Long Weekend Drives Surge in Passenger Numbers to Bandung via KAI
The recent long weekend has triggered an increase in movement towards Bandung and several other destinations in West Java. On Friday (15/05/2026), vehicle traffic heading towards Bandung reached 87,918 vehicles. Trains remain a highly preferred mode of transport, according to data released by KAI.
As of Saturday (17/05/2026) at 10:00 WIB, a total of 91,678 long-distance train passengers departed from various stations within the Daop 2 Bandung region, ranging from Purwakarta to Banjar. One of the most utilised services during this holiday period was the KA Parahyangan, with preliminary data as of Saturday morning showing that 18,006 travellers have used or are scheduled to use this service.
In addition to KA Parahyangan, several other long-distance trains serving Bandung Station recorded high passenger volumes, including KA Papandayan, KA Argo Wilis, KA Malabar, KA Sangkuriang, KA Lodaya, KA Ciremai, and KA Harina. High mobility was also evident on popular routes, with the Bandung–Gambir route serving 8,038 customers, while the Gambir–Bandung route reached 7,624 customers.
Anne Purba, Vice President of Corporate Communication at KAI, stated that the travel trend towards Bandung demonstrates that rail transport remains the primary choice for short intercity trips. “Bandung offers a complete tourism character, from its cool atmosphere and culinary scene to creative hubs and various family activities. Trains are a preferred choice because the journey is more practical, allowing passengers to enjoy their holiday more relaxedly,” Anne explained.
These figures represent a 2.87 per cent increase compared to the same period the previous week, which recorded 203,112 customers. The high usage of local trains indicates that social and economic activity in the Greater Bandung and Garut areas remained high during the long weekend for tourism, social visits, and daily activities.
A similar increase was observed in the Whoosh high-speed rail service. Between Wednesday (13/05/2026) and Saturday (16/05/2026), 75,097 passengers utilised the Whoosh service, marking a 17.80 per cent increase compared to the period between Wednesday (06/05/2026) and Saturday (09/05/2026), which saw 63,748 customers.
According to Anne, the travel trends during the long weekend highlight the vital role of rail transport in supporting public mobility towards various tourist destinations and activity centres across West Java.