Bali and KAI Collaborate to Develop Airport-Canggu Tram to Support Tourism

Denpasar (ANTARA) - The Bali Provincial Government, in collaboration with the Badung Regency Government and PT Kereta Api Indonesia (Persero), has officially signed a cooperation agreement for the development of a battery-based electric mass transit tram service on the I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport-Canggu route. The initiative is designed to tackle traffic congestion and bolster the tourism sector.

“The comfort of tourists must be maintained; the presence of the tram is actually expected to become a new attraction for Balinese tourism,” said the Governor of Bali, Wayan Koster, following the signing ceremony in Denpasar on Tuesday.

Koster stated that the signing of this agreement—attended by the Regent of Badung, the President Director of PT KAI, the CEO of Angkasa Pura, and the Badung Regional Secretary—is a follow-up to proposals made by the Ministry of National Development Planning (Bappenas) and the Bali Provincial Government.

The electric tram mode is increasingly seen as a concrete solution to congestion in the I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport-Canggu corridor, which records a daily mobility of up to 150,000 people and 80,000 vehicles.

Governor Koster agreed that infrastructure development must not disrupt Bali’s ecosystem.

“Transport development must continue to respect the uniqueness of Bali, preserve its beauty, support tourism, and not disturb the lives of the local community,” he said.

Furthermore, Koster explained that the tram is specifically designed to differ from conventional trains; it will be small, even smaller than a bus with a width of just over 2 metres, quiet, environmentally friendly, and free from overhead cables as it is battery-powered.