Bali Fuel Queues October 2026: What It Means for Tourists

As of 23 October 2026, Bali's fuel queues have largely cleared. Kompas.com reported average waits of about 10 minutes (30 minutes at most) at petrol stations in Denpasar, Badung and Tabanan on 21 October, a week after some riders queued for up to 12 hours. For visitors the impact is now small, but the odd-even refuelling rule still applies until Friday 23 October, and when this was checked (23 October 2026) the Bali provincial government had not announced whether it would be extended again.

What happened, and what is the official cause?

The queues began on Sunday 11 October 2026, first because Pertalite ran out and then Pertamax. Pertamina CEO Simon Aloysius Mantiri said the main cause was a disrupted unloading of one tanker that had anchoring problems at the port, which delayed deliveries from the depot to petrol stations (CNN Indonesia, 14 October). Pertamina Patra Niaga Jatimbalinus added that demand briefly exceeded station stock, and Governor Wayan Koster said many residents filled up at the same time out of fear of running out.

The response: stations in Denpasar and Badung went 24 hours, fuel tankers from Java were increased from three to seven, and Bali's reserve was raised from about 11 to 15 days (detikFinance, 20 October). The province also ordered work from home and online classes at schools and universities on 15-17 October (NusaBali), then an odd-even scheme on 17-19 October that was extended to 23 October.

Does odd-even apply to tourists' vehicles?

• How it works: plates ending in an even number refuel on even dates, odd plates on odd dates. During the extension, even plates had 20 and 22 October, odd plates 21 and 23 October.
• Exempt (official Bali provincial website): ambulances, fire engines, logistics vehicles, public passenger transport and vehicles carrying staple goods. Yellow-plate taxis count as public transport. Self-drive rental scooters and cars usually have black plates, so the rule applies. Check the last digit of the plate at pick-up.
• Purchase cap: Pertamina capped sales at 3 litres per transaction for motorbikes and 20 litres for cars. Three litres covers roughly 120 km on an automatic scooter.
• When a station is quiet, attendants sometimes let other plates fill up while reminding them of the rule (Kompas.com, 21 October). Don't count on it.

Grab, Gojek, taxis, drivers, fast boats: what changed?

Ride-hailing. The worst days were 12-16 October. detikBali reported customers in Badung and Denpasar struggling to find drivers and paying more; one trip that normally costs about Rp30k briefly cost Rp67k (periskop.id). That was surge pricing while drivers were scarce, not a new official fare, and drivers complained their base rates had not changed. Grab and Gojek have not issued statements, but bookings became easier as queues eased. Normal fares are in our guide to Grab and Gojek fares in Bali.

Taxis and private drivers. No fare increase has been announced. What's New Indonesia (19 October) noted airport transfers and tours running late, one operator by four hours. If a driver asks for extra fuel money outside your agreement, ask up front whether the day rate includes fuel, and compare with daily car-with-driver prices.

Fast boats. As of 23 October we found no reports of fast boats to Nusa Penida or the Gilis cancelled over fuel. Bali's Biosolar (diesel) reserve was the thinnest on 19 October, about 5 days according to the provincial website, so confirm your departure with the operator the day before.

Bottled petrol. Disway reported a viral video of alleged roadside sales to tourists in Canggu at Rp150-200k for a 1.5-litre bottle. The official Pertalite price is still Rp10,000 per litre; details are in can tourists buy Pertalite in Bali.

What to do this week

• Refuel at half a tank. Outside Denpasar and Badung deliveries can lag; Beritasatu reported the Pengastulan station in Buleleng running dry even after queues had generally normalised.
• Add a 30-60 minute buffer for airport runs.
• Compare several apps. If prices spike, wait 15-30 minutes and check again.
• Cut long daily drives: staying near the places you visit most, for example with an AccessiaPass hotel voucher in that area, saves road time and fuel worries at once.
• Watch baliprov.go.id or the notice boards at stations for the decision after 23 October. Other rules for drivers and riders are on our Bali rules page.

FAQ

Is it safe to travel to Bali now? Yes. The airport, hotels and attractions are operating normally. The disruption was to road transport and has eased since 18 October.

Does odd-even continue after 23 October? No decision had been announced as of 23 October 2026. The province says the policy is under review and can end once supply and queues are normal.

Did fuel prices go up? No. Pump prices are unchanged; only unofficial roadside prices and app surge fares rose at the peak.