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span class="inline inline-left">Dazed and confused: Commuters check the new Greater Jakarta Commuter train schedule at Manggarai Station in South Jakarta. State-owned commuter train operator PT Kereta Commuter Jabodetabek began operating a new train route system on Monday that reduced 37 routes to six, angering commuters who must endure long ticket queues and delays. JP/Wendra AjistyatamaState-owned commuter train operator PT Kereta Commuter Jabodetabek (KCJ) began on Monday the implementation of a new train routing system for Jakarta, much to the dismay of its passengers.

Under the new “loop-line” system, commuter train routes were reduced from 37 to six. The six routes will connect suburbs with downtown Jakarta. Passengers from the suburbs have to arrive at major stations before they can join a loop-line transporting them downtown.

One passenger, Erna Afifah, 24, complained that she now had to spend more time for her daily commute.

“Now I have to transit at Tanah Abang Station and then Manggarai station to get from Serpong to the Sudirman area in Central Jakarta,” said Erna, who works at a private company in the downtown area.

Another passenger, Martiyanti Ibrahim, 35, complained about the lengthy wait that she had to endure because there were fewer trains that could transport her from the suburban area of Depok to her office in Palmerah, West Jakarta.

“The schedule said that there are four trains arriving in half an hour, but only one showed up,” Martiyanti said.

She also complained about KCJ not providing enough information to commuters who flocked train stations, resulting in confusion over the new system.

“They have had a trial run for the new system for four days — why haven’t they made improvements?” she said.

State railway firm PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) Jakarta branch spokesman Mateta Rizalulhaq said that more officials had been deployed to help passengers at transit stations.

“We are also adding more train cars to prevent passengers from crowding stations,” Mateta said.

More cars have been added to trains plying the Bekasi–Manggarai, Tanah Abang–Serpong, Manggarai–Tanah Abang and Senen–Jatinegara routes.

KCJ corporate secretary Makmur Syaheran said that more trains had also been dispatched for the Manggarai-Tanah Abang and Senen-Jatinegara routes during peak hours.

“We also plan to paint trains according to the routes they serve to avoid confusion and better assist passengers,” Makmur said.

The six main routes for the new system consist of the Bogor/Depok–Manggarai–Jakarta Kota, Bogor/Depok-Tanah Abang–Pasar Senen–Jatinegara, Bekasi–Jatinegara–Manggarai–Jakarta Kota, Parung Panjang/Serpong–Tanah Abang, Tangerang–Duri and Tanjung Priok–Jakarta Kota routes.

The Bogor–Jatinegara route serves as the loop line in the new system. Passengers from the suburbs heading for destinations in downtown areas have to transit at Manggarai Station, Tanah Abang Station, Jatinegara Station in East Jakarta and Duri Station in West Jakarta.

KCJ expects that the new routing system will shorten the waiting period for passengers and eliminate the need to switch trains for different routes in Greater Jakarta.

The loop line is part of the KCJ plan for a single operating system. KCJ dropped its express train service in July, with all trains now stopping at every station to carry more passengers.

The rerouting policy could boost the number of passengers served every day by up to 10 percent.