KA Cikuray Continues to Grow, Connecting Garut’s Agricultural Potential with Jakarta as the Center of Community Activities
The morning air in Garut always brings a different atmosphere. The vast rice fields, vegetable farms, and mountains surrounding the area have become part of the daily lives of the community. From this fertile region, various activities begin from early morning, ranging from farmers harvesting crops to people preparing to travel to various cities.
As a subsidized economy-class train (PSO) provided by the government through the Directorate General of Railways (DJKA) of the Ministry of Transportation of the Republic of Indonesia, KA Cikuray opens affordable travel access for the community. With the farthest route fare of Garut–Pasar Senen at IDR 45,000, this service is widely used by students, workers, MSME actors, traders, tourists, and people traveling between cities for various purposes.
Public interest in KA Cikuray continues to show positive growth. On the Garut–Pasar Senen route (KA 299), the number of customers increased from 157,735 customers in 2022 to 272,648 customers in 2023, or an increase of 72.85 percent. In 2024, the number of customers increased again to 305,959 customers, or grew by 12.22 percent, and reached 313,926 customers in 2025, an increase of 2.60 percent.
Meanwhile, on the reverse route of Pasar Senen–Garut (KA 300), the number of customers increased from 135,530 customers in 2022 to 242,119 customers in 2023, or an increase of 78.65 percent. This figure continued to rise to 285,130 customers in 2024, an increase of 17.77 percent, and reached 301,797 customers in 2025, growing by 5.85 percent.
Cumulatively, KA Cikuray has served 2,014,844 customers throughout 2022 to 2025. Meanwhile, from January to April 2026, KA Cikuray served 211,498 customers, consisting of 107,459 customers on the Garut–Pasar Senen route and 104,039 customers on the Pasar Senen–Garut route. Thus, from 2022 to April 2026, KA Cikuray has served a total of 2,226,342 customers.
KAI Vice President Corporate Communication Anne Purba said this growth shows that KA Cikuray has increasingly become part of the mobility needs of communities living and carrying out activities across the areas it serves.
"KA Cikuray connects many stories in one journey. There are students traveling to pursue education in major cities such as Jakarta, workers heading to their workplaces, tourists who want to enjoy the beauty of Garut at an affordable fare, as well as people traveling to meet their families and relatives," she said.
During its journey, KA Cikuray serves 12 stopping stations, including Garut Station, Cibatu, Leles, Kiaracondong, Bandung, Cimahi, Purwakarta, Cikampek, Karawang, Cikarang, Bekasi, and Pasar Senen. Each station has different characteristics and roles in supporting community activities.
Garut, Cibatu, and Leles are known for their growing agricultural and trading activities amid the cool mountain atmosphere. Entering Greater Bandung, the journey continues through Kiaracondong, Bandung, and Cimahi, which serve as centers for education, services, trade, and creative economic activities. After that, KA Cikuray serves Purwakarta, which continues to develop as a tourism and trade destination, before heading toward Cikampek, Karawang, and Cikarang, one of Indonesia’s largest industrial centers.
Near the end of the journey, KA Cikuray serves Bekasi, one of Jakarta’s satellite cities with high community mobility. The journey then ends at Pasar Senen, an area that has long been known as one of the centers of trade and community activities in the capital city.
For the community, traveling by KA Cikuray also provides a unique experience. From the train window, customers can enjoy views of hills, agricultural land, and vegetable farms that represent the characteristics of the area. The cool natural conditions and fertile soil make Garut one of West Java’s major producers of various horticultural commodities.
Various agricultural products such as potatoes, carrots, cabbage, tomatoes, chilies, spring onions, oranges, avocados, and various highland vegetables grow in this region. These harvest products move daily to various cities to meet community needs.
Anne explained that the relationship between agricultural-producing regions and destination cities will become increasingly important along with growing community needs and economic activities.
"When agricultural products from regions can reach more areas, the benefits can be felt by more communities. Farmers gain wider market access, traders have more choices, and communities can obtain fresh products from various producing regions," she said.
The journey of KA Cikuray demonstrates how a single railway route can connect areas with different characteristics. From the cool agricultural region of Garut, education and trade centers in Greater Bandung, industrial areas in Karawang and Cikarang, to community activity centers in Jakarta, everything is connected within the same journey.
"Railways always grow together with community needs. As community activities and economies continue to develop in various regions, opportunities to provide greater benefits will continue to emerge," she said.
VP Corporate Communication KAI