Rail transport in Indonesia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Most rail transport in Indonesia is on Java, which has two major rail lines that run the length of the island, as well as several minor lines. State operator PT Kereta Api Indonesia has a monopoly on rail transport, with passenger and freight service on all of the lines. There is also commuter rail service in the Jakarta metropolitan area.
The only other areas in Indonesia having railroads are two separate regions of Sumatra, one in the north around Medan, and one near the southern tip.
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[edit] Historical overview
[edit] Before 1949
During the period of Dutch rule, railroads on the island of Java were developed by Dutch, Germany and British interests. The first railroads were built to standard gauge in southern Java by the Nederlandse Indische Spoorwegen Maatschappij (NISM, the Dutch Indies Railroad Company) in the mid 1860s.
Narrow gauge lines eventually proved cheaper to build and more profitable. A three foot, six inch gauge became the standard throughout the islands. Decauville or two foot gauge 'sugar tram' lines were extensive throughout the sugar factory regions of Java, serviced by steam locomotives.
During the Japanese occupation of Java during the Second World War, sections of the standard gauge lines, and rolling stock were removed and transported to Manchuria.
[edit] 1949 - present
Indonesia's railroads continued to use steam locomotives well into the post-independence period. However by the 1980s most steam had either been scrapped, sent to the Ambarawa rail heritage museum, or was being utilised on the sugar tram lines.
Private railroads owned by the Dutch and other foreigners were nationalized by 1971.
The government announced plans for a major new project, the Trans-Sulawesi Railway, in 2004. The railway is proposed to run the length of Sulawesi, beginning with a 150 km link between Makassar and Pare-Pare.
[edit] Tourist guide maps and books
Tourist guide books produced in the 1980s and even current guide books and maps indicate rail lines long since closed and removed. Considerable care should be given to considering rail lines as being either present or active. Current up to date information from the main rail company should be checked before giving credence to out of date information.
[edit] Infrastructure
As of 2003, there were 6,458 km of mixed narrow gauge rail tracks in Indonesia, of which about 100 km were electrified.
[edit] Select list of named train services leaving from Jakarta
Jakarta's main station for inter-city trains is Gambir while Pasar Senen and Kota have much fewer services in this list.
Most of the range of named train services have Jakarta, Surabaya, Yogyakarta, Cirebon and Banyuwangi as terminus locations - there are also other named services between these locations.
(note this list might not reflect current services) -
- See also table at Kereta Api
| Name | Jakarta Station | Destination |
|---|---|---|
| Argobromo | Gambir | Semarang |
| Argogede | Gambir | Bandung |
| Bima | Kota | Surabaya |
| Cirebon Exsp | Kota | Cirebon |
| Fajar Bis | Gambir | Semarang |
| Fajar Utama | Gambir | Yogyakarta |
| Fajar UjamaII | Gambir | Yogyakarta |
| GBM Selatan | Pasar Senen | Surabaya |
| GBM Utama | Pasar Senen | Surabaya |
| Jayabaya | Gambir | Surabaya |
| Kertajaya | Pasar Senen | Surabaya |
| Parahiyangan | Gambir | Bandung |
| Parcel Exspress | Kota | Surabaya |
| Senka Ekseku | Gambir | Semarang |
| Senja Utama | Gambir | Yogyakarta |
| Senja Utama II | Gambir | Yogyakarta |
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- United States Central Intelligence Agency (June 2, 2005), The World Fact Book: Indonesia. Retrieved June 17, 2005.
- Garratt, Colin. The World Encyclopedia of Locomotives Anness Publishing (London), 2003, p. 47.
- History of Railways in Indonesia
[edit] Further reading
- Tourist guide books such as Rough Guides and Lonely Planet guide books have current information at time of printing.
[edit] External Links
- PT Kereta Api Indonesia (Indonesian Railways) Website (Indonesia)
- Railways Info (Indonesia)
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