AHY: Railways Play a Major Role in Reducing Emissions and Promoting Logistics Efficiency

Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY), emphasised the strategic role of railways in reducing carbon emissions while improving national logistics efficiency to support sustainable economic growth. AHY stated that the contribution of railway emissions in Indonesia is recorded at less than one percent, or around 0.6 percent, far lower than other land transportation modes.

In contrast, the overall land transportation sector contributes about 89 percent to total emissions, influenced by the high number of vehicles and public dependence on road transport.

“Well, regarding emissions, as I mentioned earlier, it turns out that railways in Indonesia contribute the lowest greenhouse gas emissions, less than one percent, around 0.6 percent,” said AHY during the coordination meeting on the Development of the National Railway Network in Jakarta on Wednesday (22/4/2026).

AHY assessed that this situation indicates the need for a comprehensive approach in transportation policy without neglecting other modes, but still maximising the potential of railways as a national emission reduction solution.

He also highlighted a large gap in budget allocation between road development and railway infrastructure development, which has so far been deemed disproportionate in supporting the national transportation system.

Data compiled from relevant ministries shows that the budget allocation for road construction and preservation is far greater than for railway track development in recent years.

For example, in 2023, the budget allocation for roads reached around Rp86.9 trillion, while for railway infrastructure development it was only around Rp6.5 trillion, showing a significant disparity.

AHY believes that this imbalance needs serious attention so that transportation development can be more balanced and support logistics efficiency as well as national carbon emission reductions.