Prabowo Returns to Jakarta Aboard Nusantara Explorer Train After Batang Working Visit

President Prabowo Subianto returned to Jakarta after completing his working visit to Batang Regency, Central Java, on Thursday, using the Nusantara Explorer train, the latest premium railway service from PT KAI. During the overland journey to Jakarta, the President was accompanied by several ministers, including Minister of State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi, Foreign Minister Sugiono, Minister of Culture Fadli Zon, and Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya. The Nusantara Explorer carrying the President departed from Batang at around 17.00 WIB. Inside the carriage, Minister of State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi, who also serves as the Presidential Spokesperson, explained that the tourist train service is a follow-up to President Prabowo’s instructions to PT Kereta Api Indonesia. ‘In the context of increasing our tourism potential, the President wants us to develop railway-based tourism,’ Prasetyo said in response to journalists’ questions. Pras, as he is familiarly known, added that PT KAI already has a business unit providing tourist train services. However, the President requested that the service be further strengthened through the development of new carriages integrated with various premier tourist destinations across Indonesia. Pras noted that the Nusantara Explorer is still in the trial phase and has not been officially launched to the public. Nevertheless, he assessed that the quality of the carriages tested today meets international standards. ‘Today is still a trial because it has not been officially launched, and from what we saw when we were invited to look inside the cabin interior, we quite appreciate that PT KAI is now capable of producing world-class, international-standard train carriages,’ he said. On the same occasion, Minister of Culture Fadli Zon expressed confidence that the Nusantara Explorer has great appeal as a tourist attraction to support tourism development. He added that the train opens new opportunities for people wanting to enjoy a different travel experience. ‘If I may add a little, it seems from the conversations earlier and the response from many people, many members of the public will be interested, perhaps even renting a carriage for reunion events, gatherings, meetings, or various other activities. It is very unique,’ said Fadli Zon.