Weekend in Semarang, Discover Indonesia’s Railway Heritage at Lawang Sewu

As the weekend approaches, Semarang City is one of the travel destinations chosen by the public, offering a variety of tourism experiences, ranging from history and culture to heritage buildings. One of the destinations closely associated with the history of Indonesia’s railway journey is Lawang Sewu, located in the Tugu Muda area.

Lawang Sewu was built by Nederlandsch-Indische Spoorweg Maatschappij (NIS), a private railway company in the Dutch East Indies. Construction of the main building began in 1904 and was completed in 1907 as the NIS headquarters, which played a role in the development of the railway network at that time.

The name Lawang Sewu is known to the public because of its architectural character featuring many doors and windows. To this day, the historic building remains one of the places where people can learn about the history of Indonesia’s railways through its collections, historical information, and educational spaces.

Throughout 2024, Lawang Sewu recorded 639,091 visitors. The number of visitors in 2025 reached 620,550, while the January–August 2026 period recorded 376,997 visitors. Overall, the period from 2024 to August 2026 recorded 1,636,638 visitors.

Travel to Semarang City is also supported by railway services. Throughout January–August 2026, Semarang Tawang Station recorded 1,262,315 departing and arriving customers, consisting of 628,946 departing customers and 633,369 arriving customers. Meanwhile, Semarang Poncol Station served 1,867,005 departing and arriving customers, comprising 902,984 departing customers and 964,021 arriving customers.

KAI Vice President of Corporate Communication Anne Purba said that the existence of heritage destinations such as Lawang Sewu is part of the public’s journey when visiting Semarang City.

“Railway travel has a close relationship with the development of various cities in Indonesia, including Semarang. Lawang Sewu is one of the legacies that preserves stories of railway travel from the past to the present. People can learn about this history through the building, collections, and information available during their visit,” said Anne.

Based on data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) of Semarang City, the number of tourists in Semarang City in 2024 reached 7,345,373, consisting of 7,321,077 domestic tourists and 24,296 international tourists.

As the weekend approaches, Lawang Sewu is one of the heritage destinations in Semarang City that people can visit to enjoy the historical atmosphere while learning about the long journey of Indonesia’s railway history.