Whoosh Records 1 Million Passengers, Erick Thohir Confirms

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (SOE) Erick Thohir boasted about the high number of passengers on the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed train, Whoosh, which reached one million people in two months.

“Some people say Whoosh is ineffective [transportation], now look at it,” Erick said in response to critics in his official statement on Thursday, December 28, 2023.

He highlighted the success of the country’s first bullet train. He said Whoosh is not only a solution to the Jakarta-Bandung traffic congestion but also creates new economic opportunities, especially at Tegalluar and Padalarang stations, which are new stops for passengers.

“There have been more than one million passengers in two months. So clearly, there are many more benefits,” he added.

In its official statement, the joint venture company managing Whoosh, PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia China or KCIC, said it had served 1,028,216 passengers as of December 25, 2023. The highest daily ridership was 21,500 passengers, including during the current year-end holidays.

“I'm proud of this, Whoosh is not only fun and makes things easier for people who want to go on vacation or have high mobility,” Erick said.

He also said the train aligns with President Joko Widodo or Jokowi's goal of promoting connectivity between airports, ports and toll roads, as well as the Subang industrial area.

“I am optimistic that the economy and job creation for the people of West Java will continue to grow,” Erick Thohir said.

AMELIA RAHIMA SARI

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