As Jakarta Begins to Unify its Journeys
Step by step, rail by rail, and node by node, Jakarta is building something much larger than mere railway tracks; it is creating a network that allows its citizens to move more easily and comfortably within their own city.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Manggarai has become one of the best places in Jakarta to observe how a city moves. In this area, journeys from various directions converge through diverse modes of transport, ranging from commuter trains and airport trains to TransJakarta buses and the Jakarta LRT.
The presence of the Kelapa Gading–Manggarai LRT route adds another connection to this network. The 12.2-kilometre line, featuring 11 stations, does not merely shorten travel time from North Jakarta to the city centre, but also expands the options for residents to transfer between modes more efficiently, comfortably, and seamlessly.
The significance of Jakarta’s transport development goes far beyond the mere addition of a single rail line. Jakarta is transforming from a city with fragmented transport modes into a city with an integrated mobility network.
President Prabowo Subiability emphasised this process during the inauguration of the Jakarta LRT Kelapa Gading–Manggarai line at Manggarai Station on Wednesday (16/9). On this occasion, the President described development as a gradual process occurring “step by step” to realise a modern urban mobility system.
This expression is highly appropriate for describing Jakarta’s transport journey. A public transport system is not formed by a single project, nor is it completed within one or two terms of a governor’s administration. This system grows gradually over decades through the addition of tracks, stations, stops, nodes, and intermodal connectivity until a wider network is formed.
The Jakarta LRT has been serving the Kelapa Gading–Velodrome corridor since 2019. The route extension to Manggarai brings the network further into central Jakarta. This new corridor has a travel time of approximately 28 minutes and is projected to gradually serve between 60,000 and 80,000 passengers per day.
Residents travelling from Kelapa Gading to Manggarai can now easily reach other parts of Jakarta. From Manggarai, journeys can continue via the KRL Commuter Line, airport trains, or TransJakarta. Consequently, travelling via the LRT can become part of a longer route without the need to rely on private vehicles.
This concept is what makes Manggarai increasingly important as the city’s primary transport hub. The Jakarta Provincial Government describes the integration of various modes as a strategic step to strengthen public transport connectivity. The development of the Manggarai area is also directed through the Transit Oriented Development (TOD) concept to create a more cohesive and efficient urban space.
Areas with good access to mass transport have the potential to become new hubs of activity where citizens work, trade, study, or transit. As mobility increases, the demand for commercial space, housing, public facilities, and supporting services also grows. Thus, the LRT development opens opportunities for economic growth in the areas it traverses.