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)