Visiting Prambanan Temple from Yogyakarta: A Complete Guide!

Post updated April 16, 2026

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If you’re planning a visit to the Javanese city of Yogyakarta, chances are you’re looking into seeing the nearby Prambanan Temple. And you should! It’s incredible to see in person.

For those who don’t know, Prambanan is a cluster of ancient Hindu temples that were constructed in Central Java around 850 CE. They’re situated a mere 53 km (33 miles) from the world-famous Buddhist temple of Borobudur and 17 km (11 miles) from the city of Yogyakarta, making them a cinch to get to.

With its neck-craning towers – the main temple measures over 150 feet tall – and intricate reliefs, Prambanan is reminiscent of Cambodia’s Angkor Wat (which just happens to be my favorite temple complex in the whole wide world). Prambanan remains one of the largest Hindu temples in Southeast Asia and is a definite must-see if you find yourself on Java.

Prambanan Temple vs. Borobudur

Although Prambanan and Borobudur are situated close to one another, the two temples are vastly different. Being Hindu and Buddhist, respectively, both sites offer a unique glimpse into Javanese history and architecture. Meaning each of these great temples deserves a visit in its own right.

Despite the fact that the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Prambanan Temple tends to get overshadowed by glitzy and glamorous Borobudur, Prambanan is most definitely nothing to scoff at. If you’re planning a visit to Yogjakarta, you should definitely visit both Prambanan Temple and Borobudur Temple (you can even visit both in one day!). I’ve written a full guide about visiting Borobudur, so this guide will give you all the details about pretty Prambanan!

Visiting Hours

The Prambanan Temple complex is open 7 days a week from 6:30 am until 5 pm.

Prambanan Temple Tickets

Buying Prambanan Temple Tickets Online

The easiest way to get your Prambanan Temple tickets is to buy them online through the official website. It’s important to note that their are different ticket prices for foreigners and domestic tourists. Tickets for domestic tourists cost 50,000 rupiah (adults) and 25,000 rupiah (children) and tickets for foreign tourists cost 400,000 rupiah (adults) and 250,000 (children).

There are two reasons why you should prebook your Prambanan Temple tickets. First, they cap the number of visitors to the site each day, so you don’t want to make the journey out there just to be disappointed. Second, the ticket lines can get really long, so it’s easier to book them ahead of time and skip the lengthy queues.

Buying Prambanan Temple Tickets On-site

You can easily purchase your ticket on-site, too. Do note that there are separate ticket booths for foreign and domestic visitors. So if you’re a foreigner, don’t make the mistake of waiting in the long lines outside. 

Foreigners need to go inside the building, where the line is usually much shorter compared to the domestic line. The on-site ticket prices are the exact same as they are online: 50,000 rupiah for domestic adults and 25,000 for domestic children and 400,000 rupiah for foreign adults and 250,000 for foreign children.

Join a Tour of Prambanan Temple

If you prefer to take a tour of Prambanan Temple, you’ll have plenty of options to choose from. Tours will take you from your hotel in Yogyakarta to the temple compound, so you won’t have to worry about getting there on your own.

Another perk is that guides will pepper you with all sorts of interesting information about the temples that you’d miss out on if you choose to visit independently. Plus, a lot of these tours also take you to both Prambanan Temple and nearby Borobudur, so it’s possible to tick off these two bucket list activities in one day!

I personally recommend taking this Setumbu Sunrise Borobudur and Prambanan Tour. This allows you to take in the famous sunrise over Borobudur from the vantage point of nearby Setumbu Hill. After that you’ll get a guided tour of Borobudur Temple before making your way to Prambanan Temple. It’s a great way to see it all in one day!

How to Get to Prambanan Temple from Yogyakarta

By bus 1A

It is incredibly simple to reach Prambanan using the local bus, better known as Transjogja. Here are a few things you need to know:

• Hop on bus 1A: If you’re staying in Yogyakarta, most hotels are clustered around the main drag, Jalan Malioboro. There are two bus stops on this street. And, just so you know, all bus stops are actually elevated platforms. Weird, I know, but at least it makes them easy to spot.
• Frequency of buses: In my experience buses run fairly frequently. I never waited more than 15 minutes.
• Cost: The cost (one-way) to reach Prambanan is only 4,000 rupiah ($0.25 USD). It’s ridiculously cheap.  The ride takes roughly one hour. It’s comfortable and here’s the kicker, the buses are air-conditioned, offering a nice escape from the scorching heat.
• When to get off: The stop for Prambanan is at the end of the line (Terminal Prambanan), so you don’t have to worry about missing your stop. But it never hurts to tell the driver to let you know when to get off.
• How to get from the bus stop to the temple: Prambanan Temple is located across the street from Terminal Prambanan. You’ll walk for about 15 minutes to reach the ticket booth and the temple grounds.

By Grab or Gojek

If you’re short on time or don’t mind paying a bit more, you can easily book a Grab or Gojek for about 100,000 each way. That being said, prices can fluctuate based on the time of day and weather.

Tips on Visiting Prambanan

• What to wear: Because this is a religious site, you should cover your knees and shoulders. It’s perfectly fine if you’re wearing shorts, though. You’ll just be wrapped in a sarong at the entrance!
• Bring an umbrella: An umbrella will protect you from rain and the brutal sun. 

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Have you ever visited Prambanan Temple?  Did you think it was worth a visit?