Indonesia›From Medan›Lake Toba (Samosir)
Medan to Lake Toba (Samosir) by bus or road
About 175 km. The private car is fastest at 5 h; the bus is cheapest, from ₹930 per person.
Fastest
Private car
Car with driver to Parapat, per vehicle (ferry on foot extra)
5 h door to door
Cheapest
Bus
Shuttle minivan to Parapat + ferry to Tuktuk
from ₹930 per person
Best value
Bus
Shuttle minivan to Parapat + ferry to Tuktuk
cheapest at mid fares among options within 1.5× the fastest time (or 1 h more on a short ride)
Every option, compared
Door-to-door times (flights include the time at the airports). Fares are typical ranges from the cheapest seat to the premium one.
| Mode | Service | Time | Fare | Runs | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bus | Shuttle minivan to Parapat + ferry to Tuktuk | 5.5 h | ₹930–₹1,590per person | Daily | 12Go ↗ |
| Private car | Car with driver to Parapat, per vehicle (ferry on foot extra) | 5 h | ₹5,300–₹9,540per car (up to 4) | Daily | 12Go ↗ |
- Bus, Shuttle minivan to Parapat + ferry to Tuktuk: The last ferries from Parapat to Tuktuk leave in the early evening, so leave Medan by late morning. Lebaran and Christmas weekends bring long ferry queues.
Booking links open the route on the country's transport booking site for trains, buses, boats and transfers, and a flight search for flights, dated about two weeks out; change the date there.
What it costs your group, one way
Fares × people; a private car is priced per car, one car per four people.
| Option | 2 people | 4 people |
|---|---|---|
| Bus · Shuttle minivan to Parapat + ferry to Tuktuk | ₹1,860–₹3,180 | ₹3,720–₹6,360 |
| Private car · Car with driver to Parapat, per vehicle (ferry on foot extra) | ₹5,300–₹9,540 | ₹5,300–₹9,540 |
Once you’re in Lake Toba (Samosir)
- Best time: May – September
- Typical stay: 3 days
- November: Mixed month: November is outside the recommended season (May – September). Against it: North Sumatra Rainy Season.
Related
Plan Medan and Lake Toba (Samosir)
A day-by-day plan with this journey, the stays and the rest priced in.