How to travel from Lake Toba to Palopo, Indonesia
The distance between Lake Toba and Palopo is around 3,037km (1,887 miles) and the quickest way to get there is to take a ferry, then drive and then fly which takes around 8hrs.
10 routes found
We've found 10 different ways to get from Lake Toba to Palopo by ferry, car, plane, bus, taxi and train. The recommended routes, which include information on duration, ticket price, and level of difficulty, can be found below.
👋 Also check out Palopo → Lake Toba if you're planning a return trip.
Ferry, Car and Plane
Take a ferry to Ajibata then drive to Silangit (DTB) then fly from Silangit (DTB) to Palopo Lagaligo (LLO).
- Duration8hrs
- Flight time5h 35m
- Typical costIDR 5,526,865($370)
Multiple operators
6 similiar routes
We’ve grouped similar routes together, click the arrows to see the other options.
Ferry to Parapat, bus
Take a ferry to Parapat then take the bus to Amplas Station then take a ferry to Port of Tanjung Priok and then to Makassar then take the bus to Palopo.
- Duration5 days 6h
- Departsonce a week
- Typical costIDR 1,407,930($95)
Multiple operators
Ferry and Bus
Take a ferry to Ajibata then take the bus to Amplas Station, Bandar Lampung then Jakarta and then to Surabaya Kota then take a ferry to Makassar then take the bus to Palopo.
- Duration4 days 3h
- Departs3 times a week
- Typical costIDR 2,171,805($145)
Multiple operators
1 similiar route
We’ve grouped similar routes together, click the arrows to see the other options.
Frequently asked questionsabout travel between Lake Toba and Palopo
Popular questions
There are several options for getting from Lake Toba to Palopo by ferry, car, plane, bus, taxi and train. The cheapest option is to take a ferry and then take the bus which costs around IDR 1,407,930 ($95) and will take around 5 days 6h. If you need to get there more quickly, you can take a ferry, then drive and then fly and arrive in approximately 8hrs, though it is a bit more costly at approximately IDR 5,526,865 ($370).
The distance between Lake Toba and Palopo is around 3,037km (1,887 miles). In a direct line (as the crow flies), the distance is 2,447km (1,521 miles)
It takes around 8hrs to get from Lake Toba and Palopo by ferry, car and plane.
The quickest way to get from Lake Toba to Palopo is to take a ferry, then drive and then fly which takes around 8hrs and will set you back approx IDR 5,526,865 ($370).
The cheapest way to travel between Lake Toba and Palopo is to take a ferry and then take the bus which will typically cost around IDR 1,407,930 ($95) for a standard one-way ticket.
Train travel
There is no train service that runs between Lake Toba and Palopo. We recommend that you take a ferry to Ajibata then drive to Silangit (DTB) then fly from Silangit (DTB) to Palopo Lagaligo (LLO). instead which will take 8hrs.
Bus travel
Sorry, looks like there is no bus service that runs between Lake Toba and Palopo. We recommend that you take a ferry to Ajibata then drive to Silangit (DTB) then fly from Silangit (DTB) to Palopo Lagaligo (LLO). instead which will take 8hrs.
Flights and Airlines
It doesn't look like you can fly directly from Lake Toba to Palopo. We recommend that you take a ferry to Ajibata then drive to Silangit (DTB) then fly from Silangit (DTB) to Palopo Lagaligo (LLO). instead which will take 8hrs.
The closest major airport to Palopo is Tampa Padang Airport (MJU) (MJU) which is approximately 137km (85 miles) from Palopo. Mutiara Airport (PLW) (PLW) and Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport (UPG) (UPG) are also nearby and might be a better alternative airport depending on where you are flying from.
Drive yourself
No, its not really possible or feasible to drive from Lake Toba to Palopo. We recommend that you take a ferry to Ajibata then drive to Silangit (DTB) then fly from Silangit (DTB) to Palopo Lagaligo (LLO). instead which will take 8hrs.
If you don't have a car, the easiest way to get from Lake Toba to Palopo is to take a ferry, then drive and then fly which takes, on average, 8hrs and will usually cost around IDR 5,526,865 ($370).
Compare travel optionsbetween Lake Toba and Palopo
| Transport option | Duration | Cost | Frequency | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Ferry, Car and Plane + 6 similar | 8hrs | IDR 5,526,865($370) | 4 times a day | 3,037km (1,887 miles) |
| Ferry to Ajibata, car and plane | 15h 15m | IDR 5,302,195($355) | 4 times a day | 3,503km (2,176 miles) |
| Ferry to Ajibata, car and plane | 22h 20m | IDR 5,362,110($360) | every 20 mins | 3,643km (2,264 miles) |
| Ferry, Car, Train and Plane | 12h 20m | IDR 5,556,820($370) | once daily | 3,291km (2,045 miles) |
| Ferry, Car, Plane and Taxi | 12h 20m | IDR 6,006,160($400) | 4 times a day | 3,356km (2,085 miles) |
| Ferry, Car, Plane and Bus | 15h 30m | IDR 4,673,120($310) | once daily | 3,150km (1,957 miles) |
| Ferry, Car, Train, Plane and Bus | 19h 50m | IDR 4,852,855($325) | once daily | 3,404km (2,115 miles) |
Ferry to Parapat, bus | 5 days 6h | IDR 1,407,930($95) | once a week | 3,896km (2,421 miles) |
Ferry and Bus + 1 similar | 4 days 3h | IDR 2,171,805($145) | 3 times a week | 4,100km (2,547 miles) |
| Ferry, Car, Train and Bus | 3 days 23h | IDR 1,977,090($130) | 3 times a week | 4,048km (2,516 miles) |
Top Carriersoperating between Lake Toba and Palopo
Airlines
Citilink Indonesia
Wings Air
Batik Air
Lion Mentari Airlines
Scoot Tigerair
Ferry operators
ASDP Indonesia Ferry
Damri
Pelni
Local Ferry Indonesia
Bus companies
Primadona bus
Putra Pelangi
Local Bus Indonesia
Train operators
Kereta API
Airports near Palopo
The following major airports near Palopo offer regular flights to various popular destinations within Indonesia and internationally.
Tampa Padang Airport (MJU)
- Distance
- 137km (85 miles) from Palopo
Mutiara Airport (PLW)
- Distance
- 234km (145 miles) from Palopo
Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport (UPG)
- Distance
- 242km (150 miles) from Palopo