Good News YIA Airport Train Operates, Luhut: It Only Takes 40 Minutes To Yogyakarta

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JAKARTA - The government carried out a soft launch for the operation of the Yogyakarta International Airport (YIA) Airport Train (KA) today. The presence of this airport train will cut the travel time to Yogyakarta City, now it only takes 40 minutes from 90 minutes. The soft launching of the YIA Airport Train was carried out directly by the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi, Deputy Minister of SOEs Kartika Wirjoatmodjo, and the Governor of the Special Region of Yogyakarta Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X. Luhut said the construction of the YIA Airport railway line began in 2019 and continues despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Luhut said, airport trains are an alternative transportation option in Yogyakarta besides airport taxis or Damri buses. Rp 1.1 trillion, starting from the feasibility test in 2015 until it was finally completed this year," he said at the virtual soft launching of the YIA Airport Train, Friday, August 27. According to Luhut, the construction of railway infrastructure does require a high investment cost. However, he stressed, infrastructure development provides great benefits. For example, such as the presence of the YIA Airport Train which reduces the travel time between Yogyakarta and YIA Airport. Not only that, said Luhut, the presence of the YIA Airport Train also makes it easier to access in Yogyakarta. On the other hand, the construction of the project also helps drive the local economy. "This can cut the time from 1.5 hours to 40 minutes. I think this is very good, the construction also helps increase economic growth and provides easy accessibility for the community," he said. On the same occasion, Minister of Transportation Budi Karya said the construction of the YIA Airport Train was one of the directions from President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) whose work continued to be carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic. By continuing to carry out strict COVID-19 health protocols. "I reported to the Coordinating Minister (Luhut) that we will open the YIA Airport Train. So we will continue to carry out the work, not stop, we will even provide opportunities for labour-intensive activities," he said. Budi, with a travel time of only 40 minutes, it will make more people feel at home to visit Yogyakarta. Moreover, this city is indeed a tourist city. However, the high number of cases of COVID-19 transmission has made the inauguration of the YIA Airport Train with a soft opening scheme.

Minister of Transportation Budi emphasized that after the cases decreased, his party would hold a large-scale promotion of the YIA Airport Train. The goal is to increase its users.

Previously, the Ministry of Transportation (Kemenhub) decided to postpone the inauguration of the airport train at Yogyakarta International Airport in early September 2021. This is because the area is still included in the status of Level 4 Community Activity Restrictions (PPKM).

Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi explained that the inauguration would be carried out considering the spread of the pandemic, including active cases of COVID-19 in Yogyakarta. "Yogyakarta is still red (PPKM) level 4, of course it will not be comfortable when it is inaugurated. God willing, in September Yogya will be level 3, our trains are better and the trial process is better," he said in a virtual discussion, Wednesday, August 18.