KAI's Retail Freight Service Continues to Grow, Supporting National Logistics Efficiency
PT Kereta Api Indonesia (Persero) recorded positive growth in its retail freight service during the January–April 2026 period. During this period, KAI transported 82,129 tons of retail freight, an increase of 4.86 percent compared with the same period in 2025, which recorded 78,323 tons. Compared with the January–April 2024 volume of 66,654 tons, retail freight transportation grew by 23.22 percent.
In April 2026 alone, KAI handled 21,844 tons of retail freight, an increase of 22.87 percent compared with 17,778 tons in April 2025.
KAI Vice President of Corporate Communication Anne Purba stated that the growth reflects increasing demand from businesses for freight distribution services that are efficient, measurable, and capable of reaching various regions more effectively.
"Rail transportation is increasingly being chosen as a mode of freight distribution because it offers large carrying capacity, more predictable transit times, and supports logistics cost efficiency within the national supply chain,"
According to Anne, strengthening rail-based logistics transportation is becoming increasingly important, given that Indonesia's logistics costs currently range from approximately 15 percent to more than 20 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), while the global benchmark is around 7–8 percent.
This condition indicates that significant opportunities remain to improve efficiency within Indonesia's national logistics sector. The more efficient distribution costs become, the greater the opportunity for national industries to enhance the competitiveness of their products in both domestic and global markets.
"Logistics efficiency has a direct impact on industrial production costs. When freight distribution becomes more effective, the national supply chain also becomes more competitive,"
KAI continues to strengthen its freight transportation capacity through improvements in rolling stock capability and the development of rail based distribution patterns. The company currently operates freight wagons with an average capacity of 50 tons per wagon, which is being increased to 70 tons. With a train consist of up to 60 wagons, the carrying capacity can reach 4,200 tons in a single trip.
In addition to increasing capacity, KAI continues to promote the integration of logistics services with industrial estates, warehousing facilities, and ports to enable faster and more efficient freight distribution.
Meanwhile, Java remains the primary hub of Indonesia's national logistics activities. Approximately 60 percent of the country's logistics activities are concentrated on the island, with total logistics costs estimated at Rp2.4 quadrillion to Rp2.5 quadrillion annually. Achieving just a 30 percent improvement in efficiency is estimated to generate savings of approximately Rp1 quadrillion.
Anne believes that rail-based freight transportation has significant potential to improve this efficiency because it is capable of transporting large volumes of goods more consistently while minimizing disruptions caused by road traffic congestion.
"With its extensive operational network and large carrying capacity, rail transportation has tremendous potential to support a national logistics distribution system that is more efficient, safer, and more sustainable,"
KAI will continue to strengthen the development of its freight transportation services to support industrial growth and national logistics connectivity. Optimizing rail-based freight distribution is expected to improve economic efficiency while enhancing Indonesia's competitiveness in the future.
"The greater the share of freight distribution shifted to rail transportation, the greater the efficiency gains that can be enjoyed by businesses and the wider public,"
VP Corporate Communication KAI