Soft Launching August, Minister Of Transportation: Fast Trains Are Still Free Until October

Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

Minister of Transportation (Menhub) Budi Karya Sumadi said tickets for the Jakarta Bandung Fast Train (KCJB) would be free until they finally operate commercially in October 2023.

The KCJB ticket will be free after the soft launching is officially carried out on August 18.

"Soft operation, trial (August 18). Passengers have not been set tariff, free until October. But the passengers will be selected," he told reporters, Thursday, June 22.

Furthermore, Budi said the function test or testing will be carried out in the next two weeks. At this stage, said Budi, daily testing of the system from the fleet and the feasibility of the KCJB track will be carried out.

"We will intensively carry out one commissioning or testing of the trains that will be used in the next two weeks. We hope that in July it will be finished and God willing, on August 18, we will be able to carry out activities that God willing, the President (Jokowi) will be there," he explained.

Regarding the operating permit, Budi explained that his party would cooperate with the French before issuing the KCJB operational permit in October.

"This operational permit is very important. Therefore, at the direction of the Coordinating Minister (Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan) we are also working with France to make one observation of what has been done. God willing, we will give the operating permit before or no later than October 1," he said.

KCJB Ticket Prices

Meanwhile, Director of the Indonesia-China High Speed Train (KCIC) Dwiyana Slamet Riyadi revealed that his party is working to prevent the ticket price of the Jakarta-Bandung High Speed Train (KCJB) from exceeding IDR 250,000 per person.

"We are discussing the tickets, including from the Ministry of Transportation, and also providing input. This is still a consideration to be determined immediately. From the Ministry of Transportation, he asked if it could be below Rp. 250,000," he said.

Furthermore, Dwiyana also suggested that the sale of KCJB tickets be carried out using a package or bundling system with the Jakarta LRT, as well as a feeder train or feeder train for passengers who continue their journey from Padalarang Station to the center of Bandung City.

"We want an integrity ticketing as well as a feeder, with such an LRT. That's why later when the commissioning operation date (COD) is really seamless. So we really make it easy to get all the tickets," he said.

Dwiyana ensured that the exact decision on the price of the KCJB ticket would be announced in the near future.

The reason is, KCJB operations will be opened to the public and paid starting in early October.

"The target is the first week of October (for payment). Yes, we hope it will be done soon. What is certain is that the recommendation from the Ministry of Transportation is a maximum of Rp. 250,000," he said.