Executive train tickets snapped up<\/p>\n
Evi Mariani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Holidaymakers who want to make their Idul Fitri journeys home in
\nexecutive trains will have to fight for the remaining seats, as
\nall tickets for departures between Nov. 21 and Nov. 23 sold out
\non Saturday, the first day of sales.<\/p>\n
The Idul Fitri holiday, which marks the end of the Ramadhan
\nfasting month, is expected to fall on Nov. 25 this year.<\/p>\n
Unlike in previous years, when holidaymakers would have to
\nbook tickets in the week prior to Idul Fitri, state-owned train
\noperator PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) opened the reservation
\nticket window for executive and first class trains on Nov. 1.<\/p>\n
In a bid to ease the long queues during the holiday season,
\nstarting this year, PT KAI has also opened online ticket
\nreservation services at seven train stations in Greater Jakarta
\nand at its ticket reservation center on Jl. Ir. H. Juanda,
\nCentral Jakarta.<\/p>\n
However, not all holidaymakers were aware of the new services.
\nSaturday morning, a long queue was seen at the Juanda reservation
\ncenter, which immediately halved at 10 a.m. after potential
\npassengers were told they could book tickets at other locations.<\/p>\n
"Had we known we could reserve tickets at other train
\nstations, we would not have come here," said Budi who, along with
\nhis wife, had been queuing for two hours since 8:00 a.m. in the
\nparking lot, to where the line extended.<\/p>\n
"We could have bought our tickets in Jatinegara, East Jakarta,
\nwhich is close to our home," he added.<\/p>\n
Another holidaymaker, Wisnu, had queued from 6:15 a.m. to 9:20
\na.m. before he got a single Sembrani train ticket to Surabaya.
\nThe ticket window opened at 7 a.m., and many customers rued the
\nbelated information on alternative ticketing centers.<\/p>\n
Ticket scalpers and the stiff competition to get tickets on
\npopular dates still have yet to relent, in spite of the tough
\nticket purchasing procedures applied at the Juanda center.<\/p>\n
Less than three hours after PT KAI had opened its online
\nreservation system, tickets for its top-of-the-line first class
\nArgo trains sold out. In another hour, tickets for a number of
\ntrains departing on Nov. 22 had also sold out.<\/p>\n
"When I arrived, there were only four people ahead of me, but
\nall the tickets for Nov. 22 were already sold out. So I changed
\n(my plans), and bought a ticket for the Nov. 23 train to
\nSemarang," said Nia, who bought tickets for her and her husband
\nfrom Pasar Senen train station, Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
PT KAI spokesman Zainal Abidin admitted that the company had
\nyet to provide information services on ticket reservations. "But
\nyou can call (021) 386-2361 or (021) 386-2362 for detailed
\ninformation," he told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Although the service might be improving slightly, as most of
\nPT KAI's regular customers know, there are always a number of
\nshortcomings.<\/p>\n
13 executive trains available during Idul Fitri<\/p>\n
Train From To Ticket price
\nArgo Bromo Anggrek Jakarta Surabaya Rp 220,000
\nSembrani Jakarta Surabaya Rp 185,000
\nBima Jakarta Surabaya Rp 200,000
\nArgo Muria Jakarta Semarang Rp 170,000
\nKamandanu Jakarta Semarang Rp 150,000
\nArgo Dwipangga Jakarta Solo Rp 185,000
\nArgo Lawu Jakarta Solo Rp 185,000
\nTaksaka I Jakarta Yogyakarta Rp 150,000
\nTaksaka II Jakarta Yogyakarta Rp 150,000<\/p>\n
Argo Wilis Bandung Surabaya Rp 165,000
\nTurangga Bandung Surabaya Rp 165,000
\nHarina Bandung Semarang Rp 100,000
\nRajawali Semarang Surabaya Rp 100,000<\/p>",
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