Whoosh carries 18.2 million passengers in first three years
Operator KCIC says Indonesian staff have handled all operations and maintenance since September 2026, following training with Chinese professionals.
Indonesia’s Whoosh high-speed railway carried 18.2 million passengers between its commercial launch on 17 October 2023 and 16 October 2026, operator KCIC said. The service connects Jakarta and Bandung.
KCIC said the daily timetable had expanded from 14 to 62 journeys. Daily passenger numbers rose from around 9,000 to a peak exceeding 26,000, while monthly ridership now exceeds 500,000. KCIC’s General Manager Corporate Secretary Eva Chairunisa said the railway served routine travel, business and tourism needs.
The operator reported around 1.14 million passengers for October–December 2023, followed by 6.06 million in 2024 and 6.2 million in 2025. It recorded approximately 4.86 million passengers from January to 16 October 2026.
KCIC reported no accidents during the three years, an on-time performance rate of 99.4 per cent and customer satisfaction of 95.95 per cent. Foreign passengers numbered more than 1 million over that period, with Malaysia accounting for around 43 per cent, or 430,000 passengers.
Since September 2026, Indonesian employees have independently handled all operations and maintenance, KCIC said. Chinese professionals had provided training and operational support from 2023, gradually reducing their involvement before completing their assignments and returning to China in August 2026. Indonesian staff now cover driving, operational control, rolling stock and infrastructure maintenance, among other functions.
KCIC said it would seek further passenger growth by improving access to Karawang, Padalarang and Tegalluar Summarecon stations, strengthening connections with other transport modes and expanding partnerships with transport and tourism operators. It also plans to develop loyalty programmes and ticket promotions.
