China and Russia Interested in Developing Trans-Kalimantan Railway Project

Minister of Transportation Dudy Purwagandhi has revealed potential investors interested in building the Trans-Kalimantan railway network, citing interest from both China and Russia. According to Dudy, the railway development in Kalimantan is still in the exploratory phase as it must be built from scratch, unlike in Sumatra where rail networks already exist in several provinces. ‘Not yet, not yet (a railway in Kalimantan). But we have explored it with domestic and foreign parties, including China and Russia,’ Dudy said on Thursday (6/8/2026). Dudy could not yet disclose the required investment value for the railway network, as calculations for construction and business profitability are still ongoing. Russia has previously shown interest in railway projects in Kalimantan through Russian Railways. During a visit to Russia on 3 July 2022, former President Joko Widodo also received an offer for railway construction in the Nusantara Capital City (IKN). ‘We are reopening that (cooperation with Russia), exploring it again, including with China,’ Dudy stated. He added that communication with Chinese and Russian investors has already taken place. ‘Oh, communication has happened. They are certainly trying to calculate, and later they will submit a proposal to us,’ he said. Dudy noted that the project will also involve the Daya Anagata Nusantara Investment Management Agency (Danantara), as the national railway company KAI falls under its supervision. In terms of investor interest, he assessed that the Trans-Sumatra railway is more attractive to KAI itself, while the Trans-Kalimantan project is more appealing to investors from China and Russia.