KAI Serves 2.1 Million Passengers on Three Routes Connecting Indonesia’s Culinary Destinations

Local cuisine offers travelers an appealing reason to explore different cities, from trying timlo in Solo and lumpia in Semarang to enjoying freshly fried mendoan in Purwokerto and empal gentong in Cirebon. Traveling by train allows passengers to discover regional specialties while experiencing the culture and everyday life of each destination.

PT Kereta Api Indonesia (Persero) recorded 2,114,131 passengers on KA Joglosemarkerto, KA Lodaya, and KA Ranggajati from January to September 2026. This represented a 10.46% increase from 1,913,930 passengers during the same period in 2025.

KAI Vice President of Corporate Communication Anne Purba explained that culinary travel is an enjoyable way to discover the character of a region. Local dishes offer insights into traditions, family customs, and recipes passed down through generations.

According to KAI data, KA Joglosemarkerto served 1,104,419 passengers, an increase of 9.73% from 1,006,467 passengers during the same period the previous year. This circular train service connects several cities, including Solo, Yogyakarta, Purwokerto, Tegal, and Semarang, each known for its distinctive culinary offerings.

In Solo, passengers can enjoy timlo, nasi liwet, selat Solo, and serabi. Yogyakarta offers specialties such as gudeg and bakpia, while Semarang is known for lumpia, tahu gimbal, and bandeng presto. Purwokerto, meanwhile, is famous for its freshly fried mendoan, a popular local favorite.

KA Lodaya, which operates on the Bandung–Solo Balapan round-trip route, recorded 506,637 passengers, an increase of 7.54% from 471,094 passengers in 2025. The route connects two cities with distinct culinary identities. Bandung offers specialties such as batagor, mi kocok, and surabi, while Solo is home to a variety of traditional dishes that reflect its local heritage.

Passenger numbers also grew on KA Ranggajati, which operates on the Cirebon–Jember round-trip route via Surabaya Gubeng. From January to September 2026, the service carried 503,075 passengers, an increase of 15.29% from 436,369 passengers during the same period the previous year.

Cirebon is known for empal gentong, nasi jamblang, and tahu gejrot. Traveling onward to East Java also gives passengers the opportunity to explore Surabaya’s culinary specialties, including rawon and rujak cingur, as well as suwar-suwir and pecel pincuk in Jember.

Anne explained that passenger growth across the three services reflects a variety of travel needs, including work, education, family visits, and tourism. Although the figures do not specifically represent culinary tourists, they illustrate travel activity on routes connecting cities with rich gastronomic traditions.

Beyond sampling local dishes, culinary journeys also give visitors an opportunity to experience the lives of local communities. Traditional markets, family-run food stalls, local specialty vendors, and culinary districts allow travelers to interact with residents and gain a better understanding of regional traditions.

By connecting different cities, train services enable passengers to plan trips that combine culinary discoveries with local cultural experiences. Simple moments, such as tasting a family recipe passed down over the years or visiting a long-established food stall, can become memorable parts of a journey and inspire travelers to explore more of Indonesia.