Executive train tickets snapped up

Executive train tickets snapped up

Evi Mariani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Holidaymakers who want to make their Idul Fitri journeys home in
executive trains will have to fight for the remaining seats, as
all tickets for departures between Nov. 21 and Nov. 23 sold out
on Saturday, the first day of sales.

The Idul Fitri holiday, which marks the end of the Ramadhan
fasting month, is expected to fall on Nov. 25 this year.

Unlike in previous years, when holidaymakers would have to
book tickets in the week prior to Idul Fitri, state-owned train
operator PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) opened the reservation
ticket window for executive and first class trains on Nov. 1.

In a bid to ease the long queues during the holiday season,
starting this year, PT KAI has also opened online ticket
reservation services at seven train stations in Greater Jakarta
and at its ticket reservation center on Jl. Ir. H. Juanda,
Central Jakarta.

However, not all holidaymakers were aware of the new services.
Saturday morning, a long queue was seen at the Juanda reservation
center, which immediately halved at 10 a.m. after potential
passengers were told they could book tickets at other locations.

"Had we known we could reserve tickets at other train
stations, we would not have come here," said Budi who, along with
his wife, had been queuing for two hours since 8:00 a.m. in the
parking lot, to where the line extended.

"We could have bought our tickets in Jatinegara, East Jakarta,
which is close to our home," he added.

Another holidaymaker, Wisnu, had queued from 6:15 a.m. to 9:20
a.m. before he got a single Sembrani train ticket to Surabaya.
The ticket window opened at 7 a.m., and many customers rued the
belated information on alternative ticketing centers.

Ticket scalpers and the stiff competition to get tickets on
popular dates still have yet to relent, in spite of the tough
ticket purchasing procedures applied at the Juanda center.

Less than three hours after PT KAI had opened its online
reservation system, tickets for its top-of-the-line first class
Argo trains sold out. In another hour, tickets for a number of
trains departing on Nov. 22 had also sold out.

"When I arrived, there were only four people ahead of me, but
all the tickets for Nov. 22 were already sold out. So I changed
(my plans), and bought a ticket for the Nov. 23 train to
Semarang," said Nia, who bought tickets for her and her husband
from Pasar Senen train station, Central Jakarta.

PT KAI spokesman Zainal Abidin admitted that the company had
yet to provide information services on ticket reservations. "But
you can call (021) 386-2361 or (021) 386-2362 for detailed
information," he told The Jakarta Post.

Although the service might be improving slightly, as most of
PT KAI's regular customers know, there are always a number of
shortcomings.

13 executive trains available during Idul Fitri

Train From To Ticket price
Argo Bromo Anggrek Jakarta Surabaya Rp 220,000
Sembrani Jakarta Surabaya Rp 185,000
Bima Jakarta Surabaya Rp 200,000
Argo Muria Jakarta Semarang Rp 170,000
Kamandanu Jakarta Semarang Rp 150,000
Argo Dwipangga Jakarta Solo Rp 185,000
Argo Lawu Jakarta Solo Rp 185,000
Taksaka I Jakarta Yogyakarta Rp 150,000
Taksaka II Jakarta Yogyakarta Rp 150,000

Argo Wilis Bandung Surabaya Rp 165,000
Turangga Bandung Surabaya Rp 165,000
Harina Bandung Semarang Rp 100,000
Rajawali Semarang Surabaya Rp 100,000