TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Railways Company or KAI recorded over 11,379,196 people in the first quarter of 2024, an 11 percent increase from the same period last year. This number consists of 9,778,231 passengers for the intercity trains and 1,600,965 for the local trains.

EVP of Corporate Secretary KAI, Raden Agus Dwinanto Budiadji said that the increase was due to the new Train Trip Chart or Gapeka which was implemented since June 2023.

KAI operated several new trains, including the Argo Merbabu train for Gambir-Semarang Tawang Bank Jateng (round trip), Argo Semeru train for Gambir-Surabaya Gubeng (round trip), Pandalungan train for Gambir-Jember (round trip), the Manahan train for Gambir-Solo Balapan (round trip), and the Banyubiru local train for Semarang Tawang Bank Jateng-Solo Balapan (round trip).

Another indicator for the hike was the absence of a mandatory requirement for a COVID-19 vaccine both on local and intercity trains. "In the first quarter of 2023, requirements related to COVID-19 were still applicable," he said in a written statement on Thursday.

Agus also said that KAI improved its services this quarter of 2024, such as operating new generation stainless trains in Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Malang, and Surabaya lines.

"KAI will also launch 3 new trains in the first quarter of 2024, namely Papandayan Train, Pangandaran Train, and Malabar Train," he said.

Another factor for the rise in passengers is the number of discounts offered by KAI during this period.

KAI also noted an increase in performance regarding the punctuality of departure and arrival of trains. According to Agus, in the first quarter of 2024, the punctuality rate for train departures reached 99.65 percent. Meanwhile, the punctuality rate for train arrivals reached 95.86 percent. Agus said that punctuality is one of the advantages of traveling by train.

NOVALI PANJI NUGROHO

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