Argo Muria train launched

JAKARTA (JP): State-owned rail company Perumka launched Monday the Argo Muria, a new express passenger train that will shuttle between Jakarta and Semarang, Central Java, in just five hours and 15 minutes.

Minister of Tourism, Post and Telecommunications Joop Ave, who represented Minister of Transportation Haryanto Dhanutirto, said the train's passenger cars were manufactured by state-owned PT Inka while the CC203 locomotive by PT GE Lokindo, a joint venture company between Inka and GE of the United States.

Perumka president Eko Soemino said passengers traveling on the new train would save two hours and 15 minutes, as the previous express train took seven and a half hours to travel between Jakarta and Semarang.

The Argo Muria offers various amenities, including video and air-conditioning. The Argo Muria will leave Gambir railway station twice a day, at 10:15 a.m. and 5 p.m. The train will leave Semarang at 5 a.m. A train ticket costs Rp 85,000.

The Argo Muria is part of the Argo express train series, which includes the Argo Bromo (Jakarta-Surabaya), Argo Lawu (Jakarta- Surakarta) and Argo Gede (Jakarta-Bandung). (icn)