Jakarta’s airport train, launched late 2017, promised to link passengers to/from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang to downtown Jakarta in 55 minutes, cutting driving time by half or more. However, more than a year since its launch, the airport train’s occupancy rate is still way below expectations — but that may change soon with a slight modification to its route.
Until November 2018, the occupancy rate for the airport train reportedly only reached 26%. Officials say that may be down to relatively difficult access to the train’s departing station, Sudirman Baru, in Central Jakarta.
Starting this month, Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi said the airport train route will be extended to Manggarai Station in South Jakarta.
“The airport train, which currently only departs from Sudirman Baru Station, soon will operate until Manggarai Station so all [passengers using] public transportations from Depok or Bekasi can transit there and ride the train easily,” Budi said in a statement released yesterday, as quoted by CNN Indonesia.
Budi is confident that the extension will greatly benefit residents in Jakarta and its satellite cities: Bogor, Tangerang, Depok, Bekasi in West Java; and Tangerang in Banten. He’s also predicting that there will be huge leap in the train’s occupancy rates.
“I think with the train operating from Manggarai Station, the airport train occupancy will increase to 60% because people from Depok and Bekasi can [ride the train] directly. At the moment, it takes more effort for passengers because they have to reach the Sudirman Baru Station first,” Budi continued.
Budi added that the airport train’s occupancy rate will also likely rise after the launch of the Jakarta MRT, which opens for the public in April.
A one-way fare on the airport train costs IDR70,000 (US$4.96) per person from Sudirman Baru (also known as BNI City) station to Soekarno-Hatta Airport, and vice versa. Other public transportation options from the airport, such as Damri or JA Connexion buses, cost around IDR30,000 or less for a one-way trip, and the buses usually depart from major train stations or shopping malls throughout Jakarta. While cheaper, the buses don’t have much difference in travel time compared with the train, ranging from 40-60 minutes.
Throughout 2018, PT Railink — the operator of the Jakarta airport train — recorded around 2,700-3,000 passengers per day during working days with the highest average occupancy occurring on Fridays, around 4,700-5,000.
