immediately after you go through passport control to the left to the baggage claim. Here one usually waits not long in his luggage. In the baggage claim area, there are also ATMs. Should be located between passport control and baggage claim no ATMs, it's no problem. In that case, it is recommended that if you need money or not, after you have received your luggage, go back to back in the direction of passport control. There you go straight over and down the hall. Probably because they will be relatively alone. You do not need money, you go left after about 100 meters through the customs check. If you would like hollow money is going to continue for another 20 meters. There are a number of ATMs. Receives money with normal banking cards (Cirrus, Maestro) or credit cards (Mastercard, Visa). Currently about 60 € 1 million Rupia. So you should at least survive the first day.

The problem is usually caused by customs inspection. Usually you will be asked to run the hand luggage through the scanner.

Ride to downtown

There are several ways to get into the city. Higher class hotels such as Marriott, Shangri La and Mandarin Oriental have a pickup service. Even with other hotels you can ask. If one has such an agreement if we look to the right and left side to see if you can find a sign with your name or the name of the hotel. There you go back and everything is ok.
If, however, is "self catering", I recommend the limousine service of the "Golden Bird". The switch is located after customs clearance on the right before the exit. One goes there, they say the want to and the hotel will pay at the counter and then usually has a limousine for two hours. The first offer is usually for a Mercedes 390 000 Rupia D class. This should reject it though. It also gives Toyota Camry for 240,000 Rupia. This is ok and the car is big enough. Advantage in the limousine service is that you have the vehicle for two hours a day and all fees are already paid. In addition, the driver speaks English, which for those who is in Jakarta for the first time, can be quite important.
If you are more adventurous there is the possibility to use regular taxis. It takes a lot of small change as one example, the tolls must be paid. In addition, an airport tax of currently Rupia 8000 to pay extra. Most taxi drivers are not flexible enough to allow me to add the Taxameterpreis. They must each pay the toll at the toll station itself. There is "Silver Bird", the level below the "Golden Bird". Basically, the "Golden Bird" with a taximeter. The price is above the other taxis, the driver speaks English but surely. The cars are clean and safe. The vehicles here are increasingly Mercedes, Toyota Crown and Nissan also older Silverbird.

Other taxis are generally possible. Each taxi has a taximeter. The quality differences are not so crass. However, most other taxi drivers speak no English or very bad. If you opt for a taxi: Go directly to the taxi stand. Just outside the hall of which are abundant. Can in no case of anyone to "help" of standing around there, or even give your luggage from your hand or put into a "taxi" can. It's best to ignore all that appeal to you.

For the more adventurous there is also a bus. The "Damri" leave from directly outside the hall. The whole thing is cheap and safe. The various destinations (gambier, Blok M, Bogor, ...) will be approached about every 20 minutes. There are no fixed times not.