Rini Mentari

Indonesia operates a single high-speed rail service between the country's de facto capital and largest metropolitan area (Jakarta), and third largest metropolitan area (Bandung). It is branded as Whoosh (short for Waktu Hemat, Operasi Optimal, Sistem Hebat, 'Time Saving, Optimal Operation, Outstanding System') and operated by Kereta Cepat Indonesia China (KCIC), with plans of extending the line to Surabaya, the second largest metropolitan area, by 2030. The Whoosh is the first high-speed railway in Southeast Asia and the Southern Hemisphere. It covers a distance of 143 kilometres (89 mi) with a maximum operating speed of 350 km/h (220 mph), and design speed of KCIC400AF train of 420 km/h (260 mph), making it the fastest commercially operating railway network in the world, tied with a handful of lines in China. The travel time between the two cities averages 35 minutes, down from 3 hours with the existing railway line. Construction started in August 2018, with the cost of $7.3 billion to build, the line began trial operation with passengers on 7 September 2023 and commercial operations on 17 October 2023. The Whoosh high-speed train has served 6.06 million passengers during a full year in 2024. As of September 2024, there are 62 daily trips of Whoosh. By 17 October 2025, in its second year of operation, Whoosh high-speed rail has transported over 12 million passengers safely. As of 2025, the line is still unprofitable and has been described by the CEO of the state railway operator, Bobby Rasyidin, as a "financial time bomb" and a Belt and Road Initiative "cautionary tale". However, Setara Institute executive director Piter Abdullah praised the Whoosh high-speed railway for its value as a catalyst for economic activity and growth in the region by providing shorter travel times between the two metropolises, which has led to an annual increase in total passenger numbers.