SBDJ Chief Unaware of Plans to Replace Bali MRT with ART

PT Sarana Bali Dwipa Jaya (SBDJ) has admitted it has not yet received official information regarding the plan to replace the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) project with an Autonomous Rail Transit (ART) in Bali. The company stated that, to date, there has been no directive concerning the change in the project’s concept.

‘Regarding the decision to stop the MRT, I also haven’t received confirmation, whether the MRT in question is an underground train or the capital,’ said SBDJ President Director Ervan Maksum when contacted by detikBali on Thursday (6/8/2026).

Ervan explained that, based on a feasibility study previously conducted by a South Korean consultant, the planned transportation system could indeed utilise ART, LRT, or a tram. The choice of mode would be adjusted according to passenger traffic needs and investment value. ‘According to the previous FS conducted by Korea, it could be ART or LRT or a tram, depending on the traffic and investment needs,’ he clarified.

However, he continued, if the replacement involves switching from an underground MRT to an above-ground ART, he has yet to receive any information or direction regarding the change. Nevertheless, Ervan noted that the more rail-based modes available, the better, given the public’s tendency to shift from private vehicles to public transport.

‘ART or LRT have similar transport capacities, while MRT has a larger capacity, usually 8-10 carriages, for commuters moving from residential areas to workplaces,’ said the former Deputy for Infrastructure at the Ministry of National Development Planning. ‘For a tourist area like Bali, it doesn’t require such a large capital outlay but needs a capacity greater than a bus, namely LRT/ART or a tram,’ Ervan continued. Ervan explained that, in principle, PT SBDJ is part of the Bali Provincial Government in accordance with Bali Governor Regulation Number 9 of 2024.

Previously, the Bali Transportation Agency responded to the provincial government’s plan to replace the MRT with ART as the new transport mode connecting I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport to Canggu. According to the agency, ART has several advantages over MRT. The Head of the Bali Transportation Agency, I Kadek Mudarta, said ART is an electric-powered urban mass transit vehicle with rubber tyres that can run on public roads. This mode of transport does not require steel rails as it operates with the aid of sensors and a GPS navigation system on a virtual track.

‘There are several advantages of ART over MRT, including cheaper investment and operational costs, as well as faster construction because it can operate on roads and does not require the installation of physical steel rails,’ Mudarta said. Mudarta added that ART can share the road with other vehicles on sufficiently wide roads. However, Mudarta did not have complete information about the plan to replace the MRT, which was funded by PT Kereta Api Indonesia (PT KAI) with an investment value of up to IDR 2.2 trillion. ‘In principle, ART runs on roads, not on steel rails. If a road is built underground, perhaps ART could operate there. But of course, cost efficiency must be calculated, because tunnel construction requires a very large investment,’ he explained. In terms of investment, he continued, ART requires lower capital investment and operational costs.