Tickets of Hope from Pasar Senen Station to Hometowns

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Pasar Senen Station today is not merely a point of departure but also a witness to many recurring stories each year—about migrants who momentarily wish to shed their burdens, about hometowns that always linger in memory. This is not just an ordinary journey. The days before Eid are when Jakarta seems to release all the yearnings swallowed by the busyness. All the seats provided at the station are fully occupied, so many passengers sit on the floor while playing on their phones or chatting while waiting for departure time. Under the information screen displaying destination city names, the words “Selamat Idul Fitri 1447 H” appear against a colourful background, with hundreds of passengers queuing to board the trains, mixed with some porters also queuing as they carry passengers’ suitcases and bags. Several porters can also be seen bustling about, carrying suitcases and bags of passengers who have just alighted from vehicles towards the waiting room filled with seats, as well as those offering porter services to passengers but being politely refused. There are quite a few mothers bringing their children for the homecoming journey who are seen sitting on the floor because they couldn’t get seats, while watching over their children who appear happy and want to explore the station, or play in the play area provided by the station authorities. It is here that the true face of Eid homecoming emerges; not the beauty as in Eid advertisements on television, but the patience visible amid the crowded, cramped atmosphere and long queues, because everyone knows that at the end of that journey, there are those waiting. According to the Public Relations Manager of KAI Daop 1 Jakarta, Franoto Wibowo, public enthusiasm for using trains is quite high for this year’s Eid. Of the total capacity of 1,083,623 long-distance train seats provided during the Eid period, 743,786 tickets have been sold, with an average occupancy of 69 percent.