A journey on a Haryanto bus from Jogja to Kudus evokes a bittersweet feeling. It’s not that the bus is uncomfortable, but rather the playlist – the songs played throughout the trip – stirs up a mix of emotions, from smiles remembering past moments to present-day melancholy.
A Disconnect with the Haryanto Bus Ticket Agent in Jombor
If you head to the Jombor Terminal in Sleman, Jogja around 9 a.m., a Haryanto bus is likely your ride for the route to Jogja-Magelang-Semarang-Kudus. That’s been the experience for Aji (26) on several return trips.
Aji doesn’t often ride the Haryanto bus, preferring Ramayana. Because of this, he admits he’s not particularly impressed with the attitude of the Haryanto bus ticket agent.
“The Ramayana agent at Jombor Terminal is a woman. She’s friendly. If you ask her something, she answers nicely. But it’s different with the Haryanto agent, whose location is near the toilet. The men are indifferent and curt,” shared the young man from Kudus, Central Java, on Saturday, March 7, 2026.
But Aji concedes his dealings with the agent are limited to purchasing a ticket. He often finds himself annoyed and impatient due to the bus’s delayed departure times.
Attacked by 2000s Throwbacks on the Haryanto Bus
Over several trips on the Haryanto bus, two return journeys in early 2026 revealed the musical tastes of the bus’s Jogja–Kudus route crew.
Typically, Aji uses headphones to listen to music from his favorite bands or podcasts during bus or travel rides.
On a return trip to Kudus in early 2026, before he could put his headset on, Aji’s ears were filled with sounds from the past: songs from the 2000s, songs that accompanied his teenage years. The music ranged from upbeat and cheerful to wistful and melancholic.
From Sebelum Cahaya and Permintaan Hati by Letto, to Merindukanmu and Cinta Ini Membunuhmu by D’Masiv, Pemilik Hati by Armada, and Separuh Aku and Cinta Bukan Dusta by Noah.
“The most epic moment was when the bus left the Jombor Terminal, and you could hear ‘deng-deng, denge-deng’, ‘terbuai, aku hilang, terjatuh aku dalam keindahan penantian…’,” Aji recalled. After that, his ears and heart were swept away, listening to song after song on the Jogja–Kudus Haryanto bus.
“Especially when it started to drizzle, and there were water droplets on the window, the song that came on was, ‘ingatkah engkau kepada embun pagi bersahaja…’, I immediately rested my head on the window, transported back in time,” Aji continued.
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