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 ) and operated by Kereta Cepat Indonesia China (KCIC), with plans of extending the line to Surabaya, the second largest metropolitan area.

The Whoosh is the first high-speed railway in Southeast Asia and the Southern Hemisphere. It covers a distance of with a maximum operating speed of , and design speed of KCIC400AF train of , 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.

History and development Concepts for high-speed rail (HSR) in Indonesia were first seriously contemplated in 2008, leading to discussions at Asian Investment Summit in 2013, and detailed plans being set forth in 2015. The plan to start construction of the Jakarta-Bandung HSR was announced by the Indonesian government in July 2015, after the Chinese President and other world leaders visited the Bandung Conference.T. Washington Institute

Both Japan and China expressed their interest in the high-speed rail projects in Indonesia. Previously, both countries had carried out comprehensive studies into a project for the Jakarta–Bandung section (). Only the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA), had issued a study for a project extending to Surabaya (). The Indonesian HSR bid marked a rivalry between Japan and China in their competition for Asian infrastructure projects.

Japan's proposal

Since 2008, Japan has been working on a plan to export their Shinkansen high-speed railway technology to Indonesia. During the Indonesia-Japan Friendship Festival in November 2008, Japan showcased their Shinkansen technology to Indonesian audiences. The idea of high-speed rail backed by funding through soft loans has been proposed by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for the Indonesian island of Java, linking up the densely populated corridor from the capital Jakarta to Surabaya (). The island, similar in many respects including terrain and urban density to pre-HSR Honshu, suffered greatly from both freight and passenger congestion.

The idea had been around for some years. However, a new proposal to divide the project into stages emerged, with the first stage being built from Jakarta to Bandung. The conventional travel time of 3 hours would be reduced to 35 minutes at a price of 78 trillion rupiah. JICA finished the detailed feasibility study in 2014. This succeeded an initial study in 2012. By 2013 Indonesia had been undergoing a revival in railway expansion and upgrades. High-speed corridors had been proposed but not implemented.

Japanese domination in the high-speed rail project appeared to be unchallenged until April 2015, when China made a counter-offer.

In March 2015, Indonesian president Joko Widodo travelled to Tokyo and Beijing. In Tokyo, from 22 to 25 March, Joko Widodo met then-Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Widodo obtained a commitment for Japanese loan support for improving Jakarta's municipal rail network, but no progress was made on resolving issues with the Jakarta–Bandung high-speed rail project.

China's proposal

On 26 March 2015, Joko Widodo visited Beijing and met China's leader Xi Jinping. Xi publicly announced support for the Indonesian high-speed project and the two governments signed a memorandum specifying China's interest in the Jakarta–Bandung line. In April 2015, China submitted a bid for the Indonesian high-speed rail project, much to Japan's dismay.

In July 2015, the Indonesian government released its plan to build the high-speed rail connecting Jakarta and Bandung, and arranged a contest between Japanese and Chinese train-makers as potential bidders. China responded by launching the Chinese High-speed Rail Technology Exposition in Senayan City shopping mall in Jakarta in August 2015.

Both China and Japan have engaged in fierce competition through intense lobbying for the contract. Some, including the Jakarta Post's Craig Oehlers, have said that the fundamental reason for the two countries' competition is geostrategy, rather than economics.

Short cancellation and resumption President Joko Widodo was expected to announce the winning bid of Indonesia's first high-speed rail project in early September 2015. However, on 3 September 2015, the Indonesian government announced that it had cancelled the high-speed rail project, and was now favouring the slower and cheaper rail alternative.

In mid-September 2015, China announced it would fully meet the Indonesian government's demands and offered a new proposal that did not require Indonesia to assume any fiscal burden or debt guarantee in proceeding with the project. Later that month, Indonesia selected China for the $5 billion project. Indonesia awarded the contract to China. Some analysts speculated that Beijing had outmaneuvered Tokyo on the bid as a result of a competitive financing package for Indonesia.

Japan's response Japan's then-Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga called the Indonesian move "difficult to understand" and "extremely regrettable". The situation "can only be described as extremely deplorable," Suga also said. Indonesia's State-Owned Enterprises Minister Rini Soemarno confirmed the Chinese bid was picked instead of the Japanese plan because of its relaxed financing.

China supplemented its bid by committing to establish a joint venture with Indonesian firms to produce rolling stock for high-speed rail, electric rail, light rail systems, not only for Indonesia but also for export to other Asian countries; to transfer related technology; and to renovate and rebuild train stations.

Development and construction

In January 2016, the Indonesian transportation minister released a route permitKeputusan Menteri Perhubungan Nomor KP. 25 Tahun 2016 tentang Penetapan Trase Jalur Kereta Api Cepat antara Jakarta dan Bandung Lintas Halim-Tegalluar. for a high-speed railway between Jakarta and Bandung (142.8 kilometres) with stations located at Halim (Jakarta end), Karawang, Padalarang, and Tegalluar (Bandung end) with a Tegalluar depot. of the track would be at ground level, would be elevated, and would be underground. The concession period, the period during which only the KCIC can operate the line, is 50 years from 31 May 2019 and cannot be prolonged, except in a force majeure situation. Ground was broken on the project on 21 January 2016 and was expected to be completed in September 2023. The HSR is governed by the KCIC, an organization composed 60 percent by an Indonesian consortium, and 40 percent by China Railway International. The Jakarta–Bandung high-speed rail was planned to begin its operations in 2019.

In October 2016, the Indonesian government announced its intention to build a medium-high speed railway between Jakarta and Surabaya, and invited Japan to participate in this project. However, almost seven years later, in July 2023 the project was cancelled due to the lack of progress. Subsequently, President Joko Widodo removed the Jakarta-Surabaya semi-high speed train from the national strategic project (PSN) towards the end of his term in 2024.

On 18 December 2022, a maintenance train derailed in Padalarang, West Java, after overshooting an unfinished track, killing two Chinese workers and four others.

In 2023, the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Rail construction partially finished and was set to start commercial operation starting October 2023. The Jakarta-Bandung HSR began trial operation with passengers on 7 September 2023, and commercial operations on 2 October 2023.

Controversies

In April 2016, five Chinese high-speed rail project workers were arrested at Halim Perdanakusuma Airbase. This incident highlighted the refusal of the Indonesian Air Force to give up lands belonging to the airbase in East Jakarta. It was reported that one of the railway stations would be located on land currently within the base.

Ignasius Jonan who was the minister of transportation when the high-speed rail project was first started initially rejected when the project was turnover from Japan to China due to high operational cost and others high expanses from China site. However Jonan was relieved from his position as minister of transportation just before the high-speed rail project started, many believes he was actually relieved from his position as transportation minister due to his disagreement for turning the high-speed rail project from Japan to China.

In February 2018, Onan Hiroshi, a Japanese cartoonist, described Indonesian President Joko Widodo as a "High-speed rail beggar" pointing out Indonesia's request for Japan's assistance in completing the project. The cartoon quickly drew protest from Indonesian internet users, and by 25 February, the cartoonist tweeted an apology, removed the drawings, and closed the page.

In October 2025, then-newly appointed Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa announced his strong opposition to using the national state revenue and expenditure budget to cover the debt owed to China for the Indonesia-China high-speed rail project. Purbaya stated that the Indonesia-China high-speed rail project has been too complicated ever since its inception. The operational costs and the debt that must be repaid for the project are unbalanced, as the income from the high-speed rail is only around 1 trillion rupiah per year, while the debt owed to China is approximately 2 trillion rupiah annually.

Jakarta–Bandung

Infrastructure 11% of the railway consists of tunnel sections spanned over 13 tunnels, while 38% is set on viaducts. Tunnel 6, the longest tunnel, has a length of 4,478 meters on the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed rail. Halim railway station, the largest station on the railway, is situated in Makasar in East Jakarta and consists of three platforms with six track lines; it is connected with LRT Jabodebek. The station has a total area of 78,315 square metres.

The railway is built on a double track and electrified, suitable for 350 km/h (220 mph).

Stations

There are four stations on the line. One of them, Karawang, was officially opened on 24 December 2024.

+ Station Transfers Station distance Travel distanceLocation Halim - 0 km East Jakarta Jakarta Karawang Shuttle buses to The Grand Outlet and Summarecon Villagio Outlets 41.17 km 41.17 km Karawang RegencyWest Java Padalarang 55.55 km 97.22 km West Bandung Regency Tegalluar Summarecon DAMRI and Bigbird shuttle buses(with further transfer to at Gedebage station) 45.58 km 142.80 km Bandung Regency

Rolling stock The Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Rail will use 11 trainsets of the derivative of CR400AF called KCIC400AF. There is also one comprehensive inspection train which is also a derivative of CR400AF called KCIC400AF-CIT. All trains are manufactured by CRRC Qingdao Sifang.