PT KAI to launch Serpong-Kota express train

Novan Iman Santosa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Greater Jakarta division of state-owned railway operator PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) will launch an express train plying the route between Kota station, West Jakarta, and Serpong district, Tangerang, Banten, sometime next month, with a view to capturing business from the upper end of the market.

The new air-conditioned, executive-class electric train will be operated in cooperation with Madiun, East Java-based state- owned train industry company PT Industri Kereta Api (INKA).

"PT INKA will bear all the maintenance and operating costs and in return will receive revenue from its operations," spokesman of KAI's Greater Jakarta division Zainal Abidin told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

"Our share in the cooperation will be limited to operating the trains," he added.

Asked about the profit that KAI would receive from the cooperation, Zainal said KAI and INKA were still discussing it.

Similarly, the spokesman said, a specific date for commencement of the new service was not yet available as discussion between both state companies was under way.

Currently, the Greater Jakarta Division already runs a business-class train on the Serpong route at a fare of Rp 3,500 (40 US cents). It also runs executive-class trains to the West Java cities of Depok and Bogor, respectively the Depok Express and Pakuan Express.

"We are also still discussing the fare (for the Kota to Serpong train), but it will be around Rp 6,000, similar to that for the Depok Express," said Zainal.

"The new train will leave Serpong station early in the morning and leave Kota station in the afternoon, after office hours.

"It will stop at Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta, as it is a large station, at which, regulations state, all trains must stop."

Zainal also said that the train might make a stop at Sudimara, near Pamulang district, Tangerang, if the market looks promising.

"Executive-class trains are designed to earn as much revenue as possible. The train will stop in Sudimara if plenty of passengers are there. "We may also increase the trip frequency if passenger demand justifies additional trips," he said.

No information was immediately available from PT INKA spokesman Rosyid on details of the cooperation.

But PT INKA security guard at its Madiun office Winarto told the Post that the train of eight cars would be delivered on Feb. 14, pulled by a diesel locomotive.

The train will have a capacity of about 800 passengers.

In a separate development, Zainal said that PT KAI had asked the government to delay the purchase of a train from Germany, saying the company did not have a suitable space to store all the rolling stock.

"Even with our current fleet we have difficulty in storing it.

"The government has promised that it will build a new train depot in Depok to accommodate the new trains," he said.