President Prabowo Subianto presented a specially adapted train for farmers and small traders on 4 November 2025 in Jakarta, Indonesia. ANTARA reported his announcement of subsidised passenger fares and carriage of goods without an additional baggage charge. The initial route was identified as Merak–Rangkasbitung in Banten.
Carriage design and initial route
KAI Commuter corporate secretary Karina Amanda’s earlier statement, reported by iNews on 1 November, describes an economy-class K3 carriage attached to existing Merak commuter services. Its 73 seats run along the sides, leaving space for merchandise in front of passengers. Wider doors are intended to simplify moving goods into and out of the carriage.
- Initial operating corridor: Merak–Rangkasbitung and return.
- Announced service programme: fourteen trips daily.
- Carriage layout: 73 side-facing seats and wider entrances.
The operator’s statement envisages stopping at stations along the corridor and serving farming and trading communities around Serang, Lebak and Pandeglang.
The presidential inspection
The presidential office’s 4 November inspection account records Prabowo arriving at Manggarai at approximately 11 a.m., inspecting intermodal connections and speaking with passengers. After viewing the farmers’ carriage, he joined passengers on a commuter train to the redeveloped Tanah Abang station. ANTARA reports his statement that the passenger-fare subsidy was 60%, with the goods carried free.
Later clarification of regular operations
An editorial update checked on 6 October 2026 distinguishes that presentation from the operational start. In its 6 February 2026 account, KAI dates regular farmers-and-traders service on Merak–Rangkasbitung to 1 December 2025. The November presentation therefore should not be described as proof that regular operations had already started on that route. The later operator date corrects the chronology while preserving the historical announcement’s publication date.
