KAI Prepares Capacity for 50.36 Million Customers for the 2026/2027 Christmas and New Year Holiday Season

PT Kereta Api Indonesia (Persero) is preparing transportation capacity to serve public mobility during the 2026 Christmas and 2027 New Year holiday season (Nataru). The operational period will run for 18 days, from December 17, 2026, to January 3, 2027. KAI Group is preparing capacity for 50.36 million customers, an increase of 1%, with 41,308 train trips, up 2%.

KAI President Director Bobby Rasyidin said preparations for the Nataru transportation period cover transportation capacity, service options, rolling stock and infrastructure readiness, as well as support from personnel in the field. All these aspects are being prepared to support public mobility while prioritizing safety and smooth journeys.

“We are preparing Nataru services in various aspects, from transportation capacity and rolling stock and infrastructure readiness to the personnel assigned in the field. We want people to be able to plan their journeys properly and enjoy safe and comfortable train services during the year-end holiday season,” said Bobby.

For intercity train services, KAI is providing 2,962,836 seats, an increase of 2%. This capacity will be supported by the operation of 50 additional trains per day, including four trains under the Free Motorcycle Transportation (Motis) program. These additional services will give people more choices of departure times and destinations during the holiday period.

Travel options will also expand with the implementation of the 2026 Train Travel Schedule (GAPEKA 2026) starting December 1, 2026. These operational adjustments will provide an additional 8,466 seats per day, consisting of 5,166 seats in Java and 3,300 seats in Sumatra. GAPEKA 2026 also includes 84 train trips with additional stops, 78 trips with shorter travel times, and 39 additional scheduled passenger train trips per day.

One of the new services is KA Pandawa on the Semarang–Solo–Yogyakarta route, starting December 1, 2026. The train will operate four trips per day, with a travel time of as little as 2 hours and 37 minutes. In addition, the frequency of several other services will increase: KA Brawijaya by two trips, KA Sri Lelawangsa by four trips, KA Datuk Belambangan by one trip, and KA Batara Kresna from four to eight trips per day.

To make train travel more affordable, the public can take advantage of a government stimulus program offering a 30% discount on tickets for commercial economy-class trains. Initiated by the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs together with relevant ministries, including the Directorate General of Railways at the Ministry of Transportation, the program applies to departures from December 22, 2026, to January 4, 2027. Bookings have been open since November 7, 2026, through Access by KAI and other official ticket sales channels.

In terms of safety, KAI is preparing 1,156 additional infrastructure personnel, consisting of 778 Level Crossing Guards (PJL), 271 Track Inspectors (PPJ), and 107 Vulnerable Area Monitoring Officers (PDR). KAI is also arranging special monitoring at 107 designated monitoring locations (DAPSUS) across Java Area 1 to anticipate potential infrastructure disruptions during the Nataru transportation period.

Bobby said personnel readiness and infrastructure monitoring are important priorities, particularly as train travel activity and public mobility increase during the year-end holiday season.

“We are placing great emphasis on operational safety. Personnel are being assigned to monitor track conditions, supervise level crossings, and inspect locations that require special attention. We hope all these preparations will help ensure safe and smooth journeys for the public during the Nataru holiday period,” Bobby concluded.

VP Corporate Communication KAI