KAI: 295,934 Passengers Utilise Face Recognition at Medan Station
PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) Regional Division I North Sumatra has recorded 295,934 passengers utilising the Face Recognition Boarding Gate facility at Medan Station since its operation began in September 2024 through to August 2026.
Anwar Yuli Prastyo, Public Relations Manager of PT Kereta Api Indonesia (Persero) Regional Division I North Sumatra, stated in Medan on Wednesday that the Face Recognition Boarding Gate is a manifestation of KAI’s commitment to supporting more sustainable transport by reducing the use of paper tickets, thereby helping to prevent deforestation.
Currently, the Face Recognition Boarding Pass facility in the North Sumatra region is only available at Medan Station. Since its initial operation in September 2024, 75,697 residents of North Sumatra have registered as users of the facial scanning service.
“From September 2024 to August 2026, the Face Recognition Boarding Gate has been used by 295,934 customers. This number has successfully reduced the use of ticket paper by up to 740 rolls, and saved ticket paper purchase costs by Rp10,875,575,” said Anwar.
With this facility, passengers only need to scan their faces at the available scanners at the station without the need to print physical tickets or present identity cards, making the boarding document verification process faster and more efficient.
Nevertheless, KAI Regional Division I North Sumatra continues to prioritise service inclusivity for all segments of society.
“As a form of inclusivity, KAI Regional Division I North and South Sumatra also continues to provide manual boarding lanes along with staff for customers who are not yet comfortable registering their faces for Face Recognition,” Anwar added.
Regarding personal data security, registered customers need not worry as KAI has implemented the Information Security Management System (ISMS) to international ISO 27001 standards.
Facial data protection is carried out not only through technology but also through strict governance, access restrictions, periodic security testing, and rapid response mechanisms in the event of a cyber security incident.
Face Recognition registration data is stored for one year and will be automatically deleted after the storage period ends or if the customer no longer uses the feature.
Customers can also request early data deletion through the Access by KAI application or via Customer Service at the station.
Although this facility is currently only available at Medan Station for the North Sumatra region, the facial data of registered customers can be used at all KAI-managed railway stations across Indonesia that are equipped with Face Recognition facilities.
“We present this Face Recognition Boarding Gate service as a tangible form of KAI’s commitment to providing ease, speed, and comfort for customers during their journeys, while ensuring the maximum protection and security of all users’ personal data,” he concluded.