IDNAround – The highly anticipated Jakarta-Bandung fast train offers three distinct classes, each providing different amenities and services to passengers for a journey of less than one hour. Each train consists of eight carriages: two for first class, one for business class, and five for economy class.
The first-class carriage features 18 faux leather seats arranged in a 1-2 configuration, while the business-class carriage accommodates 28 passengers in a 2-2 seating arrangement.
The economy class, with 111 seats per carriage, tends to be more crowded. At maximum capacity, the train can transport over 600 passengers in a single trip.
One carriage is dedicated to a minibar, situated in the middle of the train.
The interior and exterior designs draw inspiration from the scales on the skin of Komodo dragons, while the economy class seat covers showcase a cloud-like batik motif known as “mega mendung,” according to Emir Monti, the spokesperson for the Indonesia-China Fast Train (KCIC) consortium responsible for the railway project. The fast train has been affectionately nicknamed the Red Komodo.
The government has announced that passengers will be able to ride the fast train for free during the first three months of its operation. The official inauguration of the train will take place one day after Independence Day celebrations next month.
“Thanks be to God, the president has decided that the fast train will be free of charge for three months,” State-Owned Enterprise Minister Erick Thohir said.
The allocation of free tickets for the trial period will be determined later, considering the overwhelming public interest, explained West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil.
“Following the President’s directive, we will prioritize the communities living closest to the route, as they are the ones most affected by land acquisition and other issues in this project,” the governor added.
The train has undergone various track tests, with the most recent reaching a top speed of 350 kilometers per hour.
Currently, 11 trains are stationed at the Tegalluar Depot in West Java, awaiting certification from the Transportation Ministry to ensure operational feasibility.
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