KA Lembah Anai Passengers Surge 206.50 Percent, Serving 130,000 Customers in Jan–May 2026

The railway in West Sumatra has always been closely tied to community life. Amidst rice fields, traditional villages, markets, schools, workplaces, public service centres, and tourist gateways, the KA Lembah Anai train service has emerged as a local link connecting daily commutes with the experience of enjoying Minangkabau’s natural scenery. PT Kereta Api Indonesia (Persero) recorded that KA Lembah Anai served 130,504 customers from January to May 2026. This figure represents a 206.50 percent surge compared to the 42,579 customers served in the same period of 2025, meaning an additional 87,925 passengers in the first five months of 2026. The increase was consistent month-on-month. In January 2026, the service carried 24,494 customers, up from 9,930 in January 2025. February saw 22,111 customers, up from 7,243. March reached 28,500 customers, up from 6,349. April recorded 29,737 customers, up from 10,767, and May totalled 25,662 customers, up from 8,290 in May 2025. Vice President of Corporate Communication at KAI, Anne Purba, stated that the passenger increase demonstrates the growing relevance of local train services to the needs of West Sumatra’s community. She noted that customers use the train for work, school, trade, tourism, accessing public services, and returning home, highlighting that the service is needed because it is close, affordable, and provides travel time certainty. In 2026, KA Lembah Anai operates the Kayutanam–Padang round-trip route, connecting areas such as Kayutanam, Sicincin, Lubuk Alung, Duku, Tabing, Alai, and Padang Station. The service opens access to centres of education, commerce, employment, healthcare, government services, and onward journeys to various tourist areas. The name Lembah Anai itself carries a distinct emotional appeal. From Kayutanam Station, customers can continue their journey to the Lembah Anai area, Lembah Anai Waterfall, Padang Panjang, and Bukittinggi. The train journey offers a different experience, allowing passengers to enjoy the face of West Sumatra from the window, including rice fields, hills, traditional settlements, and the natural atmosphere characteristic of Minangkabau. For families, KA Lembah Anai can be a simple, economical, and enjoyable weekend travel option. Children can become acquainted with public transport from an early age, parents have a more practical travel choice, and tourists can enjoy a more relaxed journey to tourist areas. The presence of KA Lembah Anai also benefits the local economy. The movement of customers to and from stations opens opportunities for MSMEs, food vendors, onward transport providers, accommodation, and tourism activities along the route. When customers arrive, buy food, use local transport services, or continue to tourist attractions, economic benefits flow to the surrounding community. According to 2025 data from the Padang Pariaman Regency Statistics Agency, the population of Padang Pariaman Regency reached 467,038 people, comprising 234,856 males and 232,182 females. Around the KA Lembah Anai service access, four sub-districts have large population bases: Batang Anai with 59,681 people, Lubuak Aluang with 50,848, 2 X 11 Kayu Tanam with 30,355, and 2 X 11 Anam Lingkuang with 19,616. The total population of these four sub-districts is 160,500 people. Meanwhile, Padang City, as the main travel destination, had a population of approximately 965,100 in 2025 based on Padang City Statistics Agency data. This figure illustrates the significant need for mobility towards the city centre, whether for work, study, trade, accessing public services, or tourism. The demographic data shows that KA Lembah Anai sits amidst an active community living space. On this route, residents’ mobility is directly linked to daily needs close to life: students heading to school, workers to their workplaces, traders to markets, families visiting, patients accessing healthcare, and tourists enjoying the weekend. Anne Purba added that behind every journey are stories of families, students, workers, traders, tourists, and MSME actors interconnected by the train service. Therefore, KAI continues to maintain KA Lembah Anai to remain safe, comfortable, affordable, and easily accessible. KAI also views the passenger increase on KA Lembah Anai as a positive signal for strengthening public transport in West Sumatra. The more people use the train, the greater the opportunity for the region to build orderly, scheduled mobility habits that save road space and support community economic activities. With affordable fares, regular schedules, and a route reaching the centre of Padang City, KA Lembah Anai provides a travel option that is friendly for the community. This service helps residents plan journeys with greater certainty, especially for customers who regularly travel from the Padang Pariaman area to Padang City and vice versa. KAI invites the people of West Sumatra to utilise KA Lembah Anai as a choice for daily and tourist travel. Schedule information, seat availability, and ticket reservations can be checked through the Access by KAI application and other official KAI channels. KAI expressed its hope that KA Lembah Anai will continue to be a source of pride for the people of West Sumatra, connecting places, enlivening journeys, and helping the community enjoy their own region in a new way.