The Brantas Train
The Indonesian Railways Company (PT. KAI Persero) presents the Brantas train as a rail-based mass transit service for Kota Jakarta to Blitar route. The Brantas train connects Pasar Senen Station (Jakarta) to Blitar Station, and vice versa. This economy class train’s trip passes through the north course, through Semarang Tawang Station. The distance between the two cities is about 725 kilometers. Brantas train transports passengers to reach the destination within 15 hours of travel, with an average speed of 60-100 kilometers per hour.
The main stopover stations of Brantas train on its course consist of at least 18 stations, in addition to the departure and arrival stations. Some of these stations are the Tulungagung, Kediri, Kertosono, Nganjuk, Caruban, Madiun, Barat, Paron, Walikukun, Sragen, Solo Jebres, Semarang Tawang, Pekalongan, Tegal, Brebes, Cirebon, Prujakan, Bekasi, and Jatinegara railway stations.
As included in the management of Operational Region VII Madiun, the Brantas train offers economy class travel with AC. This train has a capacity of 106 seats in every carriage. In one of its train sets, the Brantas train can transport up to eight passengers carriages. Every day, Brantas train serves a one round trip. With the number of station stops, the frequency of the trips, and the number of passenger carriages available, the total average of passengers transported can reach up to 3,900 people. The Brantas train daily departure is set at 12:50 from Blitar Station and at 17:00 from Pasar Senen Station. The Brantas train ticket fare is Rp84.000 per passenger.
As an economy class train with AC, the facilities provided in the Brantas train are satisfying. Each passenger car has its air conditioning and toilet facilities. The passenger seating is arranged at a 3-2 position (3 on the right and two on the left) and facing each other, without rotatable position or adjustable backrest position. At the bottom of each window in the passenger seat rows, there is an electric socket and a small table. Blankets and pillows are also available at a certain rental fee. For the dining services, passengers can book directly on the buffet car through a train attendant, or order a special meal on the train.
Interesting Info about The Brantas Train
The Origin of Name
The Brantas train is adapting its name from a river in East Java. The Brantas River is the second largest river in Java after the Bengawan Solo River. The river is included in the administrative area of the city of Kediri. One of the backgrounds of this river is the majestic Mount Wilis.
The History of The Train
The first operation of Brantas train was conducted on 1 October 1998. In the first launching, Brantas train served a two-way route, including from Kediri Station and Pasar Senen Station. This trip was using a series of the economy class train, manufactured in 1998. In 2014, the Brantas train operated to serve the trip from Kediri to Tanjung Priok Station via Semarang Poncol Station. In April 2017, the Indonesian Railways Company updated Brantas train route to accommodate the growing number of passengers. The route is extended to from Blitar Station to Pasar Senen station. This extension route also coincided with the addition of its stopover station.
One of The Best-Selling Train Tickets
As an economy class train with AC, it is safe to say that the trip has long hours. Moreover, this economy train is considered as one with the most number of stopover stations compared to other inline trains. However, with its cheap ticket fare, the Brantas train ticket is one of the best-selling, hunted by passengers every day.