From Paper Tickets to Face Scans: How 81 Years Have Changed the Way Indonesians Travel by Train
Once, taking a train meant heading to the station, queuing at the ticket counter, making a payment, and carrying a paper ticket throughout the journey. Today, the entire process can begin from a smartphone and boarding can be completed with a simple face scan. Over 81 years, railway services have continued to evolve alongside the way people travel.
Paper tickets were once an inseparable part of the train travel experience. Journey details were printed on a physical ticket that passengers kept until reaching their destination, while station ticket counters served as the starting point for interactions between passengers and staff.
As mobility needs continued to grow, ticketing services also evolved. Technology was gradually introduced to make the booking process more practical, integrated, and aligned with the increasingly digital habits of passengers.
One important milestone came on January 9, 2012, when passenger names and identification numbers began to be included on tickets for Long-Distance and Medium-Distance Train services. The system connected each ticket directly to the passenger’s identity while also supporting better service and helping reduce ticket scalping.
Passengers soon gained more flexibility as electronic booking channels became available. Between 2012 and 2014, online booking services and electronic boarding passes began to develop, shifting the travel experience from one centered around stations to one that could increasingly be managed remotely.
A similar transformation took place in commuter rail services. Starting July 1, 2013, KAI Commuter introduced an e-ticketing system using Single Trip Cards and Multi Trip Cards to replace paper tickets.
As smartphones became part of everyday life, ticket booking changed as well. In 2014, KAI introduced KAI Access as a digital ticket booking service, allowing passengers to make reservations without having to rely solely on station ticket counters.
The digital journey continued with the development of Access by KAI. The platform brings various travel needs together in one application, including ticket purchases, schedule information, seat selection, travel updates, Trip Planner, and other supporting services.
As of June 30, 2026, Access by KAI had 30,449,049 registered users, with total downloads reaching 41,011,320. During the first half of 2026, the platform recorded 17,009,374 Long-Distance and Local Train ticket transactions, accounting for approximately 76.34 percent of total transactions across all sales channels.
If tickets were once something passengers had to physically carry, boarding can now be even simpler. The digital transformation has moved from digital ticketing toward digital boarding through Face Recognition Boarding Gate.
The technology allows registered passengers to complete the boarding process through facial verification. Instead of searching for a physical ticket or manually presenting documents, passengers can go through boarding with a more seamless and practical experience.
Face Recognition Boarding was first introduced on September 28, 2022, and has continued to expand across Long-Distance Train stations. During the first half of 2026, the service had been used by 5,555,034 Long-Distance Train passengers.
The journey from paper tickets to facial verification shows how technology continues to reshape the passenger experience. From queuing at ticket counters and carrying physical tickets to booking digitally and boarding with a face scan, every step has evolved to meet changing travel needs.
Over 81 years, ticketing transformation has become an important part of Indonesia’s railway journey. Each innovation brings a new travel experience, while the goal remains the same: making every journey easier, more comfortable, more practical, and increasingly customer-focused.