In the two months since its commercial launch on October 17, Whoosh, Indonesia's first High-Speed Railway (HSR), has carried over 1 million passengers, reaching a total of 1,028,216 passengers by December 25. Throughout its operation, the peak performance of this service reached 21,500 passengers in a single day, including during the ongoing year-end holiday period.
Based on survey results, 48% of Whoosh's previous passengers were private car users. This indicates that the presence of Whoosh has successfully supported the government's initiative to shift public preferences from private transportation to safer and more environmentally friendly public transportation. From the beginning of its operation until the end of the year, Whoosh has also successfully operated without any accidents (zero accidents).
In addition, the achievement of reaching 1 million passengers proves that the Whoosh high-speed railway has gained the trust of the public and has become the preferred mode of transportation for traveling between Jakarta and Bandung. The surge in passenger numbers has prompted efforts to increase the frequency of train runs, from 14 per day to 48 per day.
With a design speed of 350 km per hour, the high-speed railway connects Halim Station in Jakarta with Tegalluar Station in Bandung, Indonesia's fourth largest city. This will significantly reduce travel time from more than three hours to about 40 minutes.
As the first overseas high-speed railway project to fully adopt the railway system, technology and industrial components from China, this railway has made Bandung more accessible from Jakarta. It provides more travel options for tourists, commuters, and separated families while enhancing the local tourism sector and opening up new opportunities.
Dwiyana Slamet Riyadi, CEO of PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia China (KCIC), a joint venture consortium between Indonesia and China responsible for the development and operation of the HSR, expressed KCIC's commitment to continuously improve the passenger experience on Whoosh, both at the stations and during the journey.
Dwiyana also emphasized that passenger feedback is considered a critical evaluation used by the company to continually improve the high-speed rail service. Furthermore, she added that KCIC will continue to strive to provide the best service to ensure that Whoosh remains the first choice for travelers between Jakarta and Bandung.
