Nusantara Explorer Introduced Following President Prabowo’s Vision to Strengthen Indonesia’s Tourism

PT Kereta Api Indonesia (Persero) has introduced Nusantara Explorer, a premium tourist train developed following the vision and directive of President of the Republic of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto. The initiative forms part of the Government’s efforts to strengthen national tourism through rail transportation by offering a uniquely Indonesian travel experience.

On Thursday (July 30), President Prabowo traveled aboard the Nusantara Explorer as part of his official state visit. The occasion marked the debut of a travel concept that combines comfort, premium service, Indonesian culture, culinary experiences, and scenic landscapes within a single train journey.

KAI President Director Bobby Rasyidin said that the Nusantara Explorer was developed in response to President Prabowo’s vision to create a tourism train service capable of enhancing Indonesia’s tourism competitiveness.

"Nusantara Explorer was born from the vision and directive of President Prabowo Subianto for KAI to introduce a premium tourist train that delivers a world-class travel experience while showcasing Indonesia’s rich cultural heritage. We have translated this vision into reality through the expertise and creativity of KAI employees at Balai Yasa Surabaya Gubeng," Bobby said.

The entire development and modification process for the Nusantara Explorer was carried out at Balai Yasa Surabaya Gubeng. The trainset is designed to consist of 12 coaches, including sleeping cabin coaches, a Grand Restaurant coach, a lounge coach, and supporting operational coaches.

The sleeping cabins are available in three categories: Signature Class, Advance Class, and Compact Class. Each category offers a different cabin layout and level of privacy to accommodate varying passenger preferences.

The Grand Restaurant is designed as an onboard dining venue featuring elegantly arranged dining tables and private dining rooms. Meanwhile, the lounge coach provides a relaxing social space equipped with comfortable seating, a bar, entertainment facilities, a piano, an audio system, and panoramic windows that allow passengers to enjoy Indonesia’s landscapes throughout the journey.

The interior design of the Nusantara Explorer reflects Indonesia’s cultural identity through the use of warm-toned materials, soft lighting, and cultural inspirations such as Wayang Kulit, Lasem Batik, Sekar Jagad, and Balinese motifs, which are incorporated into the interior elements, decorative patterns, materials, and color palette.

"Rail transportation has tremendous potential to strengthen Indonesia’s tourism industry. We developed Nusantara Explorer so that the journey itself becomes part of the travel experience—from comfort and hospitality to culinary offerings and the richness of Indonesian culture reflected throughout the train," Bobby added.

The development of the Nusantara Explorer also demonstrates the capabilities of the workforce at Balai Yasa Surabaya Gubeng in advancing railway rolling stock with increasingly diverse service standards. Their technical expertise, precision, and experience have been instrumental in delivering an innovative rail service proudly built by Indonesian professionals.

KAI will continue refining the Nusantara Explorer in accordance with its development roadmap. Information regarding routes, schedules, fares, the final train composition, and the commencement of commercial operations will be announced once all operational, service, safety, and reliability preparations have been completed.

"We highly appreciate the trust and directive given by President Prabowo to KAI. Nusantara Explorer represents another important step in strengthening Indonesia’s railway services while supporting the development of national tourism, with safety, reliability, and service quality remaining our highest priorities," Bobby concluded.

VP Corporate Communication KAI