Indonesia train travel guide (2026)

It may not be surprising, but the largest country in Southeast Asia also has the largest railway network. Largely focused on the island of Java, the railways in Indonesia are receiving large sums of local and regional investment, cementing their place in the country’s long-term infrastructure plans.

Indonesia is a country constantly on the move and a significant investment is taking place to improve and expand its railway network. The region’s first high-speed railway line is already up and running on the island of Java and there are plans to extend this even further.

Although the rest of the country has historically fell behind Java in terms of investment, there are signs the government is recognising the strategic importance of railways, and this is sure to lead to a better connected country in the upcoming decades.

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Java’s railway network

Stretching to almost 5000km of track, Java’s railway makes up the vast bulk of the country’s network and is where the majority of the investment and improvement works are taking place. Covering a large part of the island and linking most of the major towns and cities, it’s the best way to explore Java.

In addition to the standard railway lines, a new high-speed line opened in 2023 linking Jakarta with Bandung. There are plans to extend this to Surabaya in the near future, plus a separate new fast mainline from Jakarta along the north coast.

Java is also home to a growing mass-transit railway system in Jakarta, Surabaya and Bandung.

If you’re intending to head over to one of the neighbouring islands, the trains are also a good option here. The port towns of Merak and Banyuwangi are on the railway network and have onward ferry connections to Sumatra and Bali respectively.

High-speed line from Jakarta to Bandung

By far the most exciting development in Indonesia’s recent travel history is the introduction of the Chinese built high-speed line from Jakarta to Bandung. With trains capable of running at 350km/h, the journey time has been slashed to only 45 minutes.

Onboard the accurately-named Whoosh trains are VIP, Business and Economy class carriages, with air-conditioning, reclining seats, power-points and trolley service.

Although these new trains are hugely welcome and have revolutionised train travel on the island, it’s disappointing that their respective stations are such a long way from the city centres (40 minutes by public transport), which negates one of the most common advantages of train travel over air travel (e.g. easy access to city centres).

Train travel in the rest of the country

Sumatra and Sulawesi also have railway lines although neither network matches the scale or investment of Java.

Sumatra has a couple of lines in operation in Aceh, North Sumatra, West Sumatra and South Sumatra.

Sulawesi has an even smaller network, with only one line currently in operation.

How to buy tickets for Indonesian trains

Tickets can either be bought online or at the station, although the official website is only in Indonesian and doesn’t accept international credit cards. Online ticket agents might be an easier option, although you will pay a small fee. Try Tiket or Bookaway,

If you’re already in the country and are close to one of the stations, you can fairly easily buy tickets in person, but do remember to bring your passport.

In most cases (unless you buy at the station on the day of travel), you’ll need to exchange your online QR code / email / ticket receipt for an orange boarding pass. This can either be done at one of the ticket office windows or using a self-service machine.

Future plans for the network

With both China and Japan keen to stay involved in Indonesia’s development plans, it seems highly likely that more high-speed rail will be built in the country. This will almost certainly include extending the Jakarta – Bandung line to Surabaya. There will also be a fast new line built along the north coast from Jakarta to Surabaya.

Elsewhere, there are extensive plans across the country to expand the network by 2030, linking more of the islands together and improving existing services, particularly on the island of Sumatra. Without doubt, Indonesia is one of the most forward-thinking countries in Southeast Asia regarding train travel, and it’s almost certain that investment funds will continue to flow.