Indonesia launches Southeast Asia’s first-ever bullet train
11/10/2023
Indonesia celebrated the inauguration of Southeast Asia's first-ever bullet train on Monday 2nd of October.
The project, valued at $7.3 billion, is a significant milestone for Indonesia's transportation infrastructure and is part of China's Belt and Road initiative. The venture received substantial funding from Chinese state-owned firms.
‘The Jakarta-Bandung high-speed train is the first of its kind in Indonesia and the entire Southeast Asia region, with a speed of 350 kilometers per hour,’ said President Widodo.
The train is spacious, has air-conditioned interiors and panoramic windows offering breathtaking views of the Indonesian countryside as the train goes along its route. PT KCIC revealed that the railway features eight cars, all equipped with Wi-Fi and USB charging points, and can accommodate 601 passengers. Travelers will have the option of three classes of seats: first, second, and VIP.
Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Indonesia's coordinating maritime and investment minister, remarked, ‘This achievement is the result of excellent teamwork among the central government, local government, state-owned enterprises, private sectors, the public, and the Chinese government and its related companies.’
The newly inaugurated bullet train will connect the Halim railway station in East Jakarta to West Bandung's Padalarang railway station in West Java, Indonesia's second-largest city and a renowned hub for arts and culture. Covering a distance of 86 miles (138 kilometers), the high-speed rail line, officially named WHOOSH, runs on electricity, producing no direct carbon emissions. This technological marvel cuts travel time between Jakarta and Bandung from three hours to less than an hour, as per officials.
‘The Jakarta-Bandung high-speed train is the first of its kind in Indonesia and the entire Southeast Asia region, with a speed of 350 kilometers per hour,’ said President Widodo.
The train is spacious, has air-conditioned interiors and panoramic windows offering breathtaking views of the Indonesian countryside as the train goes along its route. PT KCIC revealed that the railway features eight cars, all equipped with Wi-Fi and USB charging points, and can accommodate 601 passengers. Travelers will have the option of three classes of seats: first, second, and VIP.
Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Indonesia's coordinating maritime and investment minister, remarked, ‘This achievement is the result of excellent teamwork among the central government, local government, state-owned enterprises, private sectors, the public, and the Chinese government and its related companies.’
The newly inaugurated bullet train will connect the Halim railway station in East Jakarta to West Bandung's Padalarang railway station in West Java, Indonesia's second-largest city and a renowned hub for arts and culture. Covering a distance of 86 miles (138 kilometers), the high-speed rail line, officially named WHOOSH, runs on electricity, producing no direct carbon emissions. This technological marvel cuts travel time between Jakarta and Bandung from three hours to less than an hour, as per officials.