Indonesian president test drives Southeast Asia's 1st high-speed train

By Alperen Aktas

ISTANBUL (AA) - Indonesian President Joko Widodo participated Wednesday in a test drive of the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Train, according to state-run Antara News.

Widodo took part in the trial run of the first high-speed train in Southeast Asia and rode for about 25 minutes from Halim KCBJ Station in eastern Jakarta to Padalarang Station in Bandung.

Widodo wrote on X that he felt comfortable during his journey and while walking inside the train.

He emphasized that the estimated annual cost of traffic congestion to the economy is $6.5 billion and invited people to use trains, subways, and buses instead of cars which is important to reduce air pollution.

The project was launched in partnership with China under the Belt and Road Initiative.

The high-speed train, which is mostly funded by China and has a cost of approximately $7.3 billion, will connect the capital Jakarta to the city of Bandung.

Train services are expected to begin Oct. 1 and reduce the three-hour journey to approximately 40 minutes, with a speed of 350 kilometers (217 miles) per hour on the 142-kilometer 988-mile) railway.

Construction, which began in 2015, is financed by a 75% loan from the China Development Bank.