TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - After four years of transition, state-owned railway company Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) will close all of their ticket counters starting on August 15, 2014, and will only serve their customers via website, internet, convenience stores and authorized travel agents.
"There will be no more ticket purchasing at the station," said Slamet Suseno, KAI commercial director at the Senen Market Station yesterday. He explained that the step was taken to prevent queue build up at train stations.
Edi Suryanto, KAI deputy chief of marketing division for operational area 1, is certain that the policy will be implemented smoothly in relation to the company's previous success in regulating train users. "Train rides were free, people could sit anywhere. Now, the passengers" tickets must match their ID cards, with assigned seats," he said.
Ticket bookings can be done in many ways. In addition to their website, www.kereta-api.co.id, and call center 121, consumers can also purchase tickets at convenience stores such as Indomaret, Alfamart, Alfamidi and 7-Eleven, or at the post office. KAI booking Apps is also available on Blackberry and Android smartphones.
However, the plan generates protests from the Indonesian Consumer Protection Foundation (YLKI). Tulus Abadi, YLKI chairman, asked KAI to keep ticket counters open because there are people who cannot use the internet.
AYU PRIMA SANDI
