President Director of KAI: 81 Years of Indonesian Railway Journey Begins with History, Moving Towards the Future
Jakarta (ANTARA) - PT Kereta Api Indonesia (Persero) commemorated its 81st anniversary through an event titled ‘The Continuum – Timeless Transformation’ held at Ciputra Artpreneur Jakarta on Monday (28/9). Highlighting the long journey of Indonesian railways, the event served as a moment of reflection on the history, transformation, and future development direction of KAI in providing increasingly relevant services to the public.
The celebration was attended by government officials, stakeholders, customers, communities, and various partners who have been part of KAI’s journey for over eight decades. The theme ‘The Continuum – Timeless Transformation’ represents KAI’s continuous evolution alongside changing times, while maintaining its core values of service and innovation.
KAI President Director Bobby Rasyidin stated that KAI’s 81-year journey is inseparable from the long history of Indonesian railways, which began with the construction of the first railway line from Semarang to Tanggung in 1867.
“KAI’s journey begins with the long history of Indonesian railways. From the first Semarang–Tanggung line, it has evolved through various transformations to become PT Kereta Api Indonesia (Persero) as it is today,” said Bobby.
Bobby explained that 28 September is a significant milestone in KAI’s history because, on this date in 1945, Indonesian railway workers seized railway offices from Japanese forces in Bandung. This event marked a pivotal moment in the birth of Indonesian-led railway management.
Over time, Indonesia’s railway organisation has undergone various changes, from the Djawatan Kereta Api Republik Indonesia (DKARI), to Perusahaan Negara Kereta Api (PNKA), Perusahaan Umum Kereta Api (Perumka), and finally to PT Kereta Api Indonesia (Persero).
Entering its 81st year, KAI continues to undergo transformation through improved customer service quality, connectivity development, product innovation, and strengthening the role of railways in supporting public mobility and national economic growth.
Based on performance from January to August 2026, the KAI Group recorded 351,602,397 passengers, an increase of 7.09 per cent compared to the same period the previous year. In terms of freight, KAI recorded a volume of 44,905,963 tonnes, consisting of 36,854,758 tonnes of coal and 8,051,205 tonnes of non-coal freight.
This performance demonstrates the role of railways in supporting public mobility needs as well as supporting national logistics distribution through rail-based freight services.
Bobby stated that KAI continues to introduce various service innovations to meet public needs. Throughout 2026, KAI has introduced several service developments, ranging from ‘Kereta Api Kerakyatan’ (People’s Train) with more affordable services, ‘Kereta Petani dan Pedagang’ (Farmers and Traders Train) to support community economic activities, to the development of rail-based tourism travel services.
“In the past year, KAI has continued to introduce various service innovations. All of this is part of our effort to provide an even better travel experience for our customers,” said Bobby.
Bobby also expressed his appreciation to all KAI employees, regulators, partners, customers, and all stakeholders who have been part of the company’s journey.
“Thank you to all KAI personnel, stakeholders, and our loyal customers. This 81-year journey is part of our collective effort to continue providing the best service to the community,” said Bobby.
Looking ahead, KAI continues to prepare for the development of the national railway through the strengthening of networks and services in various regions of Indonesia. This development includes expanding connectivity outside of Java and providing rail-based transport to support the tourism sector and regional economic growth.
Through ‘The Continuum – Timeless Transformation’, KAI invites the public to view the journey of Indonesian railways as a journey that continues to move from the past towards the future, carrying a long history, innovation, and the spirit of ‘Semakin Melayani’ (Serving More).