Travelling from Jakarta to Bandung by the Parahyangan train

 

Gambir station in Jakarta is the starting point for the Parahyangan-trains, doing the route Jakarta Bandung in an express way. There are 8 trains a day, leaving Gambir on: 05.10, 07.40, 08.25, 10.30, 12.20, 14.35, 17.15 and 20.35.

The tickets are priced 50.000 and for this you get a reserved seat, air-conditioning, a snack and a glass of water.

When I did the trip in June 2007 on a normal weekday, the train arrived too late and so it also departed an half hour too late. You can observe the train coming in and the locomotive is changing his position from head to tail, and then the tail becomes the head of course.

The chairs can be changed so you can look forwards during the trip. The chairs are comfortable though for Westerners the foot-rest is disturbing; it is the obstacle to stretch your legs.

The first half hour the train is going through Jakarta and gives you an interesting insight view in the life of the Jakarta’s inhabitants, close to the rails you can see their humble homes of the have-not’s, and more away you see the big offices and tall buildings of the have’s. The train is going for a while on a higher build track so that gives you a superb view.

 

After two hours the route becomes green and mountainous and the train tempers it’s speed, the view outside is beautiful, such a luxuriant vegetation and then the mysterious atmosphere created by the mist hanging around the top of the mountains.

I arrived in Bandung at 19.05 hours, so one hour later then scheduled.

NB: Other trains which are doing this route are the Argo Gede trains, 6 times a day, a little bit more expensive.

NB: A much faster way, coming from Sukarno-Hatta airport is taking the hourly Primajasa airportbus: it takes you 2 hours and the price is 60.000 rp

 

Peter Moerbeek / june 2007.