Railway operator to increase frequency on Jakarta-Bandung route

State-owned railway operator PT Kerata Api Indonesia (KAI) plans to add five more daily trips on the Jakarta-Bandung route to accommodate an increasing number of passengers.

"Currently, we operate eight trips. With the additional trips, we will have 13 trips per day," said KAI Jakarta and West Java operations spokesman Suprapto in a statement on Wednesday.

Demand for journeys between Jakarta and Bandung had been increasing in recent months as the West Java capital had become a popular destination for Jakartans to spend their weekend, in addition to growing business activities in the city, he said.

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He said tickets would sell out every weekend.

With the additional trips, trains between Jakarta and Bandung will have a capacity to transport 5,836 passengers per day, up from currently 3,868, according to data from the railway operator.

In July, Jakarta-Bandung trains transported 109,158 passengers, up from 96,453 passengers in June.

In the past, the Jakarta-Bandung railway was the main means of transportation connecting the two cities. But after the opening of the Jakarta-Bandung toll road, the number of passengers decreased, forcing KAI to stop the operation of its Argo Gede executive trains.

Currently, KAI only operate the Argo Parahyangan trains, which include business and executive services. (bbn)

Source: Railway operator to increase frequency on Jakarta-Bandung route