The long-awaited Jakarta-Bandung high-speed train, Indonesia’s first and Southeast Asia’s fastest, is set to launch in August 2023, according to West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil.
Ridwan said the high-speed train project, which is a joint venture between a consortium of Indonesian state-owned companies and China Railway International Co. Ltd., has entered the final stage of testing and commissioning.
“Praise God, the railway construction is complete. For the next two to three months, they will carry out operational trials of the trains and the workforce operating them. If there are no hurdles, it will operate in August 2023,” he wrote in an Instagram post today.
The 142-kilometer rail line will connect Jakarta and Bandung, two of the most populous and economically important cities in Indonesia, in just 35 minutes. Driving between the two cities on a non-congested day usually takes up to three hours.
The train will have a maximum speed of 350 kilometers per hour and will stop at four stations: Halim in Jakarta, Karawang and Padalarang in West Java, and Tegalluar on the outskirts of Bandung. Those who are traveling to Bandung will have to hop on a feeder bus or find their own way to the city center.
The project, which began construction in 2016, has faced several challenges and delays due to land acquisition issues, cost overruns, and the COVID-19 pandemic. The initial budget of US$5.5 billion has ballooned to US$7.2 billion, which the Indonesian government has agreed to cover using the state budget.
The Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway is the first phase of a planned 750-kilometer line that would run across the island of Java.
Ridwan said he hoped the high-speed train would boost the economy and tourism of West Java, as well as reduce traffic congestion and pollution along the Jakarta-Bandung corridor.
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