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Jakarta commuter train fares set to rise in October
State-owned railway operator PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) has said it will increase the fares of commuter trains in Greater Jakarta from Rp 2,000 (15 US cents) per trip of up to 25 kilometers to Rp 3,000.
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Some commuters sit while others stand on the way from Serpong in South Tangerang, Banten, to Tanah Abang station in Central Jakarta during peak hour on Sept. 4, 2015. (The Jakarta Post/Dhoni Setiawan)
State-owned railway operator PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) has said it will increase the fares of commuter trains in Greater Jakarta from Rp 2,000 (15 US cents) per trip of up to 25 kilometers to Rp 3,000.
The higher price, which will affect connections between Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang and Bekasi, is set to take effect on Oct. 1.
PT KAI commercial director Bambang Eko Martono said the government’s subsidy through the public service obligation (PSO) was no longer sufficient to cover the operational costs of the commuter trains.
“If the PSO does not change, the operational costs cannot be covered with a fare of Rp 2,000,” Bambang said, as reported by tribunnews.com, adding that the fare for each additional 10 kilometers of a trip would remain unchanged at Rp 1,000.
This year, his company received Rp 1.83 trillion in PSO funds from the central government, compared to last year’s Rp 1.52 trillion, marking a 20 percent increase.
PT KAI had initially planned to increase fares in October 2015, but the plan was canceled when the government disbursed funds to cover the financial shortage.
Serving some 700,000 passengers per day, the KAI’s commuter trains are now the backbone of urban transportation in Greater Jakarta, as more and more people rely on public transportation. (bbn)
