Indonesia's 'Whoosh' high-speed train has accommodated one million passengers

BANDUNG - The Jakarta-Bandung "Whoosh" high-speed train has served a total of 1,028,216 passengers, since it commenced operations on Oct 17 this year, according to PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia China (KCIC).

President Director of KCIC Dwiyana Slamet Riyadi stated that the number points to the people's high demand for modern means of mass transport that offers efficient travel time as well as a sound level of comfort.

"Reaching one million passengers within only two months serves as proof of the high need for modern and reliable means of public transport in Indonesia," Riyadi noted in a written statement in Bandung, West Java, on Tuesday, reported Antara.

He observed that the fast train has been well-received by the public, as evidenced by the average rate of passenger occupancy reaching 90 per cent of the total available seats in each train.

"KCIC will continue to provide the finest services to ensure that Whoosh will always be the first choice for the people to travel between Jakarta and Bandung," he remarked.

Based on a survey, he stated that 48 per cent of the Whoosh passengers were using private cars to travel between the two cities before the high-speed train came into existence, thereby translating to the fact that the train has been successful in helping the government encourage people to switch to using means of mass transport.

"The proper facilities and efficient services available have attracted more people to start opting for public transport, like Whoosh, reducing their reliance on private cars," he explained.

Riyadi further noted that since the dawn of its operations, the Whoosh high-speed train has been running smoothly, without any accidents reported so far.

"KCIC would like to thank all passengers of Whoosh because they are our motivation to keep providing the best services to the people," he stated.

He remarked that the KCIC has increased the number of travels of Whoosh, from 40 to 48 per day, to accommodate an increase in the people's mobility during the Christmas and New Year holidays.

"This measure is aimed at anticipating the spike in the number of passengers during the year-end holidays," he noted.

He also added that the highest number of passengers recorded in a single day is currently at 21,500. - BERNAMA