Jakarta-Yogya train service

Jakarta-Yogya train service

JAKARTA (JP): State-owned railway company PT Kereta Api
Indonesia (KAI) launched on Tuesday its new executive class
service between Yogyakarta and Jakarta.

KAI director Edie Haryoto said in Yogyakarta the existing two
executive class services, Senja Utama and Argo Lawu, could no
longer accommodate the steadily rising number of travelers
between the two cities.

He said the new train, called Taksaka, was capable of carrying
416 passengers in its eight luxury cars and would replace one of
the Senja Utama services.

Edie said cars for the new train were old cars which had been
refurbished by PT INKA Madiun for Rp 800 million (about
US$100,000) each.

The train travels between the two cities in less than eight
hours, and leaves Yogyakarta at 8 p.m. every day and departs
Jakarta at 7:10 a.m.

Director General of Land Transportation Santo Budiono said at
the launching ceremony that his office had begun laying railway
tracks in Aceh as promised by President B.J. Habibie in April.

He said the project, which will span 485 kilometers, would
cost Rp 3.5 trillion and would take 16 years to complete.
(01/23/44)