Ganug Nugroho Adi and Aman Rochman, Surakarta – State-owned railway operator PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) has cancelled additional long-distance trains routes to various destinations in Yogyakarta, Central Java and East Java in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19.
"We are extending the cancellations until after the Idul Fitri holiday [in May]. The operator initially planned to suspend operations only until March 31," KAI operational region (Daop) 6 Yogyakarta spokesperson Eko Budiyanto said on Monday.
KAI closed six routes connecting Yogyakarta and Jakarta; two routes connecting Surakarta, Central Java, and Bandung, West Java; and one route connecting Yogyakarta and Surabaya, East Java, from March 26 until mid-June.
The trains affected by the policy are KA Taksaka Pagi, KA Taksaka Malam, KA Bogowonto, KA Gajah Wong and KA Fajar Utama connecting Jakarta and Yogyakarta; KA Lodaya Pagi and KA Lodaya Malam (Surakarta-Bandung); KA Senja Utama (Jakarta-Surakarta) and KA Sancaka (Yogyakarta-Surabaya).
KAI Daop 8 Surabaya spokesperson Suprapto said 18 train routes to East Java had also been cancelled in April.
Among the affected trains were KA Jayakarta (Surabaya-Jakarta), KA Dharmawangsa Ekspress (Surabaya-Jakarta), KA Malioboro Ekspres (Yogyakarta-Malang), KA Sancaka (Surabaya-Yogyakarta), KA Majapahit (Jakarta-Malang), and KA Ambarawa Ekspres (Surabaya-Semarang).
Suprapto said the demand for train trips had been dropping. The operator recorded only 8,190 passengers on Sunday, compared to more than 40,000 passengers on March 1. About 44,000 passengers cancelled their trips between March 1 and 29.
The train operator said it would fully refund all tickets for cancelled trips between March 23 and May 29. Normally, passengers only get 75 percent of the base fare in the case of a refund.
KAI has advised passengers to cancel their tickets online through the KAI Access application or at train stations across the provinces.
Surakarta Balapan station head Suharyanto said PT KAI had also suspended airport train services bound for Adi Soemarmo Airport in Surakarta through April. (nal)