Semarang is the capital of Central Java, and fourteen trains run there from Jakarta’s Gambir station, taking between 4 hours 45 minutes and 5 hours 43 minutes. They leave from 06:00 in the morning to 23:35 at night, and most are the premium Argo trains, with a few of the other long-distance services.
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Timetables
Click here to check all Indonesia train times
| Train | Jakarta | Semarang |
|---|---|---|
| 26 Argo Merbabu | 06:00 | 11:20 |
| 20 Argo Muria | 07:15 | 12:25 |
| 2 Argo Bromo Anggrek | 08:20 | 13:05 |
| 118 Gunungjati | 09:00 | 14:43 |
| 40 Sembrani | 10:20 | 15:25 |
| 24 Argo Merbabu | 12:00 | 17:20 |
| 38 Brawijaya | 15:45 | 21:00 |
| 18 Argo Sindoro | 16:45 | 21:55 |
| 42 Sembrani | 19:30 | 00:33+1 |
| 28 Argo Merbabu | 19:45 | 01:01+1 |
| 32/33 Pandalungan | 19:55 | 01:33+1 |
| 4 Argo Bromo Anggrek | 20:30 | 01:15+1 |
| 22 Argo Muria | 22:40 | 03:55+1 |
| 30F Argo Anjasmoro | 23:35 | 05:02+1 |
Average journey time: 5 hours 14 minutes
How to buy tickets
The easiest way to book Jakarta to Semarang train tickets is through 12Go, which shows availability and lets you pay by card.
Tickets go on sale 45 days in advance. For full details on booking windows, see the when to book Indonesia train tickets guide.
Jakarta to Semarang train tickets
About the route
The morning departures are the easiest if you want to arrive in the afternoon: the Argo Merbabu at 06:00, Argo Muria at 07:15 and Argo Bromo Anggrek at 08:20 are the morning options. The evening and night trains, such as the Sembrani at 19:30 and Argo Bromo Anggrek at 20:30, arrive after midnight, which suits a night on the train, but you must plan for the early arrival.
Semarang Tawang, the main station, is a Dutch-era building on the edge of the Old Town, the Kota Lama, which is a short walk away. Elsewhere in the city are Lawang Sewu, the old railway headquarters, and the Sam Poo Kong temple. Many of these trains go on to Surabaya, so you can also use this route as part of a longer trip along the north coast.
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