Intercity Train Travel Continues to Evolve

Weekends bring a variety of travel stories. Some people head home to visit family, travel to another city for an event, explore local cuisine, or take a short getaway. These mobility patterns are also reflected in train travel, where a single service can connect multiple city pairs along one route.

PT Kereta Api Indonesia (Persero) (KAI) recorded these travel patterns across several commercial long-distance train services from January to September 2026. During the first nine months of the year, several services recorded occupancy rates above 100 percent because seats could be used by different passengers across separate journey segments. According to KAI data, KA Joglosemarkerto recorded the highest occupancy rate, reaching 256 percent.

The ten commercial long-distance train services with the highest occupancy rates from January to September 2026 were:

1. KA 187 Joglosemarkerto on the Solo Balapan–Semarang Tawang–Tegal–Purwokerto–Solo Balapan–Semarang Tawang route: 256 percent
2. KA 193 Joglosemarkerto on the Solo Balapan–Purwokerto–Tegal–Semarang Tawang–Solo Balapan route: 242 percent
3. KA 70 Malabar on the Bandung–Malang route: 178 percent
4. KA 145 Blambangan Ekspres on the Ketapang–Surabaya Pasarturi–Semarang Tawang–Pasarsenen route: 174 percent
5. KA 153 Ranggajati on the Jember–Surabaya Gubeng–Cirebon route: 173 percen
6. KA 157 Wijayakusuma on the Ketapang–Surabaya Gubeng–Cilacap route: 173 percent
7. KA 146 Blambangan Ekspres on the Pasarsenen–Semarang Tawang–Surabaya Pasarturi–Ketapang route: 170 percent
8. KA 158 Wijayakusuma on the Cilacap–Surabaya Gubeng–Ketapang route: 168 percent
9. KA 248 Logawa on the Purwokerto–Surabaya Gubeng–Ketapang route: 167 percent
10. KA 91 Jayabaya on the Malang–Surabaya Pasarturi–Pasarsenen route: 167 percent

KAI Vice President of Corporate Communication Anne Purba said the data illustrates how intercity train services accommodate the increasingly diverse mobility needs of the public.

“On a single journey, some passengers travel long distances, while others travel shorter segments between cities. Once passengers reach their destinations, the same seats can be used by the next passengers. This pattern allows a single train journey to serve more of the public's mobility needs,” Anne said.

Joglosemarkerto offers an interesting example. Its route connects various cities across Central Java and the Special Region of Yogyakarta. Solo, Semarang, Yogyakarta, Purwokerto, Tegal, and other cities along the route are part of people's journeys for work, education, family visits, culinary experiences, and tourism. From January to September 2026, Joglosemarkerto served more than 1.10 million passengers.

The characteristics of intercity travel can also be seen on Malabar, Blambangan Ekspres, Ranggajati, Wijayakusuma, Logawa, and Jayabaya. Their extensive routes and the many cities they serve give people more options to choose their departure and destination stations according to their travel plans, including for short weekend trips.

Anne explained that occupancy rates above 100 percent do not mean the number of passengers on board at any given time exceeds the train's seating capacity. Instead, the figures represent cumulative seat utilization throughout the journey, as seats can be used again after previous passengers alight at their destination stations.

“Ultimately, these occupancy figures tell the story of people and cities on the move. Some travel home, go to work, pursue their education, visit family, or explore new destinations before returning to their daily activities. The more city pairs a train service can connect on a single journey, the more travel options people have by rail. We want every journey to continue giving people the opportunity to connect with their destinations and the stories that matter to them,” Anne concluded.

VP Corporate Communication KAI