KM Tilongkabila confirms September Labuan Bajo calls from Benoa and Sulawesi

Labuan Bajo — PT PELNI’s passenger ship KM Tilongkabila is scheduled to serve multiple inter-island routes in September 2026, including calls at Labuan Bajo and Benoa as part of its Benoa–Bitung–Benoa pattern. Independent schedules derived from PELNI’s booking system and regional media show confirmed Labuan Bajo arrivals on 4 September and 28 September, with additional Benoa–Labuan Bajo sailings later in the month.

According to a September 2026 schedule compiled by Nurcholis.com, KM Tilongkabila operates two consecutive voyages between early and late September, covering Benoa, Lembar (Gilimas), Bima, Labuan Bajo, Makassar, Baubau, Raha, Kendari, Luwuk, Gorontalo and Bitung on a loop that returns to Benoa via the same ports. A detailed correction published by Tribun Ternate describes the same route sequence and lists Labuan Bajo among the ports served on these September voyages.

Regional coverage based on PELNI’s online booking data confirms that Labuan Bajo is scheduled as a Tilongkabila port of call on 4 September 2026, with arrival at 22.00 and departure at 23.59 local time. The same Nurcholis.com schedule and a dedicated Tilongkabila September overview indicate a further Labuan Bajo stop on 28 September 2026, with a planned window from 16.00 to 18.00.

September route highlights

Media reports quoting PELNI’s timetable show KM Tilongkabila departing Benoa on 3 September 2026 at 09.00, calling at Gilimas/Lembar on the same day from 15.00 to 17.00, then stopping at Bima on 4 September from 11.00 to 15.00 before reaching Labuan Bajo at 22.00. From Labuan Bajo, the vessel continues north and east through Makassar, Baubau, Raha, Kendari, Luwuk, Gorontalo and Bitung, before returning via the same string of Sulawesi ports and heading back south to Labuan Bajo, Bima, Lembar and Benoa.

Tribun group outlets in Ambon, Papua Barat and Kupang, all citing pelni.co.id, present Tilongkabila’s September pattern as part of Voyage 16.2026 and Voyage 17.2026, covering the Benoa–Bitung–Benoa loop in two halves. These reports collectively describe KM Tilongkabila as serving key tourism and transit gateways, including Benoa in Bali, Gilimas/Lembar in Lombok, Bima and Labuan Bajo in Nusa Tenggara, and Makassar and Bitung on the Sulawesi leg.

Labuan Bajo and Benoa sailings

For travellers moving between Bali and Labuan Bajo, several sources agree that KM Tilongkabila provides at least two Benoa–Labuan Bajo sailings in September 2026. Kumparan and Flores-based coverage, again drawing on PELNI data, confirm a departure from Benoa on 3 September at 09.00 and arrival in Labuan Bajo on 4 September at 22.00, with an approximate voyage duration of one day and 13 hours. A later Benoa–Labuan Bajo departure on 17 September at 07.00, arriving on 18 September at 19.00, is reported as part of the same Tilongkabila service pattern.

Separate commercial and informational sites summarising PELNI routes for travellers also highlight Tilongkabila’s role on the Benoa–Labuan Bajo corridor in September 2026, noting its 3 September departure and 4 September arrival, with similar timings to those carried by the news outlets. These align with the broader Voyage 16.2026 and Voyage 17.2026 structure described by Kupang-based coverage, which presents Benoa, Lembar, Bima, Labuan Bajo, Makassar, Baubau, Raha, Kendari, Luwuk, Gorontalo and Bitung as the recurring ports on the ship’s September loop.

Fares and booking

Multiple reports quoting pelni.co.id state that economy-class adult fares on Tilongkabila’s Benoa–Labuan Bajo route in September 2026 are listed at around Rp295,500, with similar prices noted for other economy options. Kupang-based coverage adds indicative fares for segments such as Makassar–Labuan Bajo and Labuan Bajo–Makassar, though exact prices can vary by class and date.

Media and travel sites consistently advise passengers to confirm current prices, seat availability and segment-by-segment booking options directly through PELNI’s official website or authorised agents, as online schedules and summaries do not guarantee real-time capacity.

For visitors to Labuan Bajo and Komodo National Park, KM Tilongkabila’s September 2026 timetable offers a slower, sea-based alternative to flights between Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa and Sulawesi. However, because schedules have undergone corrections and multiple updates across Voyage 16.2026 and Voyage 17.2026, prospective passengers are urged to treat published timetables as indicative and verify final departure and arrival times before planning onward travel.

Sources

• Nurcholis.com — Jadwal Kapal Pelni KM Tilongkabila September 2026
• Tribun Ternate — Koreksi Jadwal KM Tilongkabila September 2026, Rute Lengkap Terbaru Kapal Pelni
• Kumparan — Jadwal Kapal Pelni Bulan September 2026, Catat Rute Perjalanannya