Train tickets sold out for certain cities, dates

Train tickets sold out for certain cities, dates

Novan Iman Santosa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Train tickets to several major cities in Central Java and East
Java, as well as those to Yogyakarta, are sold out, especially
those departing this weekend, as Jakartans prepare to return to
their hometowns for the upcoming Idul Fitri holidays. Idul Fitri
falls on Dec. 6 and 7 this year.

The ticket reservation center of state-owned train operator PT
Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) on Jl. Djuanda, Central Jakarta, was
packed by would-be passengers on Monday, although officials
expected passenger reservations to peak on Tuesday.

"We provide about 4,000 seats from 13 executive trains to
Malang, Semarang, Surabaya, Surakarta and Yogyakarta every day,"
the center's manager, Boman, told reporters.

"But several trains are already sold out for certain dates,
especially those offering cheaper tickets," he added.

Records from the reservation center show that residents prefer
to take executive trains rather than PT KAI's top-of-the-line
first class Argo trains.

"Most of the executive trains cost less than Rp 200,000
(US$22.20), while the Argo trains cost more than that," said
Boman.

"The passengers refuse when we offer them the Argo trains,
saying that the tickets are too expensive."

Plying the route from Jakarta's Gambir Station to Surabaya's
Pasar Turi Station, Argo Bromo Anggrek tickets cost Rp 285,000
for executive class and Rp 250,000 for business class, while
Gumarang tickets cost only Rp 185,000 and Rp 85,000 for executive
class and business class, respectively.

There are two other trains serving the Jakarta-Surabaya route:
the Bima travels from Gambir to Gubeng Station with a fare of Rp
200,000, and the Sembrani travels from Kota Station to Pasar Turi
with a cost of Rp 185,000 per seat.

All tickets for the Gumarang train departing between Nov. 27
and Dec. 2 are sold out, while tickets for Dec. 3 will start
selling on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, tickets for the Bima and Sembrani trains are sold
out for departures on Nov. 28, and from Nov. 30 until Dec.2.

Tickets for the Taksaka I connecting Gambir Station and
Yogyakarta are sold out for Nov. 30 and Dec. 1, while Taksaka II
is sold out for the Nov. 28, Nov. 29, Dec. 1, and Dec. 2
departure dates. The Taksaka I leaves at 7:03 a.m., and Taksaka
II leaves at 8:20 p.m.

"We expect Dec. 3 and Dec. 4 to be the peak of departures
during this year's Idul Fitri holiday season, so we expect
customers to cram our office on Tuesday and Wednesday (this week)
to purchase their tickets," said Boman.

In an effort to discourage ticket scalpers, PT KAI tightened
the ticket purchasing procedure at its reservation center two
years ago. The procedures were tightened even more this year,
under which people must provide their queuing number with
thumbprint identification in order to purchase tickets. This
system ensures that only those individuals who have queued may
buy tickets.

Meanwhile, Zainal Abidin, spokesman of PT KAI's Jakarta
division, said a command post had been set up at Gambir Station
to monitor activities at all stations in Jakarta.

"So far, we have not yet experienced a surge in the number of
train passengers. We expect it to peak on Dec. 3," he said.

He also said that although almost all tickets for regular
trains had sold out, PT KAI will operate an additional 29 special
service trains several days before and after the Idul Fitri
holiday.

Statistics show there were 846,791 train passengers in 2001,
and 835,826 passengers in 2000. This year, train passengers are
expected to increase by about three percent.