According to the "Nihon Keizai Shimbun" report, Indonesian National Railways (KAI) is accelerating the upgrading of the commuter trains (KRL) in the capital area.The new trains manufactured by CRRC Sifang and the products of Indonesia's local PT INKA company are gradually replacing the Japanese second-hand trains that have long dominated the market..
About 80% of the trains on Indonesia's Greater Jakarta Commuter Line (Jabodetabek) are second-hand Japanese trains, mainly from Japan National Railways, Tokyu Electric Railway, etc. The trains are generally over 20 years old. The trains still retain Japanese signs such as crew rooms and emergency lights, and fans are installed on the ceilings.
These trains once supported the daily commuting needs of about 1 million passengers in the Jakarta metropolitan area. However, as their service life increases, problems such as frequent breakdowns, rising maintenance costs, and reduced comfort have become increasingly prominent.
In order to cope with the challenges, Indonesia has set its sights on manufacturing in China over the years.
On January 31, 2024, Indonesia Commuter Trains Corporation (KCI) and CRRC Sifang signed the first purchase contract for three electric trains in Beijing;
On June 1, 2025, the first three Chinese-made trains were officially put into operation, becoming the first time in the history of Indonesian railways to use Chinese-made commuter trains;
In November 2025, the second batch of 8 Chinese-made trains arrived in Indonesia, completed testing, and were put into use on busy lines such as Jakarta-Bogor.
Data shows that the new train's capacity is increased by about 30%, noise is reduced by 40%, energy consumption is reduced by 25%, and it can carry about 300,000 more commuters every day.
In addition, KAI has also ordered 12 new trains from Indonesian PT INKA Company. This new train series is produced in cooperation with Chinese technology.
According to the plan,Indonesia will reduce the proportion of Japanese second-hand trains from 80% to less than 50% from 2026 to 2028, and the update will be basically completed by 2030.
