From Connecting the Nation by Rail to 350 km/h: The 81-Year Journey of KAI
For eight decades, railways have been part of Indonesia’s long mobility story. From the early years of independence, when railway lines connected cities and regions, to today’s high-tech trains, the journey has continued to evolve alongside the needs of society and the changing times.
One of the key milestones came on September 28, 1945, when railway workers took over the management of the railway system from Japan following Indonesia’s independence. The event marked the beginning of Djawatan Kereta Api Repoeblik Indonesia (DKARI), which later became commemorated as Indonesia’s Railway Day.
During the early years of the Republic, railways played an important role in connecting different parts of the country. Railway lines stretching across various regions supported people’s mobility while also contributing to economic activity during the nation-building process.
As time went on, travel needs changed as well. From primarily serving intercity and interregional journeys, railway services have expanded into a wider range of offerings, including long-distance and local services as well as everyday urban transportation.
Technology has also played an important role in this evolution. Long before today’s modern trains emerged, Indonesia’s railway electrification journey began on April 6, 1925, with the operation of electric trains along the Tanjung Priok–Meester Cornelis, or Jatinegara, route.
As urban areas continued to grow, KRL became an important mode of daily transportation, particularly across the Greater Jakarta area. With millions of journeys taking place, electric rail services have continued to develop in response to increasingly dynamic mobility needs.
A new chapter in electric transportation arrived in 2023 with LRT Jabodebek. Stretching 44.43 kilometers, the service uses Communication Based Train Control (CBTC) signaling technology with Grade of Automation Level 3 (GoA3), enabling automated train operations while remaining under staff supervision.
That same year, Indonesia’s railway journey accelerated with the arrival of Whoosh. Inaugurated on October 2, 2023, and commercially operated since October 17, 2023, the electric high-speed train uses CR400AF trainsets with operating speeds of up to 350 km/h, making it the first high-speed railway in Southeast Asia.
Whoosh has expanded mobility options while demonstrating how technology continues to take rail travel to the next level. If railways once primarily served as connections between cities, modern technology now enables faster journeys and increasingly advanced travel experiences.
The growing role of railways can also be seen in the number of passengers served. From January to August 2026, KAI Group served 351,602,397 passengers, an increase of 7.09 percent compared with 328,311,868 passengers during the same period the previous year.
Of this total, 317.7 million passengers, or 90.29 percent, used public services covering commuter trains, local trains, and government-assigned services. The figure highlights how railways have become more than just a travel option—they are now part of people’s everyday lives.
This growth came from various services across the KAI Group ecosystem, including KAI Commuter, Long-Distance and Local Trains, LRT Jabodebek, Airport Trains, Makassar–Parepare, and the high-speed Whoosh.
The diversity of these services also reflects the increasingly varied needs of passengers. Some travel by train to work, study, trade, visit family, or simply enjoy a trip. Each purpose creates a different travel story and contributes to the continued evolution of Indonesia’s railway services.
Eight decades of this journey have transformed railways from a mode of transportation connecting cities and regions into a modern transportation ecosystem powered by technology, digitalization, and service innovation. As KAI approaches its 81st Anniversary, the journey continues toward creating more seamless connectivity and increasingly modern, customer-focused travel experiences.