Government Needs Rp 65 Trillion Per Year to Build and Reactivate National-Scale Railway Tracks

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY) has stated that the government needs Rp 65 trillion per year to build railway tracks across Indonesia.

Currently, the railway network outside Java is still limited. In Sumatra, tracks exist but are not fully connected. Meanwhile, Kalimantan has no railway network at all.

This disparity has prompted the government to plan the construction and reactivation of railway tracks throughout Indonesia, with the three aforementioned islands as priorities.

“The President’s directive to develop railway networks in Sumatra, Kalimantan, and Sulawesi is strategic,” said AHY, quoted from Kompas.com on Wednesday (23/4/2026).

“If we want to add, say, the aforementioned 14,000 kilometres in the coming years, the cost is estimated at around Rp 1,200 trillion,” AHY added.

This figure is still an initial estimate and may change according to the needs of each region.

Logistics distribution from areas with significant natural resource potential can be expedited. Moreover, logistics costs will be much more affordable when transported by train.

The public will also benefit from the railway network, with easier and more comfortable transportation.

The government’s step to build railway networks outside Java deserves support.