AHY: Reactivating the National Railway Network Requires Rp 1,200 Trillion

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development (Menko IPK) Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY) stated that the budget required for developing and reactivating the national railway network spanning 14,000 kilometres amounts to around Rp 1,200 trillion.

AHY made this remark following a coordination meeting on the development of the national railway network, which involved several ministries, agencies, and related state-owned enterprises (BUMNs) at Tanah Abang Station, Central Jakarta, on Wednesday (22/04/2026).

“If we want to add, say, these 14,000 kilometres in the coming years, the cost is estimated at around Rp 1,200 trillion,” said the Chairman General of the Democrat Party.

However, this figure is still preliminary and will continue to be refined according to geographical conditions and the needs of each region.

According to AHY, the development of the railway network is part of the government’s priority programme in the infrastructure and regional development pillar, including the expansion of railway networks in Sumatra, Kalimantan, and Sulawesi.

AHY assessed that Indonesia’s railway sector still suffers from underinvestment compared to the road sector.

He cited, for example, that in 2026, the budget allocation for the construction and repair of national roads reaches around Rp 46 trillion, while for railway tracks it is only around Rp 5 trillion.

Nevertheless, according to him, railways play a strategic role, not only for human mobility but also for inter-regional logistics. Additionally, this mode of transportation is considered more environmentally friendly.

AHY noted that the land transportation sector, dominated by private vehicles, contributes around 89 per cent of carbon emissions, while railways contribute less than one per cent.

Therefore, railway development is deemed important to reduce emissions while also alleviating the burden on highways.

AHY also highlighted the imbalance in railway network development between Java Island and other regions in Indonesia.

Of the total approximately 12,000 kilometres of existing rail networks, around 10,000 kilometres are on Java Island. Of this amount, around 7,000 kilometres are still actively operating, while the rest are inactive.

Outside Java, railway networks remain limited. Sumatra already has rails, but they are not yet fully connected.