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AKARTA: State train operator PT KAI has procured 18 old trains from Japan to expand its commuter line service in Greater Jakarta, an official said on Thursday.

KAI Commuter Jabodetabek (KCJ) director Tri Wahyono said the additional 180 carriages would arrive in several phases from July to December. He said the fleet expansion could increase train capacity by 20 percent.

“We’ve bought old trains from Japan because if we ordered new ones we would’ve had to increase ticket fares to cover the expenses. We need to adjust to the market,” he was quoted as saying by kompas.com.

Currently, the commuter line sees 533 train trips per day, an increase from 514 last year.

Should the new fleets be up and running in the later half of this year, train journeys would increase to 699, said Tri.

The company has invested in multiyear projects amounting to Rp 491 billion (US$50.57 million) for the expansion of train facilities in Greater Jakarta, as well as Rp 56 billion for the construction of a railway connecting Jakarta to Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.

The commuter line connecting the airport to Manggarai station in South
Jakarta is expected to be completed by the end of this year and a double-double track connecting Manggarai to Cikarang station in Bekasi in two years.