Indonesia’s first high-speed rail service, Whoosh, which is connecting Jakarta and Bandung, has seen a significant rise in international interest. According to Antara News, PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia China (KCIC) recorded 87,077 foreign nationals using the Whoosh during the first quarter of 2025.
Anne Purba, Vice President of Public Relations at PT Kereta Api Indonesia (Persero), said this figure reflects a 79.9% increase compared to the same period in 2024, which saw 48,391 foreign users.
“This surge shows that the Whoosh is not only popular among local travelers but has also become a top choice for international tourists visiting Indonesia,” Anne stated, as quoted by antaranews.com.
The increase was apparent from January, when 35,881 foreign passengers boarded the train—a 167.9% rise from January 2024’s 13,387 users. In February 2025, the number rose to 35,914 passengers, up 70.8% from the 21,026 recorded in the same month the previous year. Meanwhile, March 2025 recorded 15,282 international passengers, a 9.3% increase from 13,978 in March 2024.
Anne highlighted that this growth trend underscores Whoosh’s appeal as a modern, efficient, and comfortable mode of transport catering to global travelers.
“With a travel time of around 40 minutes between Jakarta and Bandung, the Whoosh offers incredible time efficiency—especially for international tourists with limited time who wish to explore more destinations,” she explained.
In terms of nationality, most foreign passengers from January to March 2025 came from Malaysia, followed by travelers from Singapore and China. These three countries played a key role in driving international ridership.
The growth aligns with the broader trend of rising tourist arrivals from Southeast Asia and China. The increase in international passengers also indicates the effectiveness of Indonesia’s tourism promotion strategies, which are increasingly integrated with technological innovations and improved transportation access.
“Moving forward, we will continue to innovate so that Whoosh is not just a symbol of national pride in transport, but also a representation of Indonesia’s progress on the global stage,” Anne added.
Financial Challenges Despite Growing Popularity
Despite the encouraging passenger numbers, the Whoosh is still reportedly running at a deficit. The operational loss is estimated at USD 29.65 million annually.
Senior economist Anthony Budiawan emphasized that the income from Whoosh ticket sales is still not enough to cover the interest on the project’s massive loans from the China Development Bank (CDB).
“The initial investment was agreed at USD 6.02 billion but eventually ballooned by USD 1.2 billion due to cost overruns, bringing the total to USD 7.22 billion,” said the Managing Director of Political Economy and Policy Studies (PEPS), as quoted by inilah.com.
Of this amount, 75% was financed through CDB loans, totaling USD 5.415 billion—equivalent to IDR 81.2 trillion at an exchange rate of IDR 16,000 per dollar. Anthony stated that the original loan carries 2% interest, while the cost overrun portion is charged 3.4%, resulting in annual interest of USD 120.9 million.
With 6.6 million tickets sold in 2024 and an estimated average ticket price of USD 14, total revenue amounted to approximately USD 89.2 million—insufficient even to pay the interest, let alone cover other expenses.
Source: antaranews.com, inilah.com
Special Photo Credit: ANTARA/Abdan Syakura/rwa/aa
