President Prabowo Subianto has officially greenlit the extension of the Whoosh high-speed rail beyond its current Jakarta-Bandung route, all the way to Surabaya. The expansion is expected to cut travel time between Indonesia's two largest metropolitan cities to just three hours.
The announcement was confirmed by Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY).
AHY stated that if Jakarta to Surabaya can be covered in roughly three hours, it will significantly reshape the national development landscape and generate new economic growth along the entire corridor.
As a point of comparison, the current fastest conventional train, the KA Argo Bromo Anggrek, takes approximately 7 hours and 45 minutes to complete the same journey.
The planned route is designed to pass through Bandung, Kertajati, Yogyakarta, Solo, and Madiun before reaching Surabaya. President Prabowo's vision does not stop there, as the high-speed rail is also projected to eventually extend to Banyuwangi at the easternmost tip of Java.
Minister of Transportation Dudy Purwagandhi stressed that the project must not burden the State Budget (APBN), with the government opening the door to private investment through creative financing schemes so the project can move forward without disrupting state finances.
Lessons from the Jakarta-Bandung Whoosh project, which accumulated total debt of Rp73.1 trillion, will be used as a reference to ensure the extension is executed more effectively and efficiently.
AHY emphasized that the Jakarta-Surabaya high-speed rail is expected to boost efficiency and deliver major economic benefits by connecting cities, industrial zones, and major ports across Java. To support the project, a dedicated task force is being formed, new regulations are being drafted, and coordination across 18 ministries and institutions has been set in motion.
