Train Subsidies to Support Eid and Year-End Tourism

JAKARTA - Through the Public Service Obligation (PSO) scheme, the government together with PT Kereta Api Indonesia (Persero) ensures that the mobility of citizens remains safe, comfortable and inclusive in the midst of the surge in movement at the end of the year throughout the 2025 Christmas and New Year (Nataru) Transportation period.

In the period from December 18, 2025 to January 4, 2026, the PSO service served 1,103,379 customers, consisting of 676,149 PSO Long Distance Train customers and 427,230 PSO Local Train customers.

This figure is growing compared to Nataru 2024/2025.

KAI Vice President of Corporate Communication Anne Purba said the presence of the subsidy scheme was a tangible proof of the state's commitment to maintaining public mobility space for all groups.

"Through the PSO scheme, the government is present through KAI, ensuring that people can still travel safely, comfortably, and affordably, especially during periods with high mobility such as Nataru," Anne said in an official statement, Wednesday, January 7.

In total, KAI served 4,179,095 passengers during the holiday season this time, or an increase of 12.02 percent compared to the previous year.

Of that number, long-distance trains transported 3,392,439 customers, reaching 122.9 percent of the capacity of 2.76 million available seats.

Meanwhile, local trains recorded 786,656 customers, or 105.6 percent of the capacity of 745,000 seats.

Anne said the increase in travel volume was due to increased tourism activities, family travel, and economic activity in the supporting sector in many destination cities.

Affordable services through PSO become an anchor of mobility, ranging from the need for homecoming, commuter travel, to tourists.

In terms of operations, travel reliability is maintained. During the peak Nataru period, departure timeliness reached 99.68 percent, and arrival 96.13 percent, reflecting the readiness of the fleet and infrastructure to face a surge in demand.

KAI also turned on an additional stimulus in the form of a 30 percent discount on the commercial economy train tariff on December 22, 2025-January 10, 2026.

A total of 1,509,080 seats have been prepared, and as of January 5 at 08.00 WIB, discounted tickets have been absorbed by 1,524,487 seats, or 102 percent of the allocation.

"This affordable tariff policy is in line with the government's efforts to maintain people's purchasing power and encourage productive mobility during the holiday period," explained Anne.

In the future, KAI ensures the strengthening of PSO services through synergy with the government, especially the Directorate General of Railways of the Ministry of Transportation.

"PSO trains are not just transportation services, but part of the state's presence in maintaining connectivity, equitable access, and people's economic mobility. KAI is committed to fulfilling this trust with full responsibility," concluded Anne.