All trains to be behind schedule during holidays<\/p>\n
BANDUNG (JP): The state-owned railroad operator PT Kereta Api
\nIndonesia (KAI) confirmed on Tuesday that all trains would
\nexperience delays ahead of the triple holiday of Christmas, Idul
\nFitri and the New Year.<\/p>\n
\"We can be sure that all trains will be delayed. But,
\npassengers do not need to rush because the most important thing
\nfor them is to reach their hometowns,\" PT KAI spokesman Gatot
\nWibowo said.<\/p>\n
The delays are likely to happen due to additional cars in each
\ntrain and the fact that each economy class train will stop at
\nevery destination point.<\/p>\n
\"Each year, economy trains are designed to stop at every
\ndesignated station to drop off passengers. Every time a train
\nstops, it requires between two minutes and 20 minutes.\"<\/p>\n
\"So, if we add up the time.. it is a foregone conclusion that
\nthe train will arrive late and this will also affect the other
\ntrains' schedules,\" Gatot said.<\/p>\n
He also said that in a bid to anticipate possible landslides
\nand floods during this rainy season, a total of 222 detour
\nscenarios had been prepared just in case.<\/p>\n
Gatot said graphics and charts had been prepared of these
\ndetours so that departure delays could be avoided.<\/p>\n
\"In several flood-prone areas, such as Tawang (station) in
\nSemarang and several areas along the Cilacap to Kroya route
\n(Central Java) and Madiun route (East Java), the train tracks
\nhave been raised by up to 70 centimeters so the train can move on
\neven through a flood,\" he said.<\/p>\n
A total of 30,000 KAI employees would be on 24-hour alert.
\nSome 20 freight cars filled with sand, teakwood and stones have
\nalso prepared to deal with possible floods or landslides.<\/p>\n
\"Lets just hope everything goes smoothly,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Ahead of the festive season, the company will also launch
\nthree new trains, namely the Taksaka II plying the Yogyakarta -
\nJakarta route, Argolawu II plying the Surabaya - Jakarta route
\nand the Sembrani plying the Jakarta - Surabaya route.<\/p>\n
PT KAI estimates that the number of rail passengers will rise
\nby up to 108 percent compared to the previous year.<\/p>\n
\"In anticipation of a possible massive rush of passengers, the
\ncompany will provide 162,361 seats per day or 30 percent more
\nthan last year, when only 121,132 seats per day were provided,\"
\nhe added.<\/p>\n
Currently, there are a total of 214 train sets operating, but
\nPT KAI will add another 14 train sets seven days prior to
\nChristmas.<\/p>\n
\"The total of 228 train sets will consist of 1,028 cars,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
A discount on ticket prices will be given to those leaving in
\nthe early days of the festive season.<\/p>\n
\"We hope that passengers will leave early to avoid the
\nexplosion in passengers. A ten percent discount is available for
\neconomy class tickets from between 20 days and seven days prior
\nto Dec. 27 and up to between eight days and 20 days after Idul
\nFitri,\" Gatot explained. (25\/edt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/all-trains-to-be-behind-schedule-during-holidays-1447893297",
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