Travelling by train in Indonesia
Train travel in Indonesia is an adventure in itself, and usually comes with great views.
You can take a train when travelling between major destinations in Java — like Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Surabaya, Malang Probolinggo (for Mt. Bromo), and Banyuwangi (for Mt. Ijen and those hoping to cross from Java to Bali).
Indonesia has three train classes: executive, business, and economy.
The different train classes
All train classes offer a good level of comfort. Your choice of train class will essentially depend on your budget, preference, and distance of travel.
Apart from the short-distance economy class, all are air-conditioned and have sockets (2-pin Europlug) for charging your electronics.
In most cases, there are big price differences between the three classes. However, prices can vary within the same class even though there is no difference in the type of seat. This is why it’s much better to book online early before the cheaper seats sell out.
One other thing to note: if you’re looking for the fastest train, stay away from trains with only economy-class cabins. Instead, take one attached to business or executive class trains, which make fewer stops, reaching your destination faster. If you’re booking online, you can easily spot them by checking and comparing the travel time.
Economy Class (Ekonomi)
Economy class has five seats per row (two on one side and three on the other). Usually the rows alternately face the front and back so that they face each other. They don’t offer a lot of privacy or legroom, but they often cost half the price of an executive class seat.
We think this class is sufficient for journeys that take three hours or less. But for longer journeys, you might want to consider booking a business or executive class seat.
Non-aircon Economy Class
As the name suggests, these are open-window cabins with fans instead of aircon. Apart from that, everything else is similar to an air-conditioned economy class. Just keep in mind that as the cheapest train option, these are often very crowded.
They’re only available on short journeys, so you shouldn’t have a problem taking one. Also, online booking is not available, so you’ll have to buy your ticket at the train station. Ticket prices shouldn’t be more than 30,000 IDR ($1.80).
Business Class (Bisnis)
There is usually only a few dollars difference between economy and business class. We think it’s worth it for the extra legroom you get. Although it’s worth noting that the seats don’t recline.
Unlike the economy’s 2×3 seating arrangement, there are only four seats per row in the business class and the seats are a bit more comfy. All seats usually face forward. But on some trains, half of the rows face the front, while the other half face the back — meaning the middle seats face each other.
If you’re a budding photographer hoping to capture some good landscape shots along the way, this is the class you’ll want to be in as you can still open the windows in this class.
Business class seats aren’t as common as before. In some Indonesian trains nowadays, you can only find economy and executive seats.
Executive Class (Eksekutif)
The main draw of the executive class is that its seats recline up to 30%. Each seat comes with a small cushion as well as a footrest. There’s an armrest per individual seat too, which makes a big difference if travelling alone.
Like business class, there are four seats per row, two on each side, all are facing forward. There is also the option to turn your seat around, which is useful if travelling with other people. There’s usually a drinks table on the wall and a power socket underneath your chair.
The price difference between the executive and business class is normally not that much, usually just a couple of dollars.
Executive Luxury Class (Eksekutif Luxury)
The executive luxury class comes close to an aeroplane’s business class. Here you’ll be treated to plush solo seats that recline significantly — some all the way to a flatbed. These come with privacy screens, a flat-screen TV, and a blanket. Expect to pay twice the amount of an executive class seat for the same route.
The executive luxury class was only introduced in 2018, so it’s not available on all trains yet. You’ll only be able to find them on some trains operating from Jakarta to Surabaya (Argo Bromo Anggrek and Sembrani) and between Jakarta to Yogyakarta, and Solo (Argo Dwipangga). There is only one executive luxury class on each train, so seats are very limited.
Executive Luxury
With luxurious seats that recline 140 degrees, executive luxury is a tad more comfortable than travelling with executive class. You can also expect a blanket, leg rests and chairs lined up 2×1 instead of 2×2 per row. That means the chairs are more spacious too!
Executive Luxury Sleeper
Much like an airplane’s business class seat, you will find here flatbeds that recline 170 degrees. These come with surround walls, a flatscreen TV, and headphones. Blankets are provided, as well as bottled drinks and a packed meal.
Chairs are placed diagonally facing the window. So you can either lay flat and sleep or sit up and enjoy the view.
Executive Luxury Compartment Suite
If you’re looking for total privacy for your train journey, then this is the train class for you. You get to enjoy a fully enclosed compartment, a flatbed seat that reclines 170 degrees, and a light sleeping bag. Your booking comes with a free meal and drinks, to be served by a hostess.
The compartment suite also comes with complementary lounge access while waiting for your trip. Here, you can get hot drinks, some snacks, and access to a clean toilet (with a shower, if you need one!).
How large are the price differences between each class?
To make it easier for you to decide which train class fits your preference, we’ve made a table of comparison for one of the most common Java routes, Yogyakarta to Surabaya.
Train ticket prices from Yogyakarta to Surabaya
If you’re also wondering whether it’s better to take the bus instead of the train, bus rates for the same route start from 105,000 IDR ($6.20) and travel time is estimated at almost 8 hours. Do note that Java roads are often congested, so the advertised travel time is never guaranteed.
Where to buy the train tickets
There are three ways you can buy a train ticket in Indonesia:
- online via Tiket.Com and Bookaway
- at ticket terminals of Indomaret convenience stores
- at the train station
No matter the method you use, you’ll need every passenger’s name and passport number.
Online Booking via Tiket.com
We highly recommend that you book your train ticket online well before your trip if you want to save money. The prices vary even for different seats within the same class. The cheaper ones, of course, sell out faster, which is why booking online will save you a lot of money.
You can easily book your ticket online via Tiket.com or Bookaway.
Note that there have been some reports of international (non-Indonesian) credit cards not being accepted for payment at Tiket.com. If you’re worried about this happening to you, you can contact their customer service beforehand to assist you with your booking. The problem is usually resolved after a short chat with one of their agents.
Another option when booking online is through BookAway. Its train options are not as extensive as that of Tiket.com. But with BookAway, you’ll never have to worry about your card being rejected. You can also use Paypal or a digital wallet to pay for your ride.
Ticket Terminal at Indomaret Convenience Store
If you’re already in Indonesia and want to book your tickets beforehand without going to the train station, you can still do it online or visit an Indomaret convenience store. It’s a popular brand with close to 17,000 branches in the archipelago. Some branches of Alfamart offer this service too.
Find the touch-screen ticket terminal inside the station and start your booking. Note that they charge about 8,000 IDR ($0.40) per booking.
As far as we know, these ticket terminals are only in Indonesian but don’t worry, we got you. First, lightly press i-tiket, and then Kereta Api. This will lead you to the booking page.
Here are some words you need to know to complete your booking:
- Kereta Api – Train
- Eksekutif/Bisnis/Ekonomi – Executive/Business/Economy (choose which one you prefer)
- Dewasa – Adult (anyone three years old and above)
- Infants – Any passenger under three years old
- HP – Handphone/mobile number. You can leave this blank.
In the case of a page error, chances are your desired train or train class does not have enough seats for the number of passengers. In that case, go back to the previous page and edit that part.
You’ll know your booking was successful once you see the page asking for passenger details. Fill it out and then click continue. The machine should print out a small ticket, which you bring to the cashier and pay for in cash.
Over-the-counter at the train station
You can also buy your train ticket at the station on the day of your trip (or a few days before if you have time to drop by). Again, keep in mind the risk of your desired sea or train class being fully booked if you buy your ticket too late.
At the station, you will usually find a desk with a bunch of ticket order forms. Get one and fill it out. It will ask for the same information you need when booking tickets online or at the convenience store: starting point, destination, travel date, train class, passenger names, and passport number (of all passengers).
Once done, get in line at any window with a sign that says “pemesanan” or ticket booking.
A few more things to note…
- Boarding pass – If you booked your ticket online, at Indomaret, or at the station (three days or more before the travel date), your ticket will probably not be enough to get you on the train. You’ll need an orange boarding pass. You can get them by simply checking in via one of the check-in counters inside the train station. Make sure to do that no less than 10 minutes before departure time.
- Luggage allowance – In principle, each passenger is only allowed 20kg of luggage. But if you’re travelling with a companion or in a group, the luggage allowance is spread out. Say you’re in a group of three, you’re all good as long as your total luggage weight is 60kg or less. They normally just check the weight of large suitcases or huge backpacks.
- Food & drink – You are allowed to bring your own food and drinks on the train. However, it is worth noting that every train has a cafeteria and they serve fairly good local dishes for a low price.
Ela is a storyteller, content producer, solo traveller and a mermaid-in-training. When she’s not in front of her laptop, you will find her barefoot and living her best tan on some island in the Philippines… Or exploring the depths of its seas as a budding freediver. An island girl at heart, she’ll be happy anywhere there is sea, sand, sun and coffee.
