KAI Group Special Fares Attract 1.08 Million Customers, Independence Day Spirit Travels by Train
The spirit of Indonesia's 81st Independence Day traveled alongside millions of people using railway services. On August 17, 2026, a total of 1,084,699 people took advantage of KAI Group's special fare program across Long-Distance Train, Commuter Line, and LRT Jabodebek services.
The figure consisted of 31,634 seats on commercial economy-class Long-Distance Trains sold with a 17 percent discount, 969,648 Commuter Line customers who benefited from the Rp8 fare, and 83,417 LRT Jabodebek customers who also traveled with the same special fare.
KAI President Director Bobby Rasyidin said the Independence Day holiday highlighted two different travel patterns. Intercity mobility increased during the holiday period, while urban travel tended to be lower compared to regular weekdays. Despite these different patterns, the spirit of KAI Group employees remained the same: to continue providing services to the public.
"August 17 has its own travel rhythm. Some people travel between cities to enjoy the holiday and visit their families, while commuter mobility adjusts to the holiday pattern. Under any circumstances, the spirit of KAI Group employees remains strong in serving the public," Bobby said.
For Long-Distance Train services, the 17 percent discount was offered for commercial economy-class trains specifically departing on August 17, 2026. A total of 31,634 seats were sold through the program. The highest number of customers by departure region was recorded in Operational Area 4 Semarang (Daop 4), with 8,430 customers, followed by Operational Area 1 Jakarta (Daop 1) with 8,187 customers.
The Independence Day celebration was also reflected in people's urban travel. The special Rp8 fare on most Commuter Line services was used by 969,648 customers, consisting of 777,051 Commuter Line Jabodetabek customers, 29,645 Commuter Line Region VI Yogyakarta customers, 16,958 regular Commuter Line Region I Banten–Merak customers, 92 Farmer and Trader Train customers in Region I Banten, 83,180 Commuter Line Region II Bandung customers, 3,247 Commuter Line Prameks Region VI Yogyakarta customers, and 59,475 Commuter Line Region VIII Surabaya customers.
On LRT Jabodebek services, the Rp8 fare was used by 83,417 customers. Overall, Commuter Line and LRT Jabodebek services carried 1,053,065 customers using the special fare during the August 17 Independence Day celebration.
Bobby said travel patterns on public holidays are part of the dynamics of public transportation. As routine office and educational activities decrease, urban transportation volumes may adjust accordingly. At the same time, intercity travel receives a boost from people taking advantage of the holiday period to travel.
"Every number represents someone's journey. Therefore, our focus remains on safety, service reliability, comfort, and staff readiness from the beginning of the journey until customers reach their destinations," Bobby said.
This spirit is in line with the theme of Indonesia's 81st Independence Day, "A Sovereign, Just, and Prosperous Indonesia." KAI reflects this spirit through the role of public transportation in continuously connecting people with their families, workplaces, economic activities, educational institutions, and tourist destinations across the country.
Amid the Independence Day celebrations, thousands of KAI Group employees continued carrying out their duties at stations, onboard trains, in train operation control centers, across railway facilities and infrastructure, and at various service points. While some people enjoyed the holiday, railway services continued to operate to ensure that every journey remained safe and well-managed.
"Independence is the energy that keeps us moving forward together. As long as trains continue to carry people toward their destinations, KAI Group employees will continue to safeguard every journey with discipline, care, and a commitment to serving Indonesia," Bobby concluded.
VP Corporate Communication KAI