How to travel from Jakarta to Surabaya by train

Jakarta and Surabaya, Indonesia’s two largest cities, are connected by a fast train service that covers the 718km journey in around eight to nine hours. With only a few stops along the way, it is one of the easiest ways to travel between the two cities, with a range of trains and travel classes to choose from.

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Route map and details

Running along the main transport corridor across the north of the island, the line from Jakarta to Surabaya has undergone significant upgrades over the past decade. Although the project is not yet fully complete, double-tracking has already improved performance and reliability for passengers.

In the near future, high-speed rail could replace parts of the line, potentially halving journey times between the two cities and improving connections to Semarang and eastern Java.

Timetables

There are six trains per day from Gambir Station in Jakarta to Pasarturi Station in Surabaya:

How to buy tickets

The easiest way to buy train tickets in Indonesia is online rather than going to the station. You do pay a very small commission but the ease and convenience makes it worthwhile in our opinion.

For the normal train, Tiket is the best place to book and has a simple to use interface and accepts international credit cards. It’s also a good place to check availability, timetables and prices.

How much does it cost?

Several types of train operate on the route from Jakarta to Surabaya, including the country’s best train (Argo Bromo Anggrek), which has airline-style lie-flat beds and complimentary meals and refreshments.

On the Argo Bromo Anggrek, the most expensive option are the Compartments, costing from IDR2,150,000 (US$125). As you drop down the various classes on this and other trains (Luxury, Executive, Economy), tickets can be bought for as little as IDR600,000 (US$35).