Whoosh and Conventional Trains Become Backbone of Foreign Tourist Movement in West Java

The integration of rail-based transport, such as the Whoosh High-Speed Train and conventional trains, is increasingly cementing its position as the main backbone for the movement of foreign tourists in the West Java region. According to data compiled by the West Java Provincial Statistics Office (BPS), the accumulation of foreign national arrivals using the Whoosh High-Speed Train reached 17,877 visits throughout June 2026. Padalarang Station was the main entry point, with a dominating contribution of 86.46 per cent. “During the January-June 2026 period, the number of foreign tourist visits using Whoosh to West Java reached 87,751 visits,” said West Java BPS Head Margaretha Ari Anggorowati in Bandung on Monday. Cumulatively throughout the first semester of 2026, the number of conventional train passengers in West Java grew by 5.57 per cent, with a record 2.43 million people in June. “Meanwhile, Whoosh High-Speed Train passengers grew by 0.61 per cent year-to-date,” she added. Conversely, she noted that international passenger movement in the aviation sector experienced a drastic monthly decline of 93.94 per cent in June 2026 at West Java International Airport (BIJB) Kertajati, triggered by the completion of the operational phase for repatriating Hajj pilgrims. The hotel sector also recorded a positive recovery, with the occupancy rate of star-rated hotels in West Java in June 2026 rising by 2.85 points to 51.05 per cent. “The highest occupancy was in Karawang Regency (72.11 per cent), Tasikmalaya City (63.22 per cent), and Purwakarta Regency (62.48 per cent),” Ari stated.