For Two Consecutive Days, Long Weekend Passenger Numbers Exceed 196,000 per Day for KAI
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The atmosphere of the Ascension of Jesus Christ long weekend has been felt at various stations since Wednesday, 13 May 2026. The outbound flow is dominated by intercity travel to tourist cities, as well as economic and educational centers in various regions of Java.
PT Kereta Api Indonesia (Persero) recorded that, on the first two days of the long weekend, the number of passengers continued to be above 196,000 per day. On Wednesday, 13 May 2026, KAI served 196,370 passengers, then increased on Thursday, 14 May 2026 to 197,333 passengers. In total, during the first two days of departure, KAI has served 393,703 passengers on both long-distance and local trains managed by KAI.
As of Friday, 15 May 2026 at 10:00 WIB, cumulatively, KAI ticket sales for the departure period of 13-17 May 2026 have reached 778,318 tickets. This number still has the potential to increase as ticket sales continue through the Access by KAI application, station ticket counters, and various other official channels.
Vice President of Corporate Communication at KAI, Anne Purba, said that the high mobility of the community at the beginning of the long weekend shows that trains remain the main choice for medium and long-distance travel.
“The travel patterns during the long weekend show high mobility of people to tourist cities and areas with high social activity. Trains are the choice of the community because they offer more efficient, comfortable travel and are directly connected to various destination cities,” said Anne Purba.
Here is the daily occupancy for ticket sales during the long weekend period:
Wednesday, 13 May 2026: 196,370 tickets
Thursday, 14 May 2026: 197,333 tickets
Friday, 15 May 2026: 124,455 tickets
Saturday, 16 May 2026: 116,868 tickets
Sunday, 17 May 2026: 143,292 tickets
KAI also recorded several favorite routes for passengers during the long weekend period. Routes to Yogyakarta, Bandung, Semarang, and Surabaya are the most popular because they are directly connected to tourist areas, culinary centers, historical areas, and vibrant creative economic centers that are widely visited during long holidays.
Here are the top 10 routes with the highest temporary departure volume during the long weekend period:
Yogyakarta – Gambir: 11,410 passengers
Gambir – Yogyakarta: 10,583 passengers
Lempuyangan – Pasarsenen: 9,379 passengers
Semarang Tawang – Gambir: 7,826 passengers
Bandung – Gambir: 7,669 passengers
Pasarsenen – Lempuyangan: 7,524 passengers
Gambir – Semarang Tawang: 7,156 passengers
Gambir – Bandung: 6,560 passengers
Yogyakarta – Surabaya Gubeng: 6,138 passengers
Yogyakarta – Bandung: 5,861 passengers
Travel from and to Yogyakarta is a popular choice for many passengers to enjoy the Malioboro area, the Yogyakarta Palace, and various natural destinations in the surrounding area. Meanwhile, Bandung remains popular for its culinary tourism, cool mountain air, and rapidly developing creative economy. Routes to Semarang are also busy because they are connected to the Kota Lama area, historical tourism, and the trading center in Central Java.
The increase in passenger mobility during the long holiday also drives economic activity in various regions. The activities of MSMEs, connecting transportation, accommodation, culinary centers, and local trade also grow along with the increase in intercity travel by train.
KAI advises passengers to arrive at the station earlier, reconfirm their departure schedule, and prepare their travel documents properly. Passengers are also expected to use the Access by KAI application to monitor tickets, travel schedules, and service information regularly.
“The public still has various travel options to enjoy the long weekend by train. Passengers can monitor ticket availability through Access by KAI and other official channels,” concluded Anne.