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The first vehicle of the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed train stands on the platform during a week-long public trial phase at Halim Station in Jakarta on September 17, 2023.
CNN
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Indonesia is set to open Southeast Asia’s first bullet train on Sunday, a high-speed rail service line connecting the country’s two largest cities.
part of china one belt one road The $7.3 billion infrastructure initiative, largely funded by Chinese state-owned enterprises, opened to the public on Sunday.
The train will run between the capital Jakarta and Bandung, West Java province, Indonesia’s second largest city and a major hub for arts and culture.
Officially named WHOOSH, which means “time saving, optimal operation, reliable system” in Indonesian, the 138-kilometre high-speed railway will run on electricity with no direct carbon emissions and will have approximately 100 It travels at a speed of meters. At 317 mph, officials say travel time between Jakarta and Bandung will be reduced from three hours to less than an hour.
It is supervised by the state-run joint venture PT Kereta Sepat Indonesia China (PT KCIC) and operates between Halim Station in East Jakarta and Padararan Station in West Bandung, with good connections to public transport stations. is.
The trains, which have been modified for Indonesia’s tropical climate, are equipped with safety systems that can respond to earthquakes, floods and other emergencies, the official added.
Discussions are underway to extend the high-speed line to Surabaya, East Java’s main port and capital, PT KCIC director Dwiyana Slamet Riyadi told Chinese state media at a ceremony in early September.
Dwiyana said they will also make stops in other major cities, including Semarang and Yogyakarta, the gateway to Borobudur, the world’s largest Buddhist temple.
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Passengers sitting at Halim Station in Jakarta.
According to information released by PT KCIC, the railway has eight cars, all equipped with Wi-Fi and USB charging points, and a passenger capacity of 601.
There are three classes of seats: first, second, and VIP.
Indonesia, the world’s fourth largest country and Southeast Asia’s largest economy, actively and openly solicits investment from China, its largest trading and investment partner.
High-profile talks between Indonesian and Chinese leader Joko Widodo and Xi Jinping in July revealed a series of projects, including plans to build a multibillion-dollar Chinese glass factory in Indonesia. Lempang Island Built as part of a new ‘ecocity’ on Indonesia’s Riau Islands, it will be open for several weeks. violent protests From indigenous islanders who object to their village being demolished.
Akbar Nugroho Gumay/AP
Outgoing Indonesian President Joko Widodo takes a test ride on a high-speed train in Jakarta.
Mr Widodo and Chinese Premier Li Qiang were photographed test-driving the new high-speed train throughout September.
The railway contract was first signed in 2015 as part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, and construction began later that year.
The project was originally scheduled to be completed in 2019, but faced multiple operational delays due to the coronavirus pandemic, land procurement, and rising costs.
PT KCIC Director Dwiyana praised the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway as “an outstanding example of bilateral cooperation between Indonesia and China.” This will not only improve Indonesia’s infrastructure but also “promote the development of Indonesia’s railway industry and manufacturing industry,” he said.