THE Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway (HSR), the first of its kind in Indonesia and Southeast Asia, has welcomed over 1 million passengers since commencing operations Oct. 17, China State Railway Group Co. said Monday.

As the year draws to a close, Halim station in Jakarta has witnessed a surge in passenger numbers, with people taking the high-speed train, affectionately known locally as “Whoosh,” for their holiday getaways or family reunions in Bandung, West Java.

The escalating passenger demand has led PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia-China (KCIC), a joint venture consortium between Indonesian and Chinese firms responsible for constructing and managing the HSR, to increase the train services to 48 trips per day from the previous 14.

With a design speed of 350 km per hour, the 142.3-km HSR links Jakarta’s Halim station to Tegalluar station in Bandung, significantly reducing travel time from over three hours to a mere 40 minutes.

This railway, the inaugural overseas high-speed railway project to fully employ Chinese railway systems, technology, and industrial components, has enhanced accessibility to Bandung from Jakarta, making life easier for travelers, commuters, families living apart, while also fostering local tourism and unlocking new opportunities.

Enhanced travel

For Anashtasyah Kaetlyn, a regular Whoosh traveler, the HSR has become her preferred means of transportation. As a Bandung resident working in Jakarta, she returns home each weekend. “Since this train started operating, I rely on it for my journeys back, given its speed and efficiency. Long trips are not to my liking,” she said. Typically alighting at Padalarang station in West Bandung Regency, a mere 10 minutes on a motorcycle or by taxi takes her home.

Balancing work in Jakarta with family living in Bandung, 36-year-old Bagus Ahli Ramadhan has changed his plans to relocate his expectant wife to Jakarta due to the railway’s convenience. “I used to travel to Bandung once every two weeks to visit my wife, but now the HSR has simplified the process. After work, I can reach Bandung in just 46 minutes, then return to Jakarta before office hours the next morning. It’s truly remarkable,” said Ramadhan.

For 49-year-old Enny Nuraeni, Bandung has emerged as a newfound retreat to escape the hustle and bustle of Jakarta’s everyday life. Previously, she seldom considered traveling to Bandung for leisure due to the time-consuming journey. “The trip by train or car was exhausting. We would have been tired even before arriving in Bandung,” she said.

Dzulfikar Muhammad Aziz, 29, also took a vacation in Bandung. He described Halim station, his point of departure, as “very impressive, spacious, clean, and comfortable.”

“It’s quite sizable for a station, resembling more of an airport, but with more reasonably priced food options,” Aziz said.

Job opportunities

Desy Setiawati, 24, felt her life had changed when she was selected from thousands of applicants to become one of the first train attendants on the HSR. “This is what my family and I are most proud of in 2023,” she said.

After two months of training and internship on the train, she took up her post and began a new career as a high-speed rail attendant.

“I remember once helping a passenger in a wheelchair. With the specially designed toilet on the train, the passenger said he felt he was taken care of,” she said, adding that such moments make for the most unforgettable experiences.

The behind-the-scenes train technicians also take great pride in their work. Galang Swandaru, a 27-year-old civil engineering graduate, became a quality-control engineer at the high-speed railway project of China Tiesiju Civil Engineering Group after receiving one-on-one training with his Chinese teacher.

“There are many young Indonesian technicians like me along the railway who have learned professional skills from Chinese teachers as well as from working on-site,” said Swandaru.

In addition to cultivating young talents, the project prioritizes hiring nearby villagers, for whom they also organize specific training such as welding, forklifting, and hoisting operations.

KCIC data shows that 45,000 Indonesian employees were trained on-site during the railway’s construction, and the project has created about 51,000 jobs in Indonesia.

An inflow of tourists

Passengers like Nuraeni and Aziz also discovered another benefit of taking the high-speed train — the ticket offers free entry to a number of tourism destinations in Lembang, a city in West Bandung Regency, including Floating Market Lembang, Dusun Bambu, and Farmhouse.

According to Whoosh operator KCIC, the promotion, which began in October, aims to offer bonuses for passengers and boost local tourism.

“The HSR ticket is well worth it,” Aziz said. “There is also a free shuttle bus service which we can take at the Padalarang station after getting off the HSR to the tourism attractions.”

According to Ridwan Kamil, former governor of West Java province, the Jakarta-Bandung HSR improves transportation and creates new opportunities.

He believes the HSR will catalyze transit-oriented development, leading to an emerging new economy and more employment opportunities.

“We are designing a master plan for a new city with more buildings around the high-speed railway stations,” said Kamil. “With new infrastructure being built and more investment coming, an increase in job opportunities will be given to the younger generations of West Java people,” Kamil said.

Garibaldy Thohir, chairman of the China Committee of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, is optimistic, saying Whoosh is a combination of “very friendly service from Indonesian people with very good Chinese technology.”

“I see economic growth, at least in Bandung-West Java,” he said.

Thohir also expressed his hope for the future expansion of the Jakarta-Bandung HSR to reach Surabaya. “The Indonesian islands of Sumatra and Kalimantan can also explore the possibility of building high-speed railways to bolster transportation infrastructure and foster economic development across the entirety of Indonesia.,” Thohir added.

(Xinhua)