With the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed train scheduled to be completed in 2023, there are studies being conducted by the Indonesian government for the construction of the Jakarta-Surabaya high-speed train next.
The Transport Minister said the project is a long-term and gradual plan. “It is the same as the instruction for other (means of) mass transportation, such as the MRT, where construction is conducted on a long-term and in a gradual manner. Likewise, high-speed trains certainly require a long period of time,” he remarked.
Indonesia will use the government-private partnership scheme (PPP), both state-owned enterprises or national and foreign private companies in sourcing for funding.
“In the midst of the limited capacity of the state budget, we must look for alternatives through creative funding. It should not interfere with the state budget, which is prioritized for more basic needs,” he emphasized.
The Jakarta-Surabaya High-Speed Train is projected to take the route: Jakarta – Karawang – Bandung – Kertajati – Purwokerto – Yogyakarta – Solo – Madiun – Surabaya. The train is expected to cut the Jakarta to Surabaya trip to just four hours.
In addition to the southern high-speed train, the government is planning a semi-fast train from Surabaya to the north. Jakarta has also plans for MRT and LRT, as a means of urban mass transportation, to be built in other cities, such as Surabaya, Bandung, Medan, Makassar, Semarang, and Bali.
The government plans to conduct a study involving the world’s financial institutions, such as the World Bank, Asian Development Bank (ADB), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and other consultants from abroad.
