As of 2015, Indonesian Railways operates:
409 locomotive units;
572 electric multiple units;
108 diesel multiple units;
1,507 passenger coaches; and
6,499 freight cars
The majority of Indonesia's railways are on Java, used for both passenger and freight transport. There are three noncontinuous railway networks in Sumatra (Aceh and North Sumatra; West Sumatra; South Sumatra and Lampung) while two new networks are being developed in Kalimantan and Sulawesi. Indonesia has finalized its plan for a national railway network recently. According to the plan, 3,200 km of train tracks that will criss-cross the islands of Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan, and Sulawesi, it has been touted as the most extensive railway project in Indonesia since its independence from the Dutch in 1945. Indonesia targets to extend the national railway network to 10,524 kilometres by 2030. As of September 2022, the network spans 7,032km.
The first railways in Indonesia were built on the island of Java, using 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) gauge.
During the Japanese occupation, they were converted to 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) gauge, although 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) and 750 mm (2 ft 5 1⁄2 in) lines previously existed.
Newer constructions in Aceh and Sulawesi are using the 1,435 mm gauge. Most of the Jakarta metropolitan area is electrified at 1500 V DC overhead and 750 V DC third rail for Palembang LRT operation
Airport train services in several cities is run by PT Railink, an Indonesian railway subsidiaries with a joint venture with state-owned airport service company.
Indonesian Railways is a major customer of the state owned railway industry, PT Industri Kereta Api (INKA), by using passenger coaches, freight wagons and electric multiple units manufactured and assembled by the Madiun based company in East Java. INKA was founded in 1981. Its trains have operated in the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Australia and from 2006 it has been involved in Bangladesh.
OPERATORS:
• PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) — operates local, regional, and intercity trains
• PT Railink (KAI Bandara) — operates airport rail link services, joint venture with Angkasa Pura II
• PT Kereta Commuter Indonesia (KAI Commuter) — operates commuter rail services
• PT Kereta Api Logistik (KAI Logistik) — operates courier-by-rail services
• PT MRT Jakarta — operates Jakarta MRT, province-owned company of Special Capital Region of Jakarta
• PT LRT Jakarta — operates Jakarta LRT, subsidiary of Jakpro, a province-owned company of Special Capital Region of Jakarta
• PT Angkasa Pura II — operates Soekarno-Hatta Airport Skytrain
• PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia–China — operate Jakarta–Bandung high-speed rail, joint venture of PT Pilar Sinergi BUMN Indonesia (consortium of KAI, Wijaya Karya, Perkebunan Nusantara VIII, and Jasa Marga) and Beijing Yawan HSR Co. Ltd.
• PT Perkebunan Nusantara IX — operates sugarcane lines and tourist train
• PT Bakrie Sumatra Plantations — operates rubber and palm oil freight trains
• PT Tanjung Enim Lestari — operates pulp freight trains
• PTPN II — operates palm oil trains
• PT Perkebunan Nusantara IV — operates palm oil trains
Here are the latest updates and changes regarding the Indonesian railway system as of 2024:
1. **High-Speed Railway**: The Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway, named "Whoosh," began operations in August 2023. This railway reduces travel time between Jakarta and Bandung from three hours to about 40 minutes, with trains operating at speeds up to 350 km/h. This project is a significant part of Indonesia's efforts to modernize its transportation infrastructure and is funded through China's Belt and Road Initiative.
2. **Fleet Expansion**: PT Kereta Api Indonesia (PT KAI) is expanding its freight fleet with the addition of 54 new EMD® GT38AC locomotives from Progress Rail. These are scheduled for delivery starting in 2025 and will support Indonesia’s push towards sustainable rail transport by running on biodiesel blends up to B35.
3. **Passenger and Freight Rolling Stock**: By 2030, Indonesia aims to have 10,524 km of railway lines, up from the current target of 7,451 km by 2024. The country plans to procure 2,839 passenger locomotives and 34,178 passenger coaches, alongside 2,475 freight locomotives and 48,364 freight wagons.
4. **Light Rail Transit (LRT) Projects**: New LRT projects are underway, including a 9.46 km line in Bali from Ngurah Rai International Airport to Seminyak, expected to be completed by 2027 with an investment of IDR 10 trillion (approximately USD 680 million). Additionally, plans for LRT and MRT systems in Bandung, Surabaya, Medan, and Makassar are in progress.
5. **Infrastructure Development**: The National Railway Master Plan 2030 includes significant investments totaling IDR 853 trillion (approximately USD 60 billion) for the construction of new railways, stations, electric trains, and environmentally friendly technologies. This plan aims to improve connectivity and support economic growth across Indonesia.
These updates reflect Indonesia's ongoing commitment to enhancing its railway infrastructure, promoting sustainable transportation, and improving connectivity across the archipelago.