There are different options, which also depend on your arrival time. The Indonesian government is not able to provide a proper solution to reach Lake Toba. We don’t know what the people in the Tourism Departments are doing and not solve the priority one problem to come to Lake Toba. Until now there is no internet portal for the access of lake Toba. And there is no proper solution to reach Lake Toba. There is no train or real bus from the Airport to Lake Toba. In July 2023 already we complain this in a public meeting in front of television cameras to the Tourism Minister of Indonesia Sandiaga Uno:
The Government “organized’ then a DAMRI minibus service from the Airport to Ajibata: For the beginning it was not bookable without indonesian payment system or without an Indonesian ID Card, then it was not really published, that the people know how to use it. Then all the time the drives have had cancelled a few ours before and then you could not make a booking anymore (February 2026). They offered it for a price of 35.000 Rupiah, which was much to cheap and destroyed the activities of commercial operator like Sejathera They started around the same time with a service for 150.000 Rp. And they find customers, because you can make a booking with them and they operate and take care of the customer.
We try to assist you.
FROM MEDAN TO PARAPAT/AJIBATA
The most guests reach us from Medan. You can take the public bus Sejahtera 75.000 Aircon from Amplas Busterminal directly to the Ajibata harbour. Sejathera operates real buses starting 6am to 6 pm. Also they have premium Minibus services. There you have to make a booking via Whatsapp to 0853 1660 9888. The actual schedule and price you can find on their instagram @sejatheratransindo_. The minibus service of them also connects the airport. The price is from the Airport to Parapat 130.000 Rp and from Medan to Parapat 100.000 Rp. They operate 4 times a day.
From Kualanamu Airport BY TAXI
At the Airport you can find a taxi, which brings you for around 1.000.000 IDR incl. Toll Road fee to Ajibata (high season the price can get more then 1.200.000 Rp.). Also you can ask us to send you a taxi there in advance for 1.200.000 Rp.
Also for any further Information or help, you need to come to our place, you can phone or Whatsapp us: +6281260858209. Then we can assist you.
Also it is sometimes possible with a shared taxi, if they find other customers. The price then depends on the amount of passengers. You can get it maybe for 150.000 per person. Up to bargaining.
FROM MEDAN AIRPORT WITH BUS AND TAXI
The company PARADEP operates an Aircon Bus from the Airport to Siantar (55.000 Rp.) From there they have shared taxi to Ajibata for around 30.000 Rp. The buses go nearly each hour. But if they have less people, they don’t want to go. Also they make first a stop at the PARADEP owned restaurant close to the airport. Then the driver drives often crazy. It is more an nightmare then an option.
Better you take the DAMRI bus (40000 Rp.) until Amplas Terminal in Medan and from there you go with the Sejathera Bus directly to Ajibata harbour in Parapat. (70.000 Rp. )
FROM SILANGIT (DTB) AIRPORT TO PARAPAT
In the south of Lake Toba is a new airport with direct flights to Jakarta and Batam.
You can take a transport down to Balige to the harbour. From there is at 2 pm a boat to Onan Runggu (40.000 IDR) on Samosir. We can pick up you from Onan Runggu (780.000 Rp.) or Balige (1.800.000 Rp) with our Speedboat.
The way back to the airport to Silangit is also possible with this option. The boat from Onan Runggu leaves at 9 am, reach Balige at 10 and from there it is less then one hour to the airport.
From Silangit you can take a direct bus from the government runned company DAMRI direct to Parapat/Adjibata. It leaves from Silangit at 09.00, 10.00, 15.00, 16.00 and costs 65.000 Rp. From Ajibata to Silangit at: 06.00, 07.00, 12.00, 13.00.
FROM PARAPAT TO SILIMALOMBU
Most Direct:
In Parapat you go to the Ajibata Harbour for people and motorbikes (NOT the car ferry port).
If you are lucky you can take take local boat “Martha” straight to Silimalombu 1 pm at Monday, Thursday and Saturday for 20.000 Rp. (Saturday at 2pm).
But often the boat has a delay of one or two our hours, sometimes more. The best is to have a smartphone and use the time to make all the Internet things. You can wait on the boat or in a coffee shop. The boat take 1 hour directly to the pier of our house.
Not so direct:
Every hour there is a local boat from Parapat and Ajibata harbour to Tomok for 15.000 Rp. From Tomok you have to take a Motorbike taxi or a car to bring you to Silimalombu. This also we can arrange for you . For a Motorbike it is 100.000 Rp. For a car pick up it is 200.000 Rp.
Most fast
We can pick you up from Ajibata/Parapat with our speedboat for 900.000 IDR and then you are in 20 minutes at our house.
WITH CAR from Ajibata/Parapat
There are 3 car ferries from Ajibata to Tomok/Ambarita. They all operate from 5.30 until 9 pm. In high season the Tao Toba ferry operates 24 hours. The price for the Government ferry and Wira is around 250.000 Rp. You have to book in advance via the website www.trip.ferizy.com. Also the schedule you can find there. But you have to pay with an Indonesian Bank account or Wallet. Not possible with credit cards.
The other ferry is Wira Toba. Also operating from Ajibata to Ambarita. They also use the online booking of Ferizy and use the same harbour.
The third, a private ferry operates already since 50 years and costs only around 150.000 Rp for a car. This operates several times a day and at public holidays also sometimes up to 24 hours a day if they have passengers. Scheduled the last ferry is 9 pm. No booking in advance possible. It takes 1 hour.
From there you can drive the 12 km to Silimalombu. It takes you around 30 minutes. Google know “Ecovillage Silimalombu” and bring you directly to our house.
From Medan or Silangit via Tele over land without ferry
The other way to reach us without Ferry is via Pangururan and Tele. It is a very scenic drive. From Tele you go down from 2000 m to 900 m sea level. Also you can visit the Geopark Exhibition in Sigulatti or visit the hot springs in Pangururan. In high season without a ferry booking it can be faster to go this way.