Get around Indonesia by Train

Another on-road transportation mean that you can have is get around Indonesia by train. The train service will only be found in Java and certain parts of Sumatera. The trains across these two major islands in Indonesia are run by PT. Kereta Api. The network used for these train are old because they were built during the Dutch colonial. There are some new lines built since the Indonesian Independence, but due to the spotty maintenance and derailments, there are occasionally train accidents.

Java by far has the best railway network, with trains connecting the capital city of Jakarta with other main cities, i.e. Surabaya both via Semarang on the north coast and via Yogyakarta and Solo through the southern main line. Bandung is connected to Jakarta by some 30 trains per day, and is itself connected to Surabaya through Yogyakarta. Bali has no railway lines, but there are trains from Surabaya to Banyuwangi, connecting with ferries to the island.

Sumatra’s networks are concentrated on the northern (around Medan) and the southern (Lampung to Palembang) parts of the island. Passenger trains on the island are much less frequent than in Java.

Type of service: Air-conditioned Eksekutif class, Bisnis, and Ekonomi classes are also available for the more budget-conscious traveler, but comfort and safety are noticeably less (due to congestion and length of travel time).

No sleeping car service is provided in Indonesia, and the best accommodation provided is air-conditioned, adjustable reclining seats in the Argo and other eksekutif class trains.

Ticket reservations can be made one month in advance, although generally tickets will still be available almost to the last minute. An exception is the very busy Lebaran season, in which time it is not advisable to travel due to the extremely high demand for tickets. No on-line ticket reservation is available, but availability can be gleaned on PT Kereta Api’s ticketing site.

The journey by taking trains in Java will commonly pass by scenic areas. Therefore, if you are not in hurry, you may consider taking the train. Even though it will be a longer journey, you will be able to enjoy the scenery along the way as the bonus. However, you must pay extra attention on your onboard goods, because there are many theft on the train who are in actions especially during the night trips.

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Get Around Indonesia By Train

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