How to Get Around Bintan: A Complete Transport Guide
Getting around Bintan is straightforward once you know which option fits your itinerary, but it’s a fair question to ask before you land, the island doesn’t work quite like Singapore or Bali.
Based on our experience assisting travelers, most visitors end up using a mix of four things: a private car charter, their resort’s shuttle, Grab car and the BinBin Shuttle Bus.
Grab is available too, but only in certain pockets of the island, which catches a lot of first-time visitors off guard.
Below, we’ve broken down every transport option we regularly recommend to guests, along with where each one actually makes sense and where it doesn’t.
Private Car Charters in Bintan
Best for: point-to-point trips, and full-day or half-day sightseeing
This is the option we point most travelers toward, and for good reason.
A private car charter lets you set your own pace and visit attractions in whatever order makes sense for your day, something that matters more than people expect once they’re trying to fit in spots like Blue Lake Bintan and Sand Dunes without backtracking across the island.
Charters are typically booked as full-day or half-day trips, and pricing varies quite a bit between transport companies and independent local drivers.
What we usually recommend is confirming the price and exactly what’s included, fuel, driver waiting time, duration & itinerary, before you commit, since this is where misunderstandings tend to happen.
As an example, Bintan Travel Guide (BTG) offers a Full Day Trip Tours & Sightseeing package that always includes private transport and a driver-guide.
Pricing is fully inclusive and everything is arranged in advance, so you won’t run into any unexpected costs along the way.
Resort Shuttle Services
Most hotels and resorts in the Bintan Resorts area run a shuttle for guests arriving from Singapore via the Bandar Bentan Telani (BBT) Ferry Terminal.
This is usually the easiest way to start your trip if you’re staying in that area on arrival day.
This shuttle typically needs to be arranged with your hotel ahead of time rather than booked on the spot. For the full process, see our guide on how to arrange shuttle services.
BinBin Shuttle Bus
The BinBin Shuttle Bus is an electric shuttle running fixed routes and schedules within the Bintan Resorts area.
It’s a popular choice for travelers staying in Lagoi and the surrounding resort zones who want something simple for short hops, a day pass starts from around IDR 25,000 and covers unlimited rides for the day.
Grab Car Services
This is one of the most common questions we receive, so it’s worth being direct about it, Grab does work in Bintan, but only within the Bintan Resorts (Lagoi) area and Tanjung Pinang city.
Outside of that East Bintan and the Trikora area in particular, coverage is limited and you shouldn’t count on it.
Within its coverage zone, Grab in Bintan is genuinely useful for short trips: from the BBT Ferry Terminal to your resort, between hotels and Lagoi Bay, or to nearby attractions.
Custom Tours & Sightseeing around Bintan
While a private car charter covers point-to-point transport, Custom Tours & Sightseeing is built around what you actually want to see and do.
The service includes private transport and a driver-guide, with the itinerary tailored to your interests, whether that’s a mangrove tour, an evening fireflies tour, or something more active like the Bintan ATV Adventure or snorkeling.
Because the itinerary is planned and confirmed in advance, you’ll know exactly what each stop involves and what’s included before the day starts.
Pricing is set upfront as well, so there’s no need to worry about hidden costs once you’re already on the road.
This makes it a more personalized and hassle-free option compared to arranging a private car charter on its own, the planning is handled for you, while you still decide where you want to go and what you want to do.
Hotel Taxi Services
Every resort and hotel on the island has a taxi counter or activity desk on-site. If you need a ride, just walk up, tell them where you’re headed, and they’ll arrange a car for you directly.
This is a standard service available at hotels and resorts across Bintan, making it a convenient option for short or last-minute trips.
Private Arrival and Departure Transfers
For first-time visitors, a private transfer is usually the simplest way to start and end a trip without having to think too hard about logistics on day one.
BTG offers this for travelers arriving on the island for the first time as well. These transfers typically cover direct routes such as:
- Bandar Bentan Telani Ferry Terminal to East Bintan / Trikora area
- Tanjung Pinang Ferry Terminal to the Bintan Resorts area
It’s especially worth considering if your hotel doesn’t offer a shuttle, or if you’d simply rather have a driver waiting for you than work around a fixed schedule.
Learn more our private transfer services
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but only within the Bintan Resorts (Lagoi) area and Tanjung Pinang, including pickups from the Bandar Bentan Telani Ferry Terminal. It's not reliably available in East Bintan or Trikora.
A day pass starts from around IDR 25,000 and includes unlimited rides on its fixed routes within the Bintan Resorts area.
Yes. Every resort and hotel has a taxi counter or activity desk where staff can arrange a car for you on the spot.
A resort shuttle is typically arranged through your specific hotel for fixed transfers, such as from the ferry terminal. The BinBin Shuttle Bus is a separate, paid hop-on-hop-off service connecting multiple resorts, Plaza Lagoi, and nearby beaches on a fixed schedule.
Most resorts offer scheduled shuttles from the ferry terminal. If your hotel doesn't provide one, a private arrival transfer can have a driver waiting for you instead.
No, Grab coverage is largely limited to the Bintan Resorts area and Tanjung Pinang. For East Bintan or Trikora, a private car charter or your hotel's taxi counter is a more dependable option.
Written by Sigit Supriadi
Founder & Travel Specialist, Bintan Travel Guide (BTG)
Sigit is based in Tanjungpinang, Bintan Island
Has been arranging tours and travel itineraries for visitors to Bintan since 2023,
including Bintan tours, private transfers, and hotel stays.
He works hands-on with travelers daily, and is frequently mentioned by name in guest reviews on TripAdvisor and Google Business Profile for his local knowledge and on-the-ground assistance.
The guidance in this article comes directly from that experience
Written by Sigit Supriadi
Founder & Travel Specialist, Bintan Travel Guide (BTG)
Sigit is based in Tanjungpinang, Bintan Island
Has been arranging tours and travel itineraries for visitors to Bintan since 2023,
including Bintan tours, private transfers, and hotel stays.
He works hands-on with travelers daily, and is frequently mentioned by name in guest reviews on TripAdvisor and Google Business Profile for his local knowledge and on-the-ground assistance.
The guidance in this article comes directly from that experience
