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Free fast train rides set for August as govt eyes Surabaya expansion
Following years of delay, the government has announced that Indonesians can ride the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed rail (HSR) for free during a trial period starting in August, as authorities are now eyeing an expansion for the project that would extend the line all the way to Surabaya, East Java.
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Workers stand beside the front of a Jakarta-Bandung high-speed rail (HSR) train, part of China's Belt and Road Initiative, at Tegalluar train depot in Bandung, West Java, on Oct. 13, 2022. (Reuters/Yuddy Cahya Budiman)
Following years of delay, the government has announced that Indonesians can ride the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed rail (HSR) for free during a trial period starting in August, as authorities are now eyeing an expansion for the project that would extend the line all the way to Surabaya, East Java.
Taking to his Instagram page recently, West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil said that people could start riding the HSR, which is expected to shave the travel time from Jakarta to Bandung down to just 40 minutes, for free during a three-month trial period starting from Aug. 18 until October.
“[Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister] Luhut Pandjaitan has approved the proposal [to give out tickets for free] during the trial service period for the high-speed rail,” Ridwan said on Instagram on Friday.
Ridwan later clarified that only a handful of members of the public would be able to get the free tickets due to limited seats, and that the government was currently hashing out the technical details for the free trial service.
“The [train can only carry] 600 people at one time, so [tickets] are definitely limited. Let’s just wait, the technicalities for the public registration [for free rides] are currently being finalized by Luhut,” Ridwan said on Saturday, as quoted by Kompas.com.
But, once the Jakarta-Bandung HSR starts its commercial operation in October, Ridwan said, tickets were going to be priced at around Rp 300,000 (US$20).
The free-ticket announcement came just days after Ridwan, Luhut and Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi participated in a trial run of the Jakarta-Bandung HSR on Thursday. The three departed from Halim station in East Jakarta and arrived at Padalarang station, located on the outskirts of Bandung, in around 20 minutes.
