Commuters enjoy new train

BEKASI (JP): Bekasi commuters are now taking advantage of a new business train capable of making the Bekasi-Jakarta journey in a reliable 30 minutes.

The residents said yesterday that the train has become their favorite since it began operation last month, a fact easily observed in the full capacity coaches.

The new business commuter train departs from Bekasi five times a day at 6:05 a.m., 7:40 a.m., 9:40 a.m., 5:20 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

"Now I have another choice, and I prefer the business train with a Rp 1,500 fare to the old Rp 350 economic train because people have to jostle in the coaches," said a regular passenger.

The old train, which stops at all the stations between Bekasi and Kota, in west Jakarta, takes one hour on average.

A Bekasi railway station official said the business train has limited number of seats, while the economic trains carry as many people as possible. "Many executives park their cars at the station compound and go to Jakarta by the business train," said an official, who asked not to be identified.

Records show as many as 15,000 commuters went by train from Bekasi to their offices in Jakarta last year, compared to 9,000 people in 1993. (yazid)