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Government plans to extend high-speed rail to Surabaya via Yogyakarta
As the Jakarta-Bandung HSR gear up to commence its free trial service next month, the government has unveiled a plan to expand the high-speed rail to the East Java capital.
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T
he Transportation Ministry has announced plans to extend the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed rail (HSR) to Surabaya in East Java along a route that will pass through Yogyakarta.
"The name remains [the same] but later, the trains will go to Surabaya through Yogyakarta," Rail Transportation Director General Mohamad Risal Wasal told a meeting with House of Representatives Commission V on Wednesday, as quoted by Tempo.
Risal added that integrated intermodal transportation facilitating easy access to downtown Bandung through feeder lines was already in place at Padalarang Station, but feeder trains were not yet available at Tegalluar HSR Terminal Station in Bandung regency.
"The feeder train from Padalarang Station to Bandung takes around 15 minutes, so the total trip from Jakarta to Bandung takes 39 minutes by [the HSR]," he said.
Read also: RI rushes to complete high-speed railway link
Risal confirmed that a feasibility study would be conducted for extending the HSR tracks from Bandung to Surabaya.
The government hopes to capitalize on its experience in developing the Jakarta-Bandung HSR to reduce the costs of future projects, including through the use of more domestic materials and improving supply by developing the downstream mineral industry.
According to the Transportation Ministry, the Jakarta-Bandung route spans 142.3 kilometers, with HSR trains traveling at a speed of up to 350 kilometers per hour.
Test results indicate an approximate travel time of 32 minutes from the Halim to Padalarang stations, while the return journey from Tegalluar to Halim takes around 44 minutes.
The Jakarta-Bandung HSR would become operational this year along with the Jakarta light rail transit (LRT), Risal said, with the LRT to start operating as scheduled on Aug. 18.
As announced previously, the Jakarta-Bandung HSR is slated to commence a free trial service for the public from Aug. 18 to October this year.
Read also: Granting the Jakarta-Surabaya train project to China is dangerous
Meanwhile, Bandung plans to start construction on the Bandung Raya Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) next year to enhance access to the city’s HSR stations.
The Bandung BRT is designed to connect key stations in the city, according to Dhani Gumelar, the railways and transportation development head at the West Java Transportation Agency.
"The [BRT] integration points are Cimahi Station, Padalarang Station and Tegalluar HSR Station," Dhani said on Wednesday, as quoted by Tempo.
He added that the government would begin preparing the BRT infrastructure, such as dedicated lanes, bus shelters and supporting facilities, with funds from the World Bank.
Construction was expected to take around three years, with the Bandung BRT to commence operations in either 2026 or 2027. This period of time was deemed necessary because of the system’s “specialized infrastructure”, said Dhani.
The BRT is to comprise a fleet of around 450 buses serving 17 corridors that connect five regions of the Bandung metropolitan area. At least 40 percent of the BRT fleet are to be electric vehicles, in line with World Bank stipulations.
