Ahead of August 17, 16,913 KAI Promotional Tickets Sold, Long Weekend Bookings Reach 706,908 Tickets

One day ahead of Indonesia’s 81st Independence Day, a total of 16,913 discounted tickets for commercial economy-class Long-Distance Trains had been sold as of 9:30 a.m. WIB on August 16, 2026. The 17 percent discount program remains available for travel on August 17, 2026, while the promotional fare allocation lasts.

KAI President Director Bobby Rasyidin said the Independence Day holiday provides people with many reasons to travel, from visiting family and going on vacation to participating in various activities in their destination cities.

“Everyone has different travel plans for August 17. We want to provide additional options so that people can arrange their journeys according to their individual needs and plans,” Bobby said.

According to Bobby, the promotional booking figures have developed alongside strong public mobility during the Independence Day long weekend. The two figures are recorded separately, as the 17 percent discount specifically applies to commercial economy-class Long-Distance Trains departing on August 17, 2026.

“This promotion has its own scope, while long weekend travel covers more services and travel dates, including PSO economy-class trains that also offer affordable fares. Both figures provide an overview of the public’s enthusiasm for traveling during the Independence Day holiday,” Bobby said.

The 17 percent discount program can still be booked through Access by KAI and KAI’s official ticket sales channels while the promotional fare allocation remains available.

During the same period, bookings for KAI-operated Long-Distance and Local Train services also continued to increase. As of 10:00 a.m. WIB on August 16, 2026, a total of 706,908 tickets had been booked for departures between August 14 and 17, 2026, exceeding the available capacity of 658,671 seats. The booking occupancy rate reached 107.32 percent.

The number of bookings is expected to continue increasing as ticket sales for departures on August 16 and 17, 2026, remain open.

KAI Vice President of Corporate Communication Anne Purba explained that, based on departure dates, 190,359 tickets had been booked for August 14, followed by 202,326 for August 15, 162,160 for August 16, and 152,063 for August 17, 2026.

“The highest number of bookings so far has been recorded for departures on August 15. After that, booking volumes remain high through Independence Day. This pattern shows that public travel is relatively evenly distributed throughout the long weekend,” Anne said.

Strong booking activity was also recorded at several departure stations. Pasar Senen recorded the highest booking volume with 48,540 tickets, followed by Yogyakarta with 46,327 tickets, Gambir with 45,428 tickets, Semarang Tawang with 29,204 tickets, and Surabaya Gubeng with 25,528 tickets.

By route, Yogyakarta–Gambir recorded the highest number of bookings with 10,176 tickets, followed by Gambir–Yogyakarta with 9,977 tickets, Gambir–Semarang Tawang with 7,361 tickets, Semarang Tawang–Gambir with 7,147 tickets, and Lempuyangan–Pasar Senen with 6,907 tickets.

Among commercial train services, KA Joglosemarkerto recorded the highest booking volume during the August 14–17, 2026 period with 17,721 tickets. It was followed by KA Sancaka with 15,095 tickets, KA Pangrango with 14,995 tickets, KA Ambarawa Ekspres with 14,902 tickets, and KA Parahyangan with 14,328 tickets.

“This distribution of bookings shows that travel during the Independence Day long weekend is taking place across various routes. There are strong travel flows between major cities, while regional travel is also relatively high. KAI continues to adjust its service readiness in line with these travel patterns,” Anne said.

An occupancy rate above 100 percent is possible due to the dynamic nature of customer travel, with passengers boarding and alighting at different stations along the route. On a single route, the same seat may be used by another customer after the previous passenger has completed their journey.

On August 17, 2026, the public can also enjoy a special fare of Rp8 on LRT Jabodebek and most Commuter Line services.

KAI encourages customers to check their departure schedules, departure stations, and ticket availability before traveling. Travel information is available through Access by KAI and KAI’s official channels, including Contact Center KAI 121 and the official WhatsApp service at 0811-2223-3121.
 

VP Corporate Communication KAI