President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo launched the Minangkabau Ekspres Train, an airport train connecting Padang, the capital city of West Sumatra, to the province’s Minangkabau International Airport on Monday.

The 200-seat train is the third in the country after the launch of airport trains connecting Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten, to Jakarta and another train connecting Kualanamu International Airport to Medan in North Sumatra.

The Minangkabau Ekspres will run five times from Simpang Haru Station in Padang to the airport and back.

The train can transport up to 393 passengers per trip. A ticket costs Rp 10,000 (70 US cents) for a full trip from Padang to the airport, but passengers only need to pay Rp 5,000 if they embark on a short trip from Padang Station to Tabing Station.

The airport’s train station is connected to a corridor that plane passengers must use to reach the airport’s departure lounge.  

Jokowi was accompanied by First Lady Iriana at the launch, kontan.co.id reported.

The president’s entourage included Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi, Public Works and Housing Minister Basuki Hadumuljono and Education and Culture Minister Muhadjir Effendy, West Sumatra Governor Irwan Prayitno and Deputy Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Arcandra Tahar. (bbn)