In attempts to re-enable the river transport that is considered less desirable by users, a typical approach/an approach related to the types of river transport that people expect. In this research, four types of river transport are offered to the community which is expected to physically meet the criteria of the (Indonesian) National Transportation System. Analysis of the selected priority level using an approach of the AHP method to relative and absolute measurement was carried out. The results of the analysis find that people generally tend to expect the typical river transport with the following criteria: catamaran type, the entry/exit can be from the front and the rear, the sides of the ship are flexible and can be open or closed, passengers can stand up inside the vehicle, the ship can load bikes, and the lower position of the passengers is above the surface of the water. In terms of the fulfillment of the (Indonesian) National Transportation System criteria, safety is the most dominant criterion to be considered (18.87%), followed by the criterion of security (16.45%), the utilization criterion (12.49%), and the comfort criterion (11.53%). While the criteria for a low level of pollution and capacities are the lowest criteria that influence the selected choice. Keywords: AHP method, the National Transportation System, typical river transport