Ticket scalpers in Gambir station

JAKARTA: They are scarcely ever in full view. Still, scalpers can often be found roaming the Gambir railway station where at any given moment, dozens of them are swindling unsuspecting travelers hoping to pass their long weekends out of town.

They operate by snapping up certain train tickets left available -- particularly for popular long-weekend tickets for various destinations like Bandung and Cirebon in West Java, and Semarang, Yogyakarta, and Surabaya in Central Java.

One scalper, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Jakarta Post that he, and others like him, go out of their way to buy tickets at regular prices from staff members of the state- owned train operator PT KAI at other stations.

"We know how to work the officials," the scalper boasted.

He explained that, on average, he bought tickets at a rate of as much as Rp 5,000 above the normal price -- and then went on to re-sell each ticket at a full 50 percent higher than the normal price, ensuring profits all around.

On more than one occasion, he noted that he also earned money by selling tickets to one man, whom he likened to an investor.

He said that one time he paid Rp 45,000 for a Parahyangan executive ticket to Bandung before selling it on to the other man at Rp 70,000. He, in turn, would demand Rp 110,000.--JP