Skip to content
August 13, 2025
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • tiktok
MILLENNIUM NEWS 24/7

MILLENNIUM NEWS 24/7

Bridging The Community’s World Wide

  • Home
  • IP TV LIVE
  • PODCAST
  • U.S.News
  • LOCAL ELECTION
  • State News
    • Alabama
    • Alaska
    • Arizona
    • Arkansas
    • California
    • Colorado
    • Connecticut
    • Delaware
    • Florida
    • Georgia
    • Hawaii
    • Idaho
    • Illinois
    • Indiana
    • Iowa
    • Kansas
    • Kentucky
    • Louisiana
    • Maryland
    • Massachusetts
    • Michigan
    • Maine
    • Minnesota
    • Mississippi
    • Missouri
    • Montana
    • Nebraska
    • Nevada
    • New Hampshire
    • New Jersey
    • New Mexico
    • New York
    • North Carolina
    • North Dakota
    • Oregon
    • Pennsylvania
    • Rhode Island
    • South Carolina
    • South Dakota
    • Tennessee
    • Texas
    • Virginia
    • Washington
    • West Virginia
    • U.S. Virgin Islands
  • Politics
  • World News
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
  • Weather
  • Business
  • Health News
  • ADVERTISEMENT
  • About Us
  • Contact us
Live TV

Indonesia is set to launch Southeast Asia’s first high-speed railway, largely funded by China

Indonesia is launching Southeast Asia’s first high-speed railway, a key project under China’s Belt and Road infrastructure initiative that will cut travel time between the capital and another major city from the current three hours to about 40 minutes.

The project has been beset with delays and increasing costs, and some observers doubt its commercial benefit, but President Joko Widodo has championed it and will be inaugurating the 142.3-kilometer (88.4-mile) railway as it begins commercial operations Monday.

The Chinese-made bullet train, called “Whoosh,” will connect Jakarta with Bandung, the heavily populated capital of West Java province. Widodo, along with other high-ranking officials, is expected to ride the Whoosh from its first station, Halim KCBJ in eastern Jakarta to Bandung’s Tegalluar station, the last of the line’s four stations.

The $7.3 billion project, largely funded by China, was constructed by PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia-China, known as PT KCIC, a joint venture between an Indonesian consortium of four state-owned companies and China Railway International Co. Ltd. The joint venture said the trains will be the fastest in Southeast Asia, with speeds of up to 350 kph (217 mph).

Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, the coordinating minister for maritime and investment, said China Railway has agreed to transfer its technology to Indonesia so that in the future the country’s high-speed trains can be made domestically.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang took a test ride early last month while visiting Jakarta for three days of talks with leaders of the Association of Southeast Asia Nations and other countries.

Li rode the train from Halim KCBJ station to the next station ,in West Java’s Karawang city, a 40-kilometer (25-mile) ride that took about 11 minutes. He then returned on the same train.

Widodo took a 25-minutes test ride on the train a week later and told reporters that he felt comfortable sitting or walking inside the bullet train even at its top speeds. He urged people to switch from cars to mass transportation to reduce congestion and pollution, adding that congestion in Jakarta and Bandung is estimated to cost the economy more than $6.5 billion a year.

PT KCIC has also been running a two-week, free-of-charge public trial prior to the inauguration.

Indonesia broke ground on the project in 2016. The line was originally expected to begin operations in 2019, but was delayed by disputes over land acquisition, environmental issues and the COVID-19 pandemic. It was planned to cost 66.7 trillion rupiah ($4.3 billion), but the amount ballooned to 113 trillion rupiah ($7.3 billion).

The trains have been modified for Indonesia’s tropical climate and are equipped with a safety system that can respond to earthquakes, floods and other emergency conditions. The 209-meter (685-foot) train has a capacity of 601 passengers.

Ticket prices had not been finalized as of Saturday, but PT KCIC estimated one-way prices per passenger would range from 250,000 rupiah ($16) for second class to 350,000 rupiah ($22.60) for VIP seats.

Passengers going to downtown Bandung need to take a feeder train from the Padalarang station that will add a further 20 minutes, with an estimated cost about 50,000 rupiah ($3.20).

The rail deal was signed in October 2015 after Indonesia selected China over Japan in fierce bidding. It was financed with a loan from the China Development Bank for 75% of the cost. The remaining 25% came from the consortium’s own funds.

The project is part of a planned 750-kilometer (466-mile) high-speed train line that would cut across four provinces on Indoensia’s main island of Java and end in the country’s second-largest city, Surabaya.

“I’m so happy and very excited that finally we can ride a bullet train in Indonesia,” said Christianto Nusatya, a Jakarta resident who joined a public test ride last week. “But still, I would prefer to choose a regular train or car, because Jakarta-Bandung is too short and not worth it to be reached by high-speed train.”

Deddy Herlambang, executive director of the Jakarta-based NGO Institute for Transportation Studies, said the public does not really need a high-speed train on the Jakarta-Bandung route because there were already many other ways of traveling between the two cities.

He said the bullet train would have a significant economic impact if it connected Jakarta and Surabaya. However, he was pessimistic that the railway project would make a profit in less than 30 years of operation.

“The high-speed train cannot replace the old transportation that previously existed,” Herlambang said, “People, of course, will prefer to use far cheaper modes of transportation for short distance trips.”

 

 

About Author

dreamboy

See author's posts

Continue Reading

Previous: Rishi Sunak needs to rally his flagging Conservatives. He hopes a dash of populism will do the trick
Next: Jailed Maldives’ ex-president transferred to house arrest after his party candidate wins presidency

Related Stories

Officials are investigating the cause of a Pennsylvania steel plant explosion that killed 2

Officials are investigating the cause of a Pennsylvania steel plant explosion that killed 2

Republicans, Democrats alike exhort Trump: Keep security pact with Australia and UK alive

Republicans, Democrats alike exhort Trump: Keep security pact with Australia and UK alive

Germany invites Trump, Zelenskyy, NATO, EU leaders to a virtual meeting before Trump-Putin su

Germany invites Trump, Zelenskyy, NATO, EU leaders to a virtual meeting before Trump-Putin su

Entertainment

Brandon Blackstock, Kelly Clarkson’s ex-husband and former manager, dies at 48 1

Brandon Blackstock, Kelly Clarkson’s ex-husband and former manager, dies at 48

Britain’s Royal Mail celebrates Monty Python with stamps featuring iconic sketches and characters 2

Britain’s Royal Mail celebrates Monty Python with stamps featuring iconic sketches and characters

Emmylou Harris and Brad Paisley are headed for Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame 3

Emmylou Harris and Brad Paisley are headed for Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame

Eddie Palmieri, pioneering Latin jazz musician and Grammy winner, dies at 88 4

Eddie Palmieri, pioneering Latin jazz musician and Grammy winner, dies at 88

Lady Gaga leads 2025 MTV Video Music Awards nominations, followed by Bruno Mars and Kendrick Lamar 5

Lady Gaga leads 2025 MTV Video Music Awards nominations, followed by Bruno Mars and Kendrick Lamar

Ozzy Osbourne died of a heart attack, report says, citing death certificate 6

Ozzy Osbourne died of a heart attack, report says, citing death certificate

Flaco Jimenez, Texas accordionist who expanded popularity of conjunto and Tejano music, dies at 86 7

Flaco Jimenez, Texas accordionist who expanded popularity of conjunto and Tejano music, dies at 86

Top News

Trump’s Washington, DC, takeover begins as National Guard troops arrive

Trump’s Washington, DC, takeover begins as National Guard troops arrive

Sha’Carri Richardson addresses domestic violence arrest and apologizes to Christian Coleman

Sha’Carri Richardson addresses domestic violence arrest and apologizes to Christian Coleman

Parts of Europe burn as millions are facing record heat

Parts of Europe burn as millions are facing record heat

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth belongs to an archconservative church network. Here’s what to know

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth belongs to an archconservative church network. Here’s what to know

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • tiktok
Editor: Nur M Tofader, Home Office: 250 Park Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10177 Tell: 718 893 0002 (Office), 7188441300, +1212 401 6266, e-mail: Info@millenniuamtv24.com, e-mail: Info@millenniuamnews24.com, Copyright © Millennium News 24/7 | DarkNews by AF themes.