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Indonesia to launch Jakarta-Bandung high-speed rail, first in Southeast Asia
The Chinese-made bullet train named "Whoosh" is built to take more than 600 people to and from Jakarta and Bandung in West Java in 45 minutes and is part of China's Belt and Road infrastructure initiative.
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On the right track: Workers examine train cars for the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway at a maintenance depot belonging to PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia-China (KCIC), the operator of the railway, in Tegalluar, Bandung regency, West Java. (Antara/Ricky Prayoga)
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ndonesia is set to launch Southeast Asia's first high-speed railway on Monday, a delayed multibillion-dollar project backed by China that will cut travel between capital Jakarta and another major city by hours.
The Chinese-made bullet train named "Whoosh" is built to take more than 600 people to and from Jakarta and Bandung in West Java in 45 minutes and is part of China's Belt and Road infrastructure initiative.
President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has lauded the project for the fast ride it will provide between the two cities in Java, and he will inaugurate it on Monday, according to local media reports, citing officials.
"We will launch it on October 2, because on October 1, the president is busy," Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi told reporters on Friday.
The train can reach speeds up to 350 kilometres per hour (220 miles per hour) and has cost a joint Chinese-Indonesian venture more than $7 billion to build.
It was built by PT KCIC, which is made up of four Indonesian state companies and Beijing's China Railway International Co.
It was set to cost less than $5 billion and be built by 2019 but delays due to construction issues and the Covid-19 pandemic saw costs spike.
Authorities have been running public trials of the new high-speed journey of 142 kilometres (90 miles) before its opening.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang rode the train with senior minister Luhut Pandjaitan last month on his visit to Jakarta for a series of summits with Southeast Asian leaders.
Luhut told reporters on Thursday that Jokowi plans to welcome Chinese President Xi Jinping in the future to ride the train, without providing further details.
