Government to Build Trans-Sumatra, Kalimantan, and Sulawesi Railway Lines

The government will soon begin building the Trans-Sumatra, Kalimantan, and Sulawesi railway lines. This project stems from instructions by President Prabowo Subianto.

This was conveyed by the Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY), while leading a coordination meeting at Tanah Abang Station in Jakarta on Wednesday, 22 April 2026.

“This is the great vision of the President. We want to ensure that Sumatra, Kalimantan, and Sulawesi are not left too far behind,” said AHY.

He stated that the project is intended to lower logistics costs. This is because there is still an imbalance in rail-based transportation in Indonesia.

“We must honestly assess the current situation. Our railway network is still very limited compared to other countries. This is not to make us pessimistic, but rather to motivate us to work harder and more directedly,” said AHY.

AHY mentioned that rail passenger transport currently accounts for around 4 percent. On the other hand, logistics transport is only about 1 percent. However, he noted that railways have advantages in terms of emissions and efficiency.

“Its contribution to greenhouse gas emissions is very low, less than 1 percent. We must promote this as part of our commitment to achieving net zero emissions,” he explained.

In his presentation, he also highlighted the investment disparity between road construction and railway lines.

“We are not saying that road development is unimportant; of course, we still need to do it. But we also see a significant gap in railway investment. This is what we must correct together,” AHY concluded.