163,000 to leave capital by rail during peak days<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): More than 163,000 people are expected to go by
\ntrain from Jakarta to their home towns in West, Central and East
\nJava, during the peak days from yesterday to March 2, an official
\nsays.<\/p>\n
The president of railway company Perumka, Soemino Eko Saputro
\ntold members of the House of Representatives' Commission V
\nyesterday that 132,370 passengers left for their Idul Fitri
\nholidays by train last year.<\/p>\n
As many as 3.5 million people are expected to leave the
\ncapital for the Idul Fitri holidays, which fall on Feb. 20 and 21
\nthis year. Two million people are expected to go by public bus,
\none million by train and 500,000 will take their car.<\/p>\n
Perumka operates 236 locomotives for the mass exodus, Soemino
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"The 24-hour ticket sales at the railway stations are meant to
\nhelp passengers get tickets easily. We've also told industry to
\ncreate a schedule for their workers, to enable for holidays by
\ntrains before the Idul Fitri days,\" he said. Tickets are not
\navailable at travel agents for the duration.<\/p>\n
Night<\/p>\n
A private company worker who wanted to go to Surabaya on Feb.
\n18 told The Jakarta Post that he and some 1,000 people had to
\nspend the night at Gambir railway station in Central Jakarta on
\nSaturday.<\/p>\n
Most people who wanted to buy tickets for the Jayabaya and
\nFajar Utama trains to Surabaya and Yogyakarta arrived at the
\nrailway station at 8:00 p.m, the man said. Some of them planned
\nto take the Argo Bromo to Surabaya.<\/p>\n
\"We tried to stay awake by chatting with each other or playing
\ncards. Some of us fell asleep after midnight, but woke up at 3:00
\na.m on Sunday. The ticket counters for Jayabaya and Fajar Utama
\nopened at 5:00 a.m., while the Argo Bromo ticket counter opened
\nat 8:00 a.m.,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Director General of Land Transportation Soejono told reporters
\nat Senen railway station yesterday that the passengers should not
\nhave spent the night at the railway stations for the tickets.
\n\"The government has made the train tickets available. It is up to
\nthe passengers if they want to stay up all night at the railway
\nstation,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Soejono was at the railway station with the House members to
\nattend the launching of the new trains.<\/p>\n
According to Soejono, some people who had tickets preferred
\nspending the night at the station to going homes. \"This is an
\nannual phenomenon,\" he added. (sur\/04\/icn\/14)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/163000-to-leave-capital-by-rail-during-peak-days-1447893297",
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