Indonesia’s first high-speed railway has opened two years behind schedule, as reported by the railway portal Railway Supply.

High-Speed Railway

Launched by President Joko Widodo, the railway spans 142.3 km, connecting the capital Jakarta to Bandung, a major economic center.

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The railway is named “Whoosh,” an acronym for “Waktu Hemat, Operasi Optimal, Handal System” in the local language, which translates to “Time Savings, Optimal Operation, Reliable System.”

President Widodo prioritized projects like Whoosh to alleviate traffic congestion in the country.

The project, undertaken by the Indonesian-Chinese joint venture Kereta Cepat (KCIC), costs $7.3 billion and is supported by China as part of the “Belt and Road Initiative.”

Originally planned for a 2021 opening, the railway was delayed due to land disputes, the Covid-19 pandemic, and a budget overrun of $1.2 billion.

Trains on Indonesia’s first high-speed railway can reach speeds of up to 350 km/h.

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The Whoosh service is managed by PT KCIC, a joint venture between four Indonesian state-owned companies and China Railway International.

Officials expect the high-speed railway to boost economic productivity.

Bandung, the capital of West Java province, is often called Indonesia’s Silicon Valley. Discussions are underway to extend Whoosh to Surabaya, a major port city and the capital of East Java province.

The Indonesian project is part of China President Xi Jinping’s ten-year “Belt and Road Initiative,” an ambitious plan to connect Asia with Africa and Europe through various land and sea routes by investing in local infrastructure.

Indonesia, the largest economy in Southeast Asia, actively seeks Chinese investments, its largest trading partner.

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