Makassar MRT: A proposed urban rail transit system in South Sulawesi

The Makassar MRT is a proposed urban rail transit system in Makassar, South Sulawesi. It’s also known as the Mamminasata Urban Rail Transport (the name of the Makassar metropolitan area), and it’s also being referred to as an LRT.

Plans for a transit system in Makassar began in 2011 with a monorail. An LRT/MRT was proposed to connect with the Makassar-Pare Pare Railway, which opened in 2023. The current terminal station for the Makassar-Pare Pare Railway is near the airport, so the MRT could also connect to the airport.

The viability of an LRT?MRT is still in doubt, and a BRT is being considered as an alternative.

Proposed routes

Study on the Readiness of the Regional Government of South Sulawesi for the Mamminasata Urban Railway Project with Non-State Budget/Regional Budget Financing

This report from August 2021 lists proposed routes.

4.4 The Mamminasata Urban Railway Project Plan
The Makassar – Marros – Sungguminasa – Takalar (Mamminasata) Railway line development project as an urban railway route in South Sulawesi Province is to accelerate the equitable distribution of national development following the 2015-2029 NMTDP and arranged in the South Sulawesi Provincial Spatial Plan. The planned Makassar – Marros – Sungguminasa – Takalar (Mamminasata) Railway Line will have a route length of approximately ± 62 km and will pass through three districts and one city in South Sulawesi Province, namely: Maros Regency, Takalar Regency, Gowa Regency, Makassar City. The purpose of this development is to accelerate development through increasing passenger traffic flow, building national and regional connectivity, and meeting the target of developing a 3,258 km railway line by 2019. Mamminasata (Maros – Makassar – Sungguminasa – Takalar) Mamminasata Route of Trase (Total 62.73 km). It is distributed due to the route as follows:

1. Route I : Bandara Hasanuddin – New Port – Karebosi
2. Route II : Maros – Bandara Hasanuddin – Karebosi
3. Route III : Karebosi – Tanjung Bunga – Takalar
4. Route IV : Karebosi – Sungguminasa – Takalar
5. Route V : Pettarani – Pa’baeng-baeng
6. Route VI : Batang Ase – Moncongloe – Unhas
7. Route VII : Graha Pena – UIN – Palangga

[The Railway Line Masterplan in Makassar.]

Links and resources

GREATER MAKASSAR | Mamminasata Urban Rail Transport | System, Plans and Construction – News and discussion at skyscrapercity.com.

News archive

2024

Once delayed, MRT Makassar continues this year – [28/04/24]
“The groundbreaking for the Makassar Mass Rapid Transit (MRT), which was actually due to take place in August 2023, had to be postponed due to various challenges occurring in the field, starting from the lengthy licensing process, the negotiation process with investors, to the impact of the 2019 pandemic.”

Makassar city government prepares LRT Metro Capsule transportation – [16/03/24]
“The Makassar City Government is preparing a new means of transportation, namely the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Metro Capsule.

This Metro Capsule LRT will later become supporting transportation for the Trans Sulawesi Railway in Makassar City, namely the Metro Capsule.”

2023

The Makassar MRT should not be built yet, this is the assumption – [29/08/23]
“It is considered that the construction of the Makassar Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) will not have a significant impact on the economy of Makassar and South Sulawesi (Sulsel).”

2022

South Korea ready to help Makassar City government to build LRT – [10/11/22]
“Director General of the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), South Korea, Junsung Kim is ready to cooperate with the Makassar City Government to develop mass transportation facilities by building an Integrated Railroad (LRT).”

MRT will be integrated with the Makassar-Parepare train – [10/10/22]
“The plan is for the MRT in South Sulawesi to cross the Mamminasata area, namely Makassar, Maros, Sungguminasa and Takalar. The plan is that this MRT will be integrated with the Makassar-Parepare railway line.”

2021

SWF will finance the construction of LRT and MRT in 5 cities in Indonesia – [05/03/21]
“Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi is preparing plans to build mass rapid transit (MRT) and light rail transit (LRT) in five cities in Indonesia, namely Bali, Bandung, Surabaya, Medan and Makassar.”