There is a proposal to extend the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway to Banyuwangi in East Java. Could this form part of a Java-Bali high-speed railway?

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has proposed extending the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway to Banyuwangi in East Java. There are already plans to extend the line to Surabaya, though the Banyuwangi extension is a new proposal.

Banyuwangi is a small city, so the only reason to extend the line to Banyuwangi would be to provide a connection to Bali at the Ketapang ferry port. Is it possible that Indonesia is planning to build a Java-Bali high-speed railway?

This might seem unrealistic, but there have been other infrastructure proposals that would make it technically possible. A Java-Bali bridge has been previously proposed, and there is a long-term plan to build a railway around the island of Bali. Combine those proposals with a high-speed railway to Banyuwangi, then it could be possible to build a railway from Jakarta to Denpasar.

Jakarta – Denpasar by train

Here are the sections that are required to build a high-speed railway from Jakarta to Denpasar.

Bandung – Surabaya

Indonesia has already built the first high-speed railway in Southeast Asia. The Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway (known as Whoosh) has a top operating speed of 350 km/h, making it one of the fastest railways in the world.

There are now plans to extend the line to Surabaya, which is expected to cut travel time to just 3.5 hours for the 780-kilometre journey from Jakarta.

Surabaya to Banyuwangi

There is already a railway between Surabaya and Banyuwangi. It’s a slow train that uses diesel-powered engines, though it is a scenic route if you choose to overland to Bali.

It is not an obvious corridor to build a high-speed railway, thus, I am wondering if Prabowo is planning an extension to Bali.

Bali Strait Bridge

There has been a proposal to build a bridge between Java and Bali across the Bali Strait. This proposal has not gained any traction beyond the initial announcement, but I place it here as being officially mentioned.

If there were to be a high-speed railway, the bridge would need to be a shared road and rail bridge. There are such bridges elsewhere, such as the Øresund Bridge and the Tongling Yangtze River Third Bridge.

Bali Railway

Bali has been in the news over the last few years for the plan to build a 20 billion dollar metro system in the south of Bali. This is in addition to an older plan to build a railway forming a circle line around the island.

None of these plans are close to beginning, so the Gilimanuk to Denpasar section could be upgraded to a high-speed railway before it is built.

Will Indonesia build a Java-Bali High-speed railway?

A unified railway from Java to Bali is not possible without the Bali Strait Bridge, and that is unlikely to ever be built.

There is also not a large enough population base in Banyuwangi to justify a high-speed railway, so the only reason to build a line there is to transfer passengers to Bali ferries. If there is no high-speed ferry and railway in Bali, then building a high-speed railway to Banyuwangi is pointless.

The Java-Bali ferry takes about an hour, and then the bus from Gilimanuk to Denpasar takes about 3 hours through terrible traffic. I have taken the train/ferry/bus trip from Jakarta to Denpasar, and the ferry/bus combo is not a trip for the general masses.

This railway might seem unrealistic, but some factors should keep us alert that a high-speed railway might be planned.

Prabowo has floated the idea of turning Bali into a financial hub. This was after previously saying that he hoped the North Bali Airport would help turn Bali into the new Singapore or Hong Kong, which he then denied meaning.

I have already written about how the Bali financial hub is a bad idea, and that Batam should be the financial hub of Indonesia.

A more sensible idea is to build the Jakarta-Surabaya high-speed railway. This should have been built in the first place, instead of pausing the line at Bandung. Jakarta and Surabaya are the two largest cities in Java on an island with over 150 million people.

The current Jakarta-Bandung line is too short (143 km) to justify a high-speed railway, and Indonesia is now grappling with the cost of this short line. Turn Jakarta-Surabaya into a trunk line that moves passengers across the island quickly, and upgrade the railways that connect to that line, such as the Surabaya to Banyuwangi line.

North Bali International Airport (Bandara International Bali Baru) is a proposed second airport in the north of Bali, Indonesia. A new airport for Bali is being considered as the current airport (Ngurah Rai International Airport) is in a built-up urban area, making it difficult for further expansion. There is only one runway at DPS Airport, which limits its capacity.

A plan for a new airport on the north side of the island was made public in 2013. In 2015 it was announced that the airport would be built offshore in Kubutambahan District, Buleleng Regency. The project was removed from the list of National Strategic Projects in July 2022 by president Joko Widodo.

The airport plan was revived in October 2024 by the new administration of President Prabowo. The new airport is a joint development between PT BIBU Panji Sakti and the Chinese company ChangYe Construction Group, which is investing US$3 billion in the project. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed at the Indonesian Embassy in Beijing on November 8, 2024.

Transport

Any new airport in the north would need transport infrastructure to go with it. Most passengers would still be going to the south of the island, and it currently takes about 3 hours to travel from Ngurah Rai Airport to Singaraja in North Bali. There is a plan for a north-south toll road, and earlier plans mention the airport being part of a pan-island Bali railway.

Airport names

North Bali International Airport
Bandara International Bali Baru (BIBU)
Buleleng International Airport

New airport location alternatives

Gerogak Village and Celukan Bawang Village were also considered in Buleleng Regency.

A new airport in Jembrana Regency (the southern half of west Bali) was also proposed. This was known as New Bali International Airport or Jembrana City International Airport.

Map of North Bali International Airport

[Map of North Bali International Airport.]

Airport design

Design concept by Alien Design Consultant.

Interior design concept by Alien Design Consultant.

Other design proposals

Design concept by CGarchitect.

Design concept by Airports Kinesis Canada.

Design concept by Videshiiya Studio.

Design by Surbana Jurong.

[Image via Wikipedia.]

News archive

2025

North Bali airport unveils design inspired by Balinese cosmology – [29/09/25]
“PT BIBU Panji Sakti, the project manager of the North Bali Airport development, has officially launched the design for the long-planned international airport in Buleleng Regency.”

Transportation ministry sets conditions for North Bali airport to proceed – [27/09/25]
“The Transportation Ministry has reiterated its backing for the planned North Bali International Airport, but stressed that the multibillion-dollar project must follow all administrative, technical, and environmental procedures to ensure accountability and sustainability.”

Prabowo Subianto approves construction of North Bali Airport – [07/07/25]

Bali leaders raise questions over new Bali airport plans in emerging tourism destination – [06/07/25]

North Bali International Airport location not decided yet, Transport Ministry says – [05/07/25]

Government pushes North Bali airport plan, Governor Koster questions funding – [01/07/25]

Minister endorses North Bali airport construction – [01/07/25]
“Coordinating Minister for Community Empowerment Muhaimin Iskandar has voiced his support for building the North Bali International Airport, which will be located in Buleleng, Bali.”

North Bali Airport to boost MSMEs, creative economy: Minister – [27/06/25]

Prabowo greenlights second Bali airport development – [27/06/25]
“Coordinating Minister for Community Empowerment Muhaimin Iskandar stated that President Prabowo Subianto has approved the development of North Bali International Airport (BIBU).”

2024

Erick Thohir expects Bali to build new airport in 2027 – [22/11/24]
“State-Owned Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir has announced plans to begin construction of a new airport in Bali by 2027, with the growing number of passengers at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in Kuta district, Badung regency, as one reason for the construction.”

“The existing I Gusti Ngurah International Airport currently serves 32 million passengers annually and its peak capacity will be reached by 2029-2030, necessitating building a new airport soon”.

North Bali Airport gets $3 billion boost from Chinese investors, targeting 2027 completion – [21/11/24]
“Chinese investors is injecting funds into the North Bali Airport development project in Kubutambahan District, Buleleng, Bali.

This project is targeted to be completed in 2027 for one runway.

PT BIBU Panji Sakti and ChangYe Construction Group signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on November 8, 2024, at the Indonesian Embassy in Beijing.”

North Bali International Airport development would see new city built on island – [20/11/24]

‘A new Singapore or Hong Kong’? Indonesia to build Bali’s second airport amid scepticism – [15/11/24]
“Joint development between local and Chinese firm, which is investing US$3 billion, has support of President Prabowo, but some Balinese are unimpressed.”

More updates shared with tourists on North Bali International Airport plans – [13/11/24]

PT BIBU gets IDR 50 trillion investment to complete North Bali Airport – [13/11/24]
“The initiator of North Bali Airport, PT BIBU Panji Sakti, received investment funds of US$3 billion or equivalent to Rp50 trillion from the Chinese company ChangYe Construction Group to accelerate the development target of North Bali International Airport.”

Central govt to pick North Bali Airport location: governor – [13/11/24]
“The central government will choose the location, whether in the eastern part or the western part of North Bali. There are advantages and disadvantages”.

Parts of proposed North Bali Airport site overlap with protected forest areas – [12/11/24]

Why a North Bali Airport won’t work – [10/11/24]

Overtourism or balanced development? – [09/11/24]
“Bali airport plan sparks debate Long Indonesia’s premier tourist destination, Bali keeps getting all the attention, and ongoing government initiatives, rather than spread out development across the country, further cement the island’s dominance, to the extent that many now worry about overtourism.”

Bali leaders condemn mission to make island new Hong Kong – [06/11/24]

Gerindra Clarifies Prabowo’s North Bali Airport Plan, No Plans for ‘New Singapore’ – [04/11/24]
“Prabowo’s vision does not mean changing Bali into a new Singapore but rather adopting the modern and advanced airport designs of Singapore and Hong Kong for the planned North Bali International Airport.”

President Prabowo aims to build North Bali Airport – [04/11/24]
“President Prabowo Subianto is committed to building an airport in North Bali. According to him, this airport will encourage the development of the island’s infrastructure, as in Singapore and Hong Kong.”

Indonesia’s Prabowo commits to make Bali ‘the new Singapore’ through international airport pledge – [04/11/24]
“The project to build the North Bali International Airport was removed from former president Joko Widodo’s list of National Strategic Projects in July 2022 and was also said to be opposed by former president Megawati Soekarnoputri.”

Bali reportedly to build second airport under President Prabowo Subianto’s administration – [30/10/24]

Bali set to have second airport under Indonesia’s new president Prabowo – [26/10/24]
“A politician from ruling party Gerindra told The Straits Times on Oct 21 that the newly inaugurated president is fully on board with the project. “Pak Prabowo wants this project supported,” he said, declining to be identified because he was not authorised to speak to the media.”

North Bali Airport could be sidelined further despite presidential election promises – [24/10/24]

Tourism expert criticises plan to build airport in North Bali – [28/05/24]
“Nyoman Sukma Arida, a tourism expert at Udayana University, expressed her opinion to the local press that adding more airports on Bali Island—particularly, a new airport in North Bali—would be more trouble than it is worth.”

North Bali airport development will continue, supported by Penglingsir Puri Agung – [27/05/24]

Puri Bali leader supports North Bali airport development – [21/05/24]

2023

La Nyalla promises to propose to Jokowi that North Bali Airport development returns to PSN – [19/06/23]

Megawati says ‘no’ to North Bali Airport – [29/01/23]

2022

Minister says North Bali Airport still needed despite being deprioritized by government – [22/08/22]

Why Bali needs a new airport apart from Ngurah Rai – [22/08/22]

Second Bali Airport shelved along with other infrastructure projects: Official – [28/07/22]

Plans for new airport in NW Bali opposed – [27/07/22]

Locals urge North Bali International Airport construction – [23/06/22]
“The people of Buleleng district are urging the government to immediately build North Bali International Airport, which they want to be located on the coast of Kubutambahan District, Buleleng, Bali.”

BKPM receives feasibility study of North Bali International Airport – [09/01/22]

Chinese state-owned enterprise takes part in Bali airport project – [06/01/22]

Bali’s offshore airport to be finished by 2024 – [05/01/22]

2021

New international airport in Northern Bali will improve economy – [22/12/21]

Waskita Karya will work on North Bali International Airport development project – [17/12/21]
“Waskita Karya (Persero) Tbk has signed a memorandum of understanding with PT BIBU Panji Sakti in the context of the North Bali International Airport development project along with supporting facilities and related infrastructure.”

North Bali airport project rejected by government officials – [17/02/21]

2020

Local resistance to NW Bali airport grows – [28/10/20]
“Radar Bali reports that residents of Sumberklampok Village, Gerokgak, in and Buleleng Regency, North Bali, are becoming increasingly vocal in their opposition to the construction of Bali’s second international airport in their community.”

North Bali Airport in a holding pattern – [19/10/20]
“NusaBali reports how plans to build a second airport in Northeast Bali at Kubutambahan now appear highly doubtful after discovering that a large portion of the acreage needed for the air gateway is already under a long-term lease. This unexpected development has effectively sidelined any effort to acquire the land necessary for runways, terminals, and supporting facilities in that location.”

Second airport in North Bali projected for 2023 despite land disagreement – [16/10/20]

2019

Local community hands over temple land to support North Bali airport construction – [09/09/19]

Bali to get new airport for low-cost carriers – [29/07/19]
“…the new airport, which is to be built in the northern village of Kubutambahan, would take all the low-cost carriers, while Ngurah Rai in the south would take the “normal” ones.”

North Bali airport project takes a pause as it awaits progress in the development of North-South access – [29/07/19]
“The development of an airport on the north coast of Bali might take a little longer to get off the ground than first expected as Indonesia’s transportation minister has stressed that the project would depend on the progress of the island’s North-South toll road.”

Plans for north Bali’s Buleleng Airport aim to improve infrastructure and encourage more investment – [17/07/19]
“It appears as if plans are moving forward with the development of Bali’s new airport at Kubutambahan in Buleleng Regency on the north coast. This could have profound implications for the immediate area as well as the rest of the island.”

Kinesis withdraw this investment for the North Bali Airport – [24/06/19]

North Bali Airport could be a game changer – [04/01/19]
“The construction of the new Bali airport in Kubutambahan in Buleleng Regency will begin in 2020”.

2018

North Bali airport project set to take off next year – [19/12/18]

North Bali Airport: Province, Ministry of Transportation agree on location for project in Buleleng – [02/11/18]
“The airport will be built in Kubutambahan on 420 hectares of “customary land”, according to an agreement between Buleleng Regency, Bali Province, and Indonesia’s Ministry of Transportation.”

North Bali International Airport – Airports Kinesis Canada – [20/03/18]

[YouTube: North Bali International Airport.]

Offshore airport in northern Bali not urgent: Minister – [05/03/18]

USD 2 billion for second airport in Bali – Indonesia’s tourist island destination – [02/03/18]
“The North Bali International Airport (Bandara International Bali Baru or BIBU) took another step closer to becoming reality recently when PT Bali International Airport (PT BIBU) Panji Sakti and Canadian company, Kenesis Capital and Investment (KCA), agreed terms for an investment of USD 2 billion (about IDR 27 trillion) into the project, according to local news wires.”

New $2b offshore international airport planned for Northern Bali – [24/02/18]
“Indonesian private-sector company Bandara Internasional Bali Utara plans to build a new international airport in northern Bali to accommodate growth in foreign tourist arrivals. The airport will be built offshore to avoid interference with rice fields, temples and villages.”

PPP Project: North Bali airport to complete in 2025 – [03/01/18]
“The airport in North Bali, located in Buleleng Regency, Bali, is targeted to be operational in 2025 after the Ministry of Transportation issued a permit for location determination this year. Bali Governor I Wayan Koster elaborated that after the permit for location determination (penlok) comes out in 2019, then the construction will begin in 2020. Tt will take at least 4 years to complete the construction, which will then begin operation in 2025.”

2017

https://www.pwc.com/id/en/media-centre/infrastructure-news/infrastructure-news—archive/july-2017/new-airport–the-fate-of-north-bali-to-be-determined-at-end-2017.html
New airport: The fate of North Bali to be determined at end-2017 – [28/07/17]

North Bali’s new international airport almost ready to go – [14/04/17]
“Panji Sakti International Airport in North Bali will be the first floating airport in Indonesia and the most advanced of its kind. The groundbreaking of the airport that is located off-shore in Kubutambahan village, Buleleng, is scheduled for August 28, 2017.”

Local, French investors vie for North Bali Airport project – [10/04/17]

Government still working on determining location for new Bali airport in island’s north – [07/04/17]
“Airports Director of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Yudhi Sari Sitompul, says that Bali’s second airport will still more than likely be done in Buleleng, it’s just a matter of where in the regency.”

2016

Floating airport to be built in northern Bali – [27/05/16]
“An artificial island measuring 1,400 hectares is to be created in waters off Bali’s northern coast for a new airport.”

Bali’s Governor issues recommendation for new airport in North Bali – [10/05/16]
Bali’s Governor Made Pastika recently told NusaBali that he had already received a detailed plan from a Canadian company for the building of the new Bali international airport, to be located in the North Bali regency of Buleleng.

Bali set to build 2nd airport to meet tourism boom – [29/02/16]
“Indonesia’s main tourist island, Bali, is attracting 10 million tourists a year and, with that number expected to double by 2025, its government wants to build a second airport.”

2015

Angkasa Pura I appointed to build Buleleng airport – [06/07/15]

Bali to build floating airport – [21/05/15]
“…a Canadian investor had presented the airport construction master plan to the regent of Buleleng on Wednesday. I Made Mangku, who spoke on behalf of the Canadian investor, said that according to plan, the airport would be constructed on 1,400 hectares of reclaimed water area on the beach. He added that the airport would have two runways. A 125-meter bridge will be also constructed to connect the airport to the mainland. According to the master plan, part of the beach will be reclaimed but will not be converted into an island and water will continue to float under the airport. Construction will be supported by concrete piles, he said. The airport construction project was estimated to absorb Rp 30 trillion and the investor had prepared 80 percent of it”.

2013

Public Private Partnerships – Infrastructure projects plan in Indonesia – [November 2013]

Gerokgak chosen as new Buleleng airport site – [10/07/13]
“After years of speculation and discussion, the provincial administration has decided on Sumberkima village in Gerokgak, Buleleng regency, north Bali, as the most likely site for a new airport.”

The Bali Light Rail Transit (LRT), also referred to as the Bali Urban Subway, is a proposed underground transit system connecting Ngurah Rai International Airport to locations in South Bali and Ubud.

The Bali subway will be built in 4 phases:

Phase 1: Airport-Sentral Parkir Kuta-Seminyak-Berawa-Cemagi (16 km)
Phase 2: Airport-Jimbaran-Unud-Nusa Dua (13.5 km)
Phase 3: Kuta Sentral Parkir-Sesetan-Renon-Sanur (undergoing feasibility study)
Phase 4: Renon-Sukawati-Ubud (undergoing feasibility study)

Bali Subway System Map.

The project was launched on the 4th of September 2024 with a cultural ceremony to mark the laying of the first stone of the subway project. The ceremony was held at Sentral Parkir Kuta, Badung Regency, where the Sentral Parkir will be.

The Airport-Kuta and Airport-Jimbaran-Unud-Nusa Dua phases are targeted for completion in early 2028, and all phases one and two will be completed in 2031. The total investment value of the first 2 phases is USD 10.8 billion while the total cost for the 4 phases of work reaches USD 20 billion.

Indotek is the lead contractor for the subway project, in partnership with China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) and Bali-based Sinar Bali Bina Karya.

In addition to the LRT, a tramway has been proposed that would connect to the LRT at Kuta and run along the beach. Information abou tthe tram project can be found on the Bali Tram page.

Bali LRT phases

Proposed alignment from the airport to Central Parking.

Phase	Route	Distance (km)	Line Details
1A	Airport Ngurah Rai – Sentral Parkir Kuta	4.28	• Pasar Seni Kuta (Station) • Sentral Parkir (Transit hub –TOD Area) • Tunnel
1B	Sentral Parkir Kuta – Seminyak	4.06	• Lapangan Banteng (Station) • At-Grade
2	Seminyak – Canggu – Cemagi/Depo	6.60	• Lapangan Tibubeneng (Station) • Canggu ( 3.5 ha land owned by government of Bali ) • Tunnel
3	Canggu - Mengwi	11.7	• Dalung Permai (Station) • Puspem-Abianbase (Station) • Kapal-RS (Station) • Terminal Mengwi (Transit hub –TOD Area) • At-Grade

Bali LRT maps

Route map of the Bali LRT Phases 1A and 1B shown on satellite view.

[Construction of Phases 1A and 1B (view full size).]

Route map of the Bali LRT from Ngurah Rai International Airport to Canggu. The map also shows some BRT routes.

[Bali LRT from Ngurah Rai International Airport to Canggu (view full size).]

Here is a Google Map showing the approximate route of the LRT for Phase 1. This is a guide to give an overview. These are not official locations to use for real estate planning. The map also includes the Bali Beach Tram, though it’s not known how it will interchange with the LRT.

[Map of Bali Rail Transit.]

Links and resources

Preliminary Feasibility Study on Ngurah Rai Airport Satellite Terminal and LRT in Bali by Korea National Railway.
New satellite terminal for Ngurah Rai Airport and light rail transit system to link the satellite terminal and the airport.
– Length: underground 5.3 km, elevated 2.98 km, at grade 820 m
– Stations: total 7 (underground 4, elevated 2, at grade 1)

Read more about Bali railways on the Bali Railways Masterplan page.

News Archive

2026

Bali’s MRT subway project stalled and running on empty? – [03/04/26]

2025

Indonesia’s Bali subway plan stalls over investor concerns and feasibility – [17/10/25]
“The island should explore other solutions to ease its traffic congestion, such as limiting car and tourist numbers, analysts say.”

China backed Bali MRT goes underground for tradition – [15/06/25]
“Bali’s first-ever subway project is moving closer to reality, with officials favoring underground tunnels over elevated tracks to respect the island’s religious and cultural landscape.”

Bali inks deal with Jakarta for MRT development – [14/06/25]
“The development plan of the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) in Bali is confirmed to continue. The Bali government has inked a collaboration deal with the Jakarta government for assistance and development.

“The collaboration is between the management of MRT Jakarta and SBDJ,” said Dodi Miharjana, the president director of PT Sarana Bali Dwipa Jaya (SBDJ), on Saturday, June 14, 2025.”

Bali, Jakarta explore $20B subway collaboration to ease island traffic – [13/06/25]
“Bali Governor Wayan Koster welcomed Jakarta Deputy Governor Rano Karno on Friday for a working visit that centered on a potential collaboration to develop a mass rapid transit (MRT) system on the resort island, drawing lessons from Jakarta’s successful implementation of its own urban rail system.”

2024

Bali’s $20bn subway project mired in uncertainty as traffic worsens – [24/12/24]
“LRT plan puts the Indonesian island at risk of falling into a Chinese debt trap.”

Leaders reveal Bali’s tourism metro still in planning stage despite construction announcement – [14/10/24]

Digging starts on Bali MRT in April 2025 – [17/09/24]

Indonesia’s US$20 billion Bali LRT raises eyebrows over heavy China reliance – [12/09/24]
“A US$20 billion underground light rail project in Bali promises to be a boost for its tourism, but analysts say Indonesia’s reliance on Chinese contractors and the resort island’s cultural and spatial regulations could pose significant hurdles.”

S. Korean, domestic investors to join Bali LRT project – [11/09/24]
“Bali’s first light rail transit (LRT) system will involve investors from South Korea and Indonesia, Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi said on Monday in Jakarta.”

Bali’s $20 billion subway project: Indotek and China Railway lead Phase One – [06/09/24]
“Sarana Bali Dwipa Jaya (SBDJ), representing the Bali Provincial Government, has appointed digital solutions company Indotek as the lead contractor for the Bali Urban Subway project, with China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) and Bali-based Sinar Bali Bina Karya as key partners. CRCC, known for its role in the Whoosh high-speed rail project, will collaborate on this venture.”

[Sarana Bali Dwipa Jaya (SBDJ) has appointed Bumi Indah Prima (BIP) as the Qualified Partner and Lead Consortium of Investors for the Bali Urban Rail and Associated Facilities project, on Friday, Sept. 6, 2024 (Photo: Bali Provincial Government)]

China Railway to take part in Bali LRT construction – [05/09/24]
“China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC), wholly owned by China Railway and known for its involvement in the Whoosh Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway (HSR), is set to participate in building Bali’s first light rail transit (LRT) system.”

Bali’s long-awaited mass transit project takes off – [05/09/24]
“The Bali Urban Subway project is currently in its initial phase, with construction focused on the station and a 300×50 meter office at Kuta Central Parking.

Ten tunnel boring machines (TBM) will be deployed in April 2025 to undertake the underground work, which will take place 30 meters below ground level.”

Underground subway project in Bali officially begins with laying of first stone – [05/09/24]
“On Wednesday, the 4th of September, the provincial government of Bali held a cultural ceremony called ngeruwak to mark the laying of the first stone in the construction of the province’s subway project at Sentral Parkir Kuta, Badung Regency.”

[Underground Subway Project in Bali Officially Begins with Laying of First Stone. Image Source: RRI.]

Bali authorities want to build a train line by 2027. Can it fix the island’s traffic? – [04/09/24]

Bali Underground LRT Plan Still On: Luhut – [30/08/24]
“Senior minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan recently revealed that Bali still planned on constructing an underground light rail transit — popularly abbreviated as LRT — to ease traffic congestion.”

Tourism Minister Sandiaga Uno gives update on the Bali LRT project – [30/07/24]

Bali Subway development enters the stage of appointing strategic partners and investor consortium leaders – [25/07/24]
Update from Bali provincial government.

Bali Plans $20 Billion Railway Project to Ease Road Congestion – [24/07/24]
“Developers, led by PT Sarana Bali Dwipa Jaya, will start work on the project, called Bali Subway, in September, according to a government statement on Thursday.

The initial two stages of development will cost $10.8 billion and will be completed by 2031, it said. The total cost will eventually rise to $20 billion.”

Bali picks investor for US$20 billion Bali Subway project – [24/07/24]

Bali hopeful new metro system will be operating by 2028 – [18/07/24]

Bali governor pushes for Airport-Canggu subway which attracts Chinese, European investors – [11/06/24]
“Bali’s Acting Governor, Sang Made Mahendra Jaya, aims to commence construction of the Bali Urban Rail, a subway project intended to support tourism and reduce congestion, this year.”

Early phase of Bali LRT project to cost US$876m, ministry says – [09/06/24]
“Railway Traffic and Transportation Director Arif Anwar said Phase 1A would involve constructing a 6.04-kilometer track from I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar to Jl. Sunset Road in Kuta, Badung regency, as well as five stations.”

Bali plans underground railroad: government seeks investors – [03/06/24]

Global investors show strong interest in Bali urban rail development project – [31/05/24]
“SBDJ President Director Ari Ashkara informed that, so far, eight global investors have expressed interest in the Bali Urban Rail development project.”

Minister assures of accelerated licensing for Bali Urban Rail project – [30/05/24]
“Minister of Investment/head of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) Bahlil Lahadalia has expressed his ministry’s readiness to support and expedite the licensing process for the Bali Urban Rail project to increase national tourism income.”

Bali’s tourist train line aiming to offer rides every 15-minutes – [22/02/24]

Bali rail system to break ground Sept 2024 – [13/02/24]
“Indonesia’s Minister of Transportation, Budi Karya Sumadi, has announced that the targeted groundbreaking for the commencement of construction of Bali’s Light Rail Transit (LRT) is set for September 2024.”

Bali LRT First Phase Execution Starting in September 2024, Connecting Ngurah Rai Airport to Kuta – [06/02/24]
The groundbreaking stage of the Bali LRT project is scheduled to commence in September 2024. The Indonesian Minister of Transportation, Budi Karya Sumadi.”

UAE’s Etihad Rail explores investing in Bali’s railway project – [01/02/24]

Indonesia, S. Korea to finish Bali LRT feasibility study in April – [11/01/24]

Transportation Minister discusses Bali LRT financing with South Korea – [10/01/24]
“We will focus on starting the Phase 1 construction of the Bali LRT, namely from Ngurah Rai Airport to Central Park,”

2023

Transportation ministry talks of LRT Bali project with South Korea – [20/12/23]

Minister of Transportation pins hope on Bali LRT to solve island’s traffic woes – [19/12/23]

A light rail for Bali? Island trains thoughts on tackling congestion – [29/10/23]
“…a light rail line connecting the airport with the tourist hubs of Kuta and Seminyak and extending onwards to Canggu and, finally, north to Mengwi, from where it would be a closer drive to the rice paddies and wellness retreats of Ubud.”

Korean consortium to study Bali metro plan – [27/10/23]
“The KNR-backed consortium of national operator Korail, KRT Co Ltd, Saman Co Ltd, and Dongmyeong Co. Ltd has been awarded a 16bn won contract, funded by South Korea’s Eximbank, to carry out a feasibility study for the Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport – Central Parkir section of Bali’s planned light metro. The study is due for completion by the end of August 2024.”

Bali should use domestic loan in building LRT: Bappenas – [04/10/23]

Indonesia plans Bali light rail to ease congestion from airport – [29/09/23]
“Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Pandjaitan said on Thursday (Sep 28) the light rail transit (LRT) system would be built underground and connect the island’s international airport to popular tourist areas Canggu and Seminyak.”

Government plans to start Bali LRT groundbreaking in early 2024 – [27/09/23]
“The plan is to open the LRT route from the airport to Seminyak and will continue to Canggu for possible, for around 20 kilometers. We are planning to charge a ticket price of around US$1 to US$2 for each airplane passenger, whether they use the LRT or not. Therefore, the public financing can support the LRT operation,”

Government plans to start Bali LRT groundbreaking in early 2024 – [27/09/23]

Govt Talks of Developing Underground LRT in Bali – [26/09/23]

Bali LRT Development Plan: from Route to Collaboration with DKI Jakarta Government – [26/09/23]

Bali to build LRT by learning from Jakarta, Wayan Koster says – [10/07/23]

Bali’s IDR10 trillion LRT project on track, will link airport with Kuta – [17/05/23]

Plans for Bali airport railway line still full steam ahead – [16/05/23]

Bali government to develop LRT from airport to tourist areas – [11/05/23]

2022

Minister Of PPN and Governor of Bali discuss LRT development acceleration – [01/11/22]
“We agree with this LRT model with underground lines or tunnels for routes where there really are no more options, such as BRT or trams.”

Bali plans electric train connecting Ngurah Rai Airport to Seminyak – [07/09/22]

Bali’s first electric train to serve airport-Seminyak line: official – [06/09/22]
“There is another route that is still being studied, which travels from the airport to Denpasar city, Renon, Sanur, and Benoa, via Central Parkir (parking area), and then back to the airport.”

2021

Governor Koster and Deputy Minister of South Korea discuss railway project plans in Bali – [16/11/21]

Bali expects to begin electric train construction by 2023 – [27/10/21]
“Despite needing massive investments, Samsi admitted that several potential investors were interested in supporting this project. “We have several potential investors but we haven’t determined the best type of railway and technology for this train, as the amount of investments needed depends on what technology we will use. The technology could be underground, directly on the ground like regular railways, or perhaps above the road. But so far, the regular railway system appears to be our cheapest option.” Samsi concluded.”

Indonesia, South Korea explore cooperation in transport infrastructure – [14/06/21]
“Indonesian Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi met with the South Korean Ambassador to Indonesia, Tae Sung Park, on Monday to discuss cooperation in the construction of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) infrastructure in Bali.”

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.”

2020

Stuck in Bali traffic? Airport to get LRT access to reduce congestion – [22/01/20]
“The LRT will span 4.78 kilometers with four stations between a would-be satellite terminal in Kuta, Bali’s tourist epicenter, and the airport, Nindya Karya acting president director Haedar A. Karim, said.”

On my 2024 trip to Indonesia I had the distinction of riding the railways of Sumatra, Java, and Sulawesi. These are the only islands in Indonesia with passenger railways, so it was good to see how the railways compare between the islands.

This report is an overview of Indonesia’s railways as of 2024.

Sumatra

The Sumatra railway network is fragmented in small sections, and it is difficult to visit all of the railways in one trip. I was in North Sumatra in 2023 where I covered the railways operating out of Medan. For this trip in 2024 I went to Palembang to ride a section of the South Sumatra railway.

I was in Palembang in 2019 and I rode the train from Palembang to Bandar Lampung. I came back to ride the other major line from Palembang to Lubuk Linggau.

[Train to Lubuk Linggau at Kertapati in Palembang.]

Out of all of the train trips I had planned on this visit, this was the one I was least looking forward to. I was glad to be doing this first to get it out of the way. The train is still a superior experience to getting a bus in Sumatra, but it’s a slow train with uncomfortable seats.

The only seats available are bench seats that face other seats. The seats are close together, so tall people like myself are knocking knees with the person sitting opposite. The seats are padded, but being bolt upright is tiresome for such a long distance.

[Economy bench seats.]

Here is my review from a passengers perspective of the train from Palembang to Lubuk Linggau.

I’m going to hazard a guess and say that like me, most of my readers have never heard of Lubuk Linggau. If you were wondering why there is a train line to such a random destination, it’s because the train line serves the coal fields of South Sumatra.

The train passes through what looks like a scenic area of South Sumatra, but the Google satellite view shows the extent of the mining.

[Coal mines near Stasiun Merapi.]

The line to Lubuk Linggau is double-tracked, and on the inland journey we passed numerous trains laden with coal heading for the port in Palembang.

The trip from Palembang to Lubuk Linggau cost 32,000 IDR (about 2 USD) for the 7 h 15 m journey. This must rank as one of the cheapest rail journeys in the world. This railway is built for coal extraction, and passenger trains are run like a charity service.

I don’t mind that the passenger rail is only there because of the mining. At least there is a passenger service. On the trips I have taken on the South Sumatra railways, they have always been full.

What bothers me is that this service feels like an afterthought, and they haven’t tried to make a better passenger experience. It feels like the passenger train is added as a concession to justify the line for mining.

Long-distance trains in Java have carriages with different class options, so why not in Sumatra? There is a view in Indonesia that development is heavily skewed towards Java. The government is addressing the Java-centric problem by building transport projects across the archipelago. to make the passenger trains feel less Java-centric, there should be the same level of passengers services offered in Sumatra as there is in Java.

Another problem is that the trains in Sumatra are too slow. Indonesia is planning to build a Trans-Sumatra railway that could one day connect Bandar Lampung in the south to Aceh in the north. This is a massive undertaking that will never be built as a single project. The way to do it is to gradually build lines between major cities with the goal of forming a connected network.

[Future Trans-Sumatra line near Kertapati Station in Palembang.]

Unfortunately for Sumatra, the current lines used in North Sumatra and South Sumatra are useless for a trans-island railway that will be over 1600 km in length.

The average speed on the Lubuk Linggau line is just 42 km/h. If I round it up to 50 km/h, the trans-Sumatra journey of 1600 km would take 32 hours. That is about the same distance and speed of the current antiquated North-South railway in Vietnam, which they are planning to replace.

For a Trans-Sumatra railway to be viable, it will need to be a standard-gauge electric railway, and at least semi-high-speed (between 160–200 km/h).

Java

The purpose of this rail-themed trip across Indonesia was to ride the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway (known as Whoosh). I tried to plan my travels in 2023 to go to the inaugural service, but the opening was delayed (again) after I had planned my trip. If I have learned one thing about opening dates in Southeast Asia, it’s to never plan trips around proposed opening dates.

[Whoosh at Padalarang.]

I was looking forward to riding the fastest train in Southeast Asia (and one of the fastest trains in the world), but I had my concerns. My main concern was how to get to and from the stations. The stations are far outside the city centre, so I was surprised to see how well other rail transit systems have been integrated into connecting the railway.

The terminal station for Jakarta is at Halim (near Halim Airport), and a new light rail line (Bekasi Line on the Jabodebek LRT) was built to connect Central Jakarta to the high-speed rail station.

At the Bandung end, the main station for the high-speed railway is at Padalarang. The high-speed rail station is built next to the existing station at Padalarang, and there is a special shuttle train from Padalarang to Bandung.

The ideal scenario would have been for the high-speed railway to continue to Bandung Station, but it would have been prohibitively expensive and time consuming to procure the required land in such a built-up area.

The Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway is 142.80 km in length, though the section from Halim to Padalaranfg is 97.22 km. The last station is at Tegalluar, which also serves Bandung but it’s hard to get to.

I took the train to Tegalluar just to be able to say I rode the entire line. Most people got off at Padalaranfg, so I’m not sure what the purpose was of building Tegalluar. I got a shuttle bus from Tegalluar to Bandung with two other passengers. The bus took over an hour to get to Bandung, so no wonder no one goes to this station.

The section from Padalarang to Tegalluar is 45.58 km, which represents 312% of the railway length. Considering how expensive the project was even before the cost blow outs, they could have saved one third of the cost by not building this section.

On the positive side, the section from Padalarang to Tegalluar is now 45.58 km less that needs to be built for the proposed extension to Surabaya.

There has been a lot of debate about whether Indonesia should have built such an expensive railway.

One statistic that I like to continually remind people is that the island of Java is home to over 150 million people. The population base and size of Java is an ideal place to build a high-speed railway. A high-speed line from Jakarta to Surabaya should form the backbone of the Java rail network, and improved connecting railways from each major stop can then distribute passengers to other cities.

What should happen though is an inquiry into the blowout of the construction cost. Why did the $5.1 billion project end up costing costing $7.3 billion, and why was the cost significantly higher than the global average for building high-speed rail?

Here is my full review of the Jakarta-Bandung High-speed Railway.

From Bandung I got the normal train to Yogyakarta. I have been on this route before, and I remembered it to be a scenic railway. I had forgotten how scenic it was, and I got me thinking about why this railway isn’t more famous. I came up with a proposal to develop a Java Rail Pass to promote tourism in Java.

One of the impressive features of the Java railway system is that they are making the most from what they have. Bandung, Yogyakarta, and Surabaya have commuter railways, which is just separate services that run on the national railway tracks.

These cities are able to offer commuter railways because the system is double-tracked. This would never work in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City because the main line to the city stations are on a single track. It would be too hard to run a regular commuter service in each direction, while allowing space for the national railway services as well.

In another instance of making-do with what they already have, an airport rail link was built to the new Yogyakarta International Airport by adding a spur line to the existing railway. The new airport is much further out than the old airport, but it doesn’t matter if it has an airport rail link.

One thing I disliked on this trip was the naming system used for the seating classes. The classes include:

– Bisnis (Business)
– Eksukutif (Executive)
– Premium
– Economy

The classes Bisnis and Eksukutif sound like similar offerings, and even after taking multiple rides I got mixed up. I booked a premium seat in advance and forgot about it until the day of travel. My ticket said Coach 3 so I went to that. I was quite happy with these premium-looking seats.

Eventually a ticket inspector came by and I was told that I was sitting in the Eksekutif section. I was sent back to the Premium section, where I found that the leg room made low-cost airlines seating look spacious.

This naming system reminds me of the nonsense that Starbucks use to size their cups (Tall, Grande, Venti). I much prefer the to-the-point naming that Thailand uses, such as 2nd Class Aircon and 3rd Class Hard Seat Fan. No mystery of what you are getting.

Bali

There is no railway on Bali, but there have been numerous plans for a railway over the years. I happened to be in Bali while the Department of Transport were planning to build a subway from the airport to Seminyak. My rail report is only covering long-distance railways, so I will do another report for urban railways.

I was invited to meet with the Department of Transport, and they laid out some of their future plans.

[Department of Transport in Bali.]

One of the plans that is still on the drawing board is for a railway that goes around the island. This puts it in the category of a regional railway, thus it qualifies to be mentioned in this report.

[Bali Railways Masterplan.]

Here is the archive of Bali railway plans, which dates back to 2011.

Sulawesi

Out of all of the railways on this trip, I was looking forward to the Sulawesi Railway as much as Whoosh. The Makassar-Parepare railway opened in 2023, making it the first railway on the island of Sulawesi.

There has been very little news about this railway, so I wanted to see it for myself. I have written a separate trip report for the Makassar – Parepare Railway from a travellers perspective. The following notes are extra observations from a development perspective.

I couldn’t find a website of the railway, so I didn’t know if there were trains running. The current main station for Makassar is near the airport but not near anything. I got a Grab taxi to the station, and I was relieved to see that there were people at the station.

It turns out I was too late for the morning train and too early for the afternoon train, so I had time to walk around.

The railway is not finished yet as they haven’t extended the line into Makassar city. I walked to the end of the line to see the future corridor.

[This line will be extended south to Makassar.]

I haven’t found a map yet that shows the location of the Makassar station, but according to the sign at Mandai it is 14 km away. That will be about 6 km from the city centre, so I will have to come back to see it when it’s operating.

I mentioned that I missed the inaugural run of Whoosh, and I missed the inauguration of the Makassar-Parepare railway as well. In hindsight it’s better from a reviewers perspective to ride the railway at least a few months after the opening. I was in Makassar over a year after it had opened, so plenty of time for the initial interest in the line to subside. Or so I thought. When I got to the ticket office I was told it was standing-room only in both directions.

I thought that my search skills were getting bad because I couldn’t find an official website for the railway. The station lists all of their social media accounts, but there was no website at the time of my visit. I have linked to the accounts in my Makassar – Parepare Railway guide.

I like that the logo of the railway looks like a proper railway logo.

The Makassar – Parepare Railway doesn’t go to Makassar or Parepare yet. Partially opening is still better than waiting for years for the entire line to be finished.

Once the train departed I discovered it really was standing-room only. Almost everyone on the train was on the train as a joy ride. Another fellow offered me his seat for the last 30 minutes of the return journey.

When the train got to the end station at Garongkong. everyone got off and waited at the station for the return trip.

[Passengers at Garongkong.]

The eventual plan is that the Makassar – Parepare Railway will form part of the Trans-Sulawesi Railway from Makassar to Manado. Like the Trans-Sumatra Railway, this will be about 1600 km in length. Also like the Trans-Sumatra Railway, the current railway is too slow for a long-distance intercity railway.

The service that is currently running is a commuter service that stops at all of the stations along the way. I was standing next to the display board so I was watching the speed as we went. The fastest I saw was about 85 km/h, so the average speed was about 50 km/h.

[85.3 km/h on the Makassar – Parepare Railway.]

My original plan was to get the train to the end of the line and stay there for the night. After doing some research on Google Maps I deduced that there was nothing to do in Garongkong, let alone anywhere to stay.

After riding the railway I am hopeful that the towns and villages with a station will set up some tourism infrastructure to encourage railway tourism. The railway passes through beautiful countryside, so it would be great if there were some places to stay here in the future.

[Scenery along the Makassar Parepere Railway.]

Future Lines

Indonesia already has a useful railway in Java, so I’m looking forward to seeing how other island networks develop. It seems that the Trans-Sumatra Railway has stagnated, and I haven’t seen any updates for Sulawesi.

The next big project is the proposed extension of the high-speed raiwlay from Bandung to Surabaya, and there is also talk of a regional railway to connect Balikpapan to the new capital city of Nusantara.

There was also a proposed Trans-Borneo railway that would connect Malaysia, Brunei, and Indoneisa, but none of the governments claim to know anything about the proposal from a private company.

I will be back in Indonesia to ride more railways in Java and to see the sections of rail in West Sumatra. If you would like more updates like this, then subscribe to my newsletter.

Development of train-based mass transportation in Bali (Bali Urban Rail and Associated Facilities).

DENPASAR – The development of train-based mass transportation in Bali (Bali Urban Rail and Associated Facilities) or better known as Subway/LRT (Light Rail Transit) is entering the stage of appointing strategic partners and leaders of the investor consortium who will later play an active role in the development of this lighthouse project. After going through the selection process, PT. Sarana Bali Dwipa Jaya (SBDJ) as the party authorized to develop Bali Urban Rail and Associated Facilities appointed PT. Bumi Indah Prima (BIP) becomes Qualified Partner and Lead Consortium of Investors.

The letter of appointment of Qualified Partner and Lead Consortium of Investors was submitted by the Managing Director of SBDJ I Gusti Ngurah Askhara Danadiputra (Ari Askhara) to the Managing Director of PT. BIP Aditya Anton Subowo in the Andaz Hotel Meeting Room Sanur Denpasar, Wednesday (24/7/2024). The handover of the letter appointing a strategic partner for the development of the Bali LRT was witnessed by Acting. Governor of Bali S. M. Mahendra Jaya and President Director of PT. Jamkrida Bali Mandara (Perseroda), I Ketut Widiana Karya. This stage was also marked by the handover of a miniature Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) from the Managing Director of PT. SBDJ to Acting. Governor Mahendra Jaya. Minister of National Development Planning/Head of Bappenas RI Suharso Monoarfa was present directly at the activity which was a strategic stage in the development of the Bali LRT.

Acting The Governor of Bali in his speech expressed congratulations on the appointment of PT. BIP as a qualified partner in this project. After this, PT. SBDJ and BIP are asked to immediately continue the process in accordance with the applicable stages and regulations. It is also hoped that these two companies can open up space for collaboration with other investors who will later become resources in realizing and operating the Bali subway. In the process later, Acting. Governor Mahendra Jaya reminded investors to prioritize local communities. “This is also for the transfer of technological knowledge in development and operation,” he said.

Mahendra Jaya further added that developing a train-based mass transportation corridor in Bali is a big undertaking that requires support and cooperation from various stakeholders. Initially, he was doubtful that he would be able to realize this great work because of regional and central fiscal limitations and there was no infrastructure financing model without using the APBN or APBD budget. However, he was convinced by various parties who said that the new pattern could be implemented because Bali has extraordinary magnetism. As a general illustration, he informed about the increase in passenger traffic, cargo and aircraft movements at I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport during semester 1 of 2024. Compared to semester 1 of 2023, the number of international flights increased by 18%, the number of passengers increased by 26% and cargo increased by 72%. %. “This adds to our optimism that Bali has an attraction for tourists,” he said.

This opportunity was apparently read by strategic partners so they did not hesitate to invest in the subway development plan in Bali. From the discussion, he got the idea that investors were interested because the main market was tourists, in contrast to other areas where the main market was local residents. Apart from that, investors will also earn income from tickets. However, specifically for tickets, Mahendra Jaya wants there to be subsidies for Balinese residents so that the prices are not expensive. Other benefits can also be obtained from the use of naming rights, basements (mice, malls, hotels, restaurants and other entertainment venues), rentals for utility use (telecommunication networks, electricity, water, gas, etc.) as well as calculations of credit. carbon. “Not only are there profits for investors, later when the subway is operational, the local government will also get a percentage of the operational proceeds,” he said.

Closing his remarks, Acting. The Governor expressed his thanks to all parties who have supported efforts to develop train-based mass transportation facilities in the Bali region. He hopes that the central government will continue to provide policy support and direction to accelerate subway development. Not to forget, he also asked for the support of the Regency/City Government, community leaders, traditional leaders, religious leaders and all Balinese people, so that this project can run well according to the planned stages.

Sementara itu, Menteri Perencanaan Pembangunan Nasional/ Kepala Bappenas RI Suharso Monoarfa menegaskan kalau proyek ini harus jadi karena menjadi pertaruhan kementeriannya yang mendorong penerapan model pembiayaan pembangunan tak biasa ini. Menurutnya, model pembiayaan pembangunan seperti ini baru pertama kali diterapkan di Indonesia. Bali menjadi percontohan karena merupakan daerah pertama di Indonesia yang punya konsep transformasi ekonomi dan diluncurkan langsung oleh Presiden RI Joko Widodo pada 3 Desember 2021. Konsep yang kemudian diimplementasikan dalam Peta Jalan Ekonomi Kerthi Bali Menuju Bali Era Baru ditindaklanjuti dengan beragam kegiatan seperti penanganan sampah, penerapan energi terbarukan dan lainnya. “Apa yang kami rancang dalam peta jalan ekonomi kerthi Bali, satu demi satu mulai terwujud,” ujarnya.

Specifically regarding plans to develop train-based mass transportation modes, he considers this step to be very strategic because it aims to provide comfort. “What’s most troubling right now is the threat of inconvenience,” he said. As a world tourist destination that continues to develop, he assesses that the current traffic situation in Bali is different compared to several years ago. “This is what needs to be addressed,” he added. Because it is impossible to build a flyover, according to him the subway model is the most appropriate choice. Concluding his briefing, Monoarfa invited all parties to be optimistic about the Bali subway development plan. “Today we took a small step, but this small step is the beginning of the next big step,” he concluded.

Meanwhile, the Managing Director of PT. SBDJ Ari Ashkara informed that the next stage is groundbreaking which is scheduled for September 2024. “Groundbreaking will be carried out at the Kuta Parking Center, which will also become our management and site office,” he said. He explained that the construction of the Bali subway will be carried out in 4 stages of work. Phase one is Airport-Kuta Sentral Parking-Seminyak-Berawa-Cemagi, phase two is Airport-Jimbaran-Unud-Nusa Dua, phase three is Kuta Sentral Parkir-Sesetan-Renon-Sanur and phase four is Renon-Sukawati-Ubud. The Airport-Kuta and Airport-Jimbaran-Unud-Nusa Dua phases are targeted for completion in early 2028, and all phases one and two will be completed in 2031. The total investment value of the first 2 phases is USD 10.8 billion while the total cost for the 4 phases of work reaches USD 20 billion.

Corridor development in each phase includes transportation infrastructure in the form of tunnels and subway tracks, supporting utility infrastructure such as telecommunications, electric power, drinking water, garbage and waste as well as transit oriented development (TOD). His party will also prepare Balinese human resources to become operators and owners of this large project, so that later they will not just be spectators.

PT. BIP became a Qualified Partner and Lead Consortium of Investors and was also attended by officials from the Ministry of Transportation, Ministry of Investment/BKPM, Kajati Bali Ketut Sumedana, representatives of the Regent/Mayor of the Sarbagita region and heads of relevant regional apparatus of the Bali Provincial Government.

[Original article Pengembangan Subway Bali Masuk Tahap Penunjukan Mitra Strategis dan Pemimpin Konsorsium Investor published at baliprov.go.id/web/. Translation by Google Translate.]

The Bali Beach Tram is a proposed tramway along the Bali beachfront. The tram would connect Ngurah Rai International Airport to Kuta, Legian, and Seminyak beaches (collectively known as Semigita Beach).

Another proposed alignment is for the tram to connect to the Bali LRT at Kuta Station, and the tram would take passengers to beachfront destinations.

Stage 2 of the project would extend the line along the coast from Seminyak to Canggu.

Bali Beach Tram maps

[Semigita Beach Tram Line Plan (view full size).]

Stage 1: Ngurah Rai – Seminyak
S1: Ngurah Rai
S2: Pasar Kuta (Tsunami Shelter 1)
S3: Beachwalk
S4: Pullman (Tsunami Shelter 2)
S5: Double Six (Tsunami Shelter 3)

Stage 2: Seminyak – Canggu
S6: Seminyak beach
S7: Petitenget Beach
S8: Fins Beach Club
S9: Batu Bolong beach
S10: La Risa Bali

Here is a Google Map showing the approximate route of the beach tram. It isn’t known how the tram will connect to the airport and LRT, so the map shows the main identifiable landmarks of the tsunami shelters. The map doesn’t include Stage 2.

[Map of Bali Rail Transit.]

Images

[Semigita Beach Tram Line Plan.]

[Beach tram scenes.]

[Bali Beach Tram.]

[Tram station.]

[Tram at Double Six.]

[Tram at Double Six Tsunami Shelter 3.]

[Image of tram on beach promenade.]

Links and resources

Read more about Bali railways on the Bali Railways Masterplan page.

News Archive

2024

Bali Airport Tram Network Could Be Built Alongside Train System – [23/06/24]
“The Badung Regency Government has confirmed plans to develop a public transportation system by designing the construction of a tram line that appears to be set to run alongside the Bali Urban Rail Network, which is set to have construction start in the coming months.”

2023

Bali’s ambitious plan: a tramline to connect popular tourist beaches – [17/10/23]
“The proposed tram line aims to connect Bali Airport with the Samigita Beaches, a stretch of coastline that spans from Kuta to the beaches in the resort town of Legian. The Regent of Badung, I Nyoman Giri Prasta, has stated that the tram project is under review and has reached the technical assessment phase. The tram line will be established as an investment by PT Industri Kereta Api (INKA), a state-owned enterprise, with the Badung Regency Government providing the land.”

Bali plans to build a tramline connecting popular tourist beaches – [16/10/23]

This page is an archive all railway proposals in Bali, including news report and maps.

The island of Bali in Indonesia has had several railway proposals over the years. The most recent proposals is for a light rail transit from the airport to Kuta, and for a beach tram.

A plan for a Bali railway was announced in 2011 when the Ministry of Transportation presented a proposed map of a Bali railway system totalling 560 kilometres. The original plan had a circular railway around the island, as well as railways into the interior.

The railway plan resurfaced with the proposed North Bali Airport, which would be built on a man-made island in the sea at Kubutambahan (about 18km east of Singaraja). It’s a slow journey to get from the north coast to the southern beaches, so a railway was included in the plan as a way to entice flyers to use the new northern airport.

In 2021 a light rail was proposed from the airport to Kuta and Seminyak. A second phase would extend the line to Canggu and Mengwi.

In addition to the light rail, a tramway has been proposed to run along the beach in Kuta. The majority of visitors to Bali are staying in this area, so a light rail and tram system from the airport has been proposed as a way to ease traffic congestion on the island.

Bali has a population of over 4 million people, and most of the population is around Denpasar and the southern beaches. There has never been a railway on Bali, so this would be the first if it’s built.

Proposed railways

Bali LRT

Bali LRT: The proposed railway connecting the airport to Kuta, Seminyak, Canggu, and Mengwi.

Bali Tram

Bali Beach Tram: A tramway connecting the airport to Kuta, Legian, and Seminyak.

Links and resources

News: skyscrapercity.com – News and discussion on proposed railways in Bali.

Maps

[Bali Railway Masterplan (view full size).]

This map shows places mentioned as stops on two proposed lines. There is no official route or stations yet, so this map is just to give a general overview of where the lines might go.

[Map of proposed urban rail transit lines in Bali.]

Bali Railway Concept Map
I made a concept map showing every proposal made over the years, plus some additional lines I would add. Most of the lines here have been proposed without explaining how they would actually work, so I have just drawn the lines for illustration purposes only.

News Archive

2022

Minister Of PPN and Governor of Bali discuss LRT development acceleration – [01/11/22]
“We agree with this LRT model with underground lines or tunnels for routes where there really are no more options, such as BRT or trams.”

Bali plans electric train connecting Ngurah Rai Airport to Seminyak – [07/09/22]

Bali’s first electric train to serve airport-Seminyak line: official – [06/09/22]
“There is another route that is still being studied, which travels from the airport to Denpasar city, Renon, Sanur, and Benoa, via Central Parkir (parking area), and then back to the airport.”

2021

Governor Koster and Deputy Minister of South Korea discuss railway project plans in Bali – [16/11/21]

Bali expects to begin electric train construction by 2023 – [27/10/21]
“Despite needing massive investments, Samsi admitted that several potential investors were interested in supporting this project. “We have several potential investors but we haven’t determined the best type of railway and technology for this train, as the amount of investments needed depends on what technology we will use. The technology could be underground, directly on the ground like regular railways, or perhaps above the road. But so far, the regular railway system appears to be our cheapest option.” Samsi concluded.”

Indonesia, South Korea explore cooperation in transport infrastructure – [14/06/21]
“Indonesian Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi met with the South Korean Ambassador to Indonesia, Tae Sung Park, on Monday to discuss cooperation in the construction of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) infrastructure in Bali.”

The project of battery based electric tram in Bali will start in 2022 – [16/02/21]
“The development of an electric vehicle-based transportation system is planned to cover the areas of Kuta, Sanur, Ubud, and the Bali Gunaksa Cultural Center Area.”

2020

New Bali railway system to fuel economy and tourism – [02/12/20]
“The Central Government has confirmed plans to build a railway line from Badung to Buleleng to optimize economic growth.”

China trains in Bali, check out the routes – [02/10/20]
“…the train is capable of operating without a rail or called Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit (ART) and it will connect Ngurah Rai International Airport to the Sanur area.”

Rail system for the island of Bali – [17/08/20]
“The Director-General of Rail Transport at the Ministry of Transportation, Zulfikri, speaking at a webinar on Tuesday, 11 August 2020, on the planned rail system for Bali, said: “The rail system is still in our planning. We are in the phase of creating a design and a plan. The system would connect Bali’s south with its north.””

Stuck in Bali traffic? Airport to get LRT access to reduce congestion – [22/01/20]
“The LRT will span 4.78 kilometers with four stations between a would-be satellite terminal in Kuta, Bali’s tourist epicenter, and the airport, Nindya Karya acting president director Haedar A. Karim, said.”

2019

Choo-Choo!: Train travel for tourists on track as Bali gov’t seeks to develop island’s infrastructure – [27/05/19]
“Wayan said the first step to improving transportation on the island would entail developing a railway network from the airport to several tourist areas.”

Bali governor moving ahead with plans for rail system as part of overall island access plan – [May 2019]
“While plans are to build a system that encircles the entire island, Koster says the first priority is to build a link between Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport – Mengwitani – Singaraja that will start to be built in 2020”

All aboard! Is an electric rail network in Bali feasible? – [22/03/19]

2018

Bali governor pushes island rail system to replace discontinued public buses – [18/10/18]

2017

Indonesia’s national rail network aims for more growth, less inequality – [04/09/17]
“The network will also include a separate circle line around Bali to offer better access to untapped parts of the resort island where new tourism developments can be built.”

Indonesia offers Bali railway project to China – [15/06/17]
“Luhut said the railway would connect Denpasar to Ubud in Gianyar regency and Singaraja in Buleleng regency. It is expected that tourists will use the railway to travel from densely populated Denpasar to the two regencies.”

North Bali’s new international airport almost ready to go – [14/04/17]
“The airport will also be equipped with an aero city and a marina, as well as passenger trains to transport them in and out of the airport.”

2015

Ocean airport plan making waves in Bali – [26/05/15]
“The location is approximately 70km north of the existing Ngurah Rai International Airport at Denpasar, and the new airport is likely to be connected to the island’s southern resort areas by road and rail links.”

2013

China Railway interested in building monorail in Bali – [22/03/13]
“China Railway Corporation, the national railway operator in China, has conveyed its excitement to invest in the construction of a monorail connecting all regencies in Bali, officials have said.”

2011

Bali railway on track for 2014 – [11/04/11]
“A proposed railway line circuiting the Bali coast and intended to help relieve the island’s chronic traffic congestion may be operational by 2014, a government minister has claimed. Culture and Tourism Minister Jero Wacik said he hoped around half of the planned 560-kilometre line would be completed by the end of the current government’s term in 2014.”

National Railroad Master Plan – [March 2011]
Report from the Ministry of Transportation showing a proposed map of a Bali railway system.

[View large size.]

Chairman of the Regional Representative Council (DPD) of the Republic of Indonesia AA La Nyalla Mahmud Mattalitti said he would propose to President Jokowi that the construction of the North Bali International Airport be included again in the National Strategic Project (PSN).

As is known, the North Bali Airport construction plan has been crossed out from the PSN list.

“We in DPD RI, through Committee II and DPD RI members from the Electoral District of Bali Province, will fight for the airport development plan to be included in the PSN list again. So that the Ministry of Transportation can immediately follow up technically,” he said, Monday (19 /6/2023) during a visit to Buleleng, Bali.

La Nyalla believes that the construction of the airport which is planned to be built on the sea can advance the Balinese economy, especially in Buleleng.

“I am sure that the construction of the North Bali International Airport will be a lever for increasing the growth of new economic centers, which will eventually become a way out for increasing the welfare of the people of North Bali,” he said.

“So that in the end it will be able to overcome the economic imbalance between North Bali and South Bali,” he added. He said, from the data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) the most poor people in Bali Province were dominated by Karangasem Regency and Buleleng Regency.

Therefore, according to him, the construction of the North Bali International Airport is not a lighthouse project.

“But it will actually be an economic lever in Buleleng Regency in particular, and the North Bali region in general,” he said. Airport construction will be fully built on the beach or off shore airport. So that it could be the third airport to be built on a beach in Asia after Japan and China.

[Original article La Nyalla Janji Usulkan ke Jokowi agar Pembangunan Bandara Bali Utara Kembali Masuk PSN by denpasar.kompas.com. Translation by Google Translate.]

To visualise what a Bali rail system would look like, I present this Bali railway concept map.

[View and download the full-size map.]

This is a concept map of a Bali railway system, including an island circle line, a high-speed railway to Java, and an urban rail transit system in South Bali.

This map is made up of previous proposals along with recommendations of my own. I have separated long-distance railways from metro railways, with news links for each proposal listed below.

Regional and National Railway

This section covers the provincial and national railway services.

Bali Line

The Bali Line is a circular railway around the island of Bali. The route is modelled from the map of the National Railroad Master Plan of 2011 by the Ministry of Transportation. The railway shown in this report shows a line that goes three-quarters of the way around the island. Another report from 2011 mentions that it would be a full-circle line.

[View large size.]

The 2017 plan for a national railway network includes a circle line around Bali. This plan as envisioned by President Joko Widodo closes the gap of the original map to form a full circle.

This line would enable a station at either of the proposed locations of the second Bali airport. The airport was initially going to be built in Kubutambahan on an artificial island. The location was then moved to Gerokgak before the project was put on hold indefinitely.

The Bali Line incorporates lines that were proposed to meet the second Bali airport when it was going to be at Kubutambahan.

Jakarta-Bali HSR

With a line already established from Denpasar to Gilimanuk, this can form part of a railway from Bali to Java. This would of course require a Bali-Java Bridge, which has been proposed before. In the unlikely event of the bridge being built, it would need space reserved for a railway line.

There is a high-speed railway that is being built from Jakarta to Bandung, and there is talk of extending it to Surabaya. It would then be a matter of connecting to that line to form a Bali-Jakarta high-speed railway.

The problem with this is that the Jakarta-Bandung HSR is a 350km/h railway, which is more expensive to build than a semi-high-speed railway. The circle railway would need to be built to accommodate the Java high-speed rail. Alternatively, passengers can transfer at Surabaya for the high-speed service.

South Bali Metropolitan Railway

The railways in this section are urban transit railways, including metro, light rail and tram systems.

Line 1 (Seminyak Line)

Line 1 (or Seminyak Line as I would call it) is one of two lines that was being studied in 2022. The first line is a train from Ngurah Rai Airport to Seminyak.

The announcements are light on details, such as the route and what kind of railway it is. A report from November 2022 states that the LRT model with underground lines or tunnels is preferable. On this map, I’ve made it an underground line that follows the route of Legian Road.

[A consultant was probably paid to report that you can’t put a light rail down Legian Road.]

There was another report in 2021 where the Indonesian Transportation Minister met with the South Korean Ambassador to Indonesia to discuss the construction of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) in Bali.

The Ngurah Rai Airport – Seminyak LRT would be 9.46-km in length. The first section would go from the Airport to Central Park Station (5.3-km), and the second section from Central Park to Seminyak Station (4.16-km).

A second phase was also proposed to extend the line from Seminyak to Mengwitani. This would extend the line to the Mengwi Bus Terminal. I have drawn this on the map, but instead of routing the line straight to the Mengwi Bus Terminal, the line is diverted to join the Circle Line. This extension would then put Kerobokan on the transit map.

Line 2 (Denpasar Loop)

Line 2 (or Denpasar Loop as I would call it) is the second proposed line along with the Seminyak Line. A news report mentioned that it would go “from the airport to Denpasar city, Renon, Sanur, and Benoa, via Central Parkir (parking area), and then back to the airport.”

I found a map that shows a possible route for this line, which forms the basis of the route on the concept map.

[Loopline Denpasar and Badung (via SkyscraperCity).]

The news report says that this line goes to the airport, but I have used the loop model shown on this map instead.

Line 1 and 2 (as they are called here) are the two lines under consideration, so I have made a separate map with the limited information available.

[View full size.]

Line 3 (Ubud to Tanah Lot)

It was reported in 2017 that Indonesia offered a Bali railway project to Chinese investors. This included a line from Denpasar to Ubud and Singaraja.

I don’t know how you would build a railway to Ubud, but this is a concept map that visualises proposed lines, so I leave it up to the proposers to provide more details.

As for the Singaraja proposal, there was another proposal that mentioned that it goes via Mengwitani and Bedugul. On this map, I have left it out as Singaraja is connected via the Circle Line. I might add that in Version 2 of this map.

Line 3 is where I have taken the most liberties in drawing this map. Instead of ending the Ubud line in Denpasar (which in itself is a vaguely large area), I’ve extended it west to Tanah Lot. This line will travel along Sunset Road, which is one of the few roads where an aboveground railway could comfortably be built.

[A skytrain on Sunset Road?]

The line would form a junction with Line 1 (Seminyak Junction) and then travel through the rapidly expanding urban area that is marching up the coastline of Kuta Utara. This would connect hotspots of Umalas and Canggu, an area that is overloaded with traffic. The line would mean you could get a train from Canggu to Ubud, or change at Seminyak Junction to get the train to the airport.

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A post shared by The Canggu Pole (@thecanggupole)

This line would provide a connection to one of the most popular tourist destinations in Bali. With the metro extended to Tanah Lot, it would be possible to ban tour buses from travelling there.

Line 4

Line 4 connects Denpasar Central (the mainline train station) to other points in Denpasar and Kuta. There was a proposed railway to the Bukit Peninsula shown on the original transport department map from 2011, but that went from the airport to Nusa Dua.

On my map, I have sent the railway south of the airport to the Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park. From there it would pass through Ungasan and Pecatu to Uluwatu.

Beach Tram

Even though this is a fantasy railway map of Bali, I would never have placed a beach tram on the map. The Beach Tram is a real proposal, so it earns a place on this map.

I found these images of a beach tram at the entrance to Double Six Beach. The images show a tram on the actual beach. For a tram to work it would need to be on the road next to the beach, which is already congested and the only access point for beachside properties.

[Beach Tram images at Double Six Beach.]

I’ve placed it on the map to start at Kuta Station, where it will interchange with three other lines and making Kuta a major transit hub. Like I have said before, I don’t know where they will find the room for this unless there is a budding Haussmann in the government who has authority to acquire the land to do this.

Map notes and disclaimers

The map is designed in “subway style” using straight lines and 45-degree angles. The map isn’t to scale and the stations aren’t in geographical positions. Without details provided of stations, I have added stations for illustration purposes only.

I used a Google Map to plot the route, which shows how difficult building an urban railway would be.

[Map of Bali Concept Railway.]

The Bali Railway Concept Map is by James Clark of Future Southeast Asia. The article is free to publish with a link back to this site. Cantact me for media enquiries, or leave a comment below.

Graphic design by mapsbyaisha.com.

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The Bali Strait Bridge is a proposed road and railway bridge between Java and Bali in Indonesia.

The earliest proposal goes back to 1960, with the Tri Nusa Bimasakti plan to link the islands of Sumatra, Java and Bali.

The Bali Strait is 2.4 km wide at the narrowest point. By comparison, the longest bridge in Indonesia is the Suramadu Bridge (5.4 km), while the proposed Sunda Strait Bridge linking Sumatra and Java would have been 27 km.

Various government officials have proposed a Java-Bali Bridge over the years, but there has not been any serious consideration for the bridge, especially from the Balinese side.

Links and Resources

Bali Straits Crossing
Proposed bridge linking Java and Bali, design commissioned in 1996 by Dr William Brown at Brown Beech & Associates.

Bali Toll Road and Bali Strait Bridge Project & News – News and discussion at SkyscraperCity.

News Archive

2022

1news.my.id/2022/09/03/7-facts-why-bali-strait-bridge-cant-be-built/
7 facts why Bali Strait Bridge can’t be built – [03/09/22]
“4. Hindu Mythology The history of Bali says that the island of Bali and Java must be separated.”

2020

No plans to extend trans-Java toll road to Bali yet, official says – [25/06/20]
“With the Bali strait separating Java and Bali islands, Basuki’s comment unleashed speculations that a toll road built over water will be constructed. However, head of Bali Transportation Agency Wayan Samsi Gunarta said that there are no such plans yet.”

Re-emerging issue of Bali Strait connecting bridge
“After received harsh critiques in 2016, once more, a rumor about the construction of a bridge between Java island and Bali island has been sparking wildly since January 2020. Previously, Banyuwangi Regent Azwar anaz proposed a plan to build a connecting bridge to reduce vehicle queues in ketapang harbor.”

2016

Bridge connecting Java and Bali? Banyuwangi makes proposal, Bali resists – [18/03/16]
“The Bali government is not on board with a recent proposal from the regent of Banyuwangi, East Java that a bridge be built through the Bali Strait, connecting Bali and Java.”