KAI Commuter, Jakarta’s commuter rail operator, has announced plans to introduce new electric trains imported from China. The 12 carriages, manufactured by CRRC Sifang, recently arrived in Indonesia and are currently undergoing track trials. Each train must complete 4,000 km of testing, primarily on the Jakarta–Bogor line, before entering service. The trains will not be operational in time for the Eid holidays, according to KAI Commuter Corporate Secretary Joni Martinus.
Greater Jakarta’s commuter rail system serves around 1 million passengers daily, and KAI Commuter’s 89 existing train sets are struggling to meet growing demand. The decision to import trains from China was made due to limited production capacity at Indonesia’s state-owned train manufacturer, INKA, which is focused on building new trains and upgrading older ones. The new additions aim to improve service capacity and reliability in the region.
