AP Photos: Indonesia expects biggest-ever Eid homecoming

AP PHOTOS: Indonesia expects biggest-ever Eid homecoming, a mass movement of over 190 million people

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Motorists queue up to board a ferry to cross to Sumatra Island ahead of Eid al-Fitr holiday at Ciwandan Port in Cilegon, Indonesia, Sunday, April 7, 2024. Millions of Indonesians are packing bus and train stations, airports and highways as they head to hometowns to celebrate Thursday’s Eid al-Fitr festival with family. (AP Photo/Dziki Oktomauliyadi)

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Motorists queue up to board a ferry to cross to Sumatra Island ahead of Eid al-Fitr holiday at Ciwandan Port in Cilegon, Indonesia, Sunday, April 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Dziki Oktomauliyadi)

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Motorists queue up to board a ferry to leave for their hometowns at Gilimanuk Port on Bali Island, Indonesia on Saturday, April 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati)

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A man carries his belongings at Kalideres Bus Terminal in Jakarta, Indonesia, Saturday, April 6, 2024. Millions of Indonesians are packing bus and train stations, airports and highways as they head to hometowns to celebrate Thursday’s Eid al-Fitr festival with family. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

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People board boats as they travel to their home villages to celebrate Eid al-Fitr holiday at a wharf in Palembang, South Sumatra, Indonesia, Sunday, April 7, 2024. Millions of Indonesians are packing bus and train stations, airports and highways as they head to hometowns to celebrate Thursday’s Eid al-Fitr festival with family. (AP Photo/Muhammad Hatta)

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People wait for their buses as they leave for their hometowns ahead of the Eid al-Fitr holiday at Kalideres Bus Terminal in Jakarta, Indonesia, Saturday, April 6, 2024. Millions of Indonesians are packing bus and train stations, airports and highways as they head to hometowns to celebrate Thursday’s Eid al-Fitr festival with family. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

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People board a bus as they leave for their hometown ahead of the Eid al-Fitr holiday at Kalideres Bus Terminal in Jakarta, Indonesia, Saturday, April 6, 2024. Millions of Indonesians are packing bus and train stations, airports and highways as they head to hometowns to celebrate Thursday’s Eid al-Fitr festival with family. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

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People wait for the departure of their buses to Central Java on a free trip home organized by Indonesian National Police ahead of Eid al-Fitr holiday in Jakarta, Indonesia, Saturday, April 6, 2024. Millions of Indonesians are packing bus and train stations, airports and highways as they head to hometowns to celebrate Thursday’s Eid al-Fitr festival with family. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

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People board boats as they travel to their home villages to celebrate Eid al-Fitr holiday, at a wharf in Palembang, South Sumatra, Indonesia, Sunday, April 7, 2024. Millions of Indonesians are packing bus and train stations, airports and highways as they head to hometowns to celebrate Thursday’s Eid al-Fitr festival with family. (AP Photo/Muhammad Hatta)

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People wait for the train that will take them to their hometown ahead of Eid al-Fitr holiday, at Senen Train Station in Jakarta, Indonesia, Wednesday, April 3, 2024. Millions of Indonesians are packing bus and train stations, airports and highways as they head to hometowns to celebrate Thursday’s Eid al-Fitr festival with family. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

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Motorists queue up to board a ferry to leave for their hometowns at Gilimanuk Port on Bali Island, Indonesia on Saturday, April 6, 2024. Millions of Indonesians are packing bus and train stations, airports and highways as they head to hometowns to celebrate Thursday’s Eid al-Fitr festival with family. (AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati)

By EDNA TARIGAN

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) —

Millions of Indonesians are packing bus and train stations, airports and highways as they head to hometowns to celebrate Thursday’s Eid al-Fitr festival with family.

The Transportation Ministry expects the largest movement of people in Indonesia’s history.

The agency is projecting the number of travelers heading home could reach 193 million, or nearly 72% of the population — up from 124 million, or 46%, last year.

Indonesia is the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country. And every year, there is a vast exodus of people from urban centers across the vast archipelago to more rural hometowns to celebrate the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. The homecoming tradition is known as “mudik.”

In the capital, Jakarta, thousands of people have filled bus and train stations every day over the past week. More than 1.1 million people are expected to depart the greater Jakarta area to return to hometowns.