KBRN, Jakarta: The Farmer and Merchant Train service continues to operate normally on the Merak line in Banten Province during the Christmas holiday period. The specialized service runs daily throughout the 2026 Christmas and New Year (Nataru) transport window.

State-owned railway operator PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) Commuter officially launched the dedicated service for local merchants in early December 2025. The train remains vital in supporting the smooth flow of local economic activity in the region.

Karina Amanda, Vice President Corporate Secretary of KAI Commuter, reported that total ridership reached 1,295 passengers from December 18 to 26, 2025. “During this Nataru period, the Farmer and Merchant Train has averaged 130 users per day. This figure is consistent with the daily average recorded before the Christmas holidays,” she said in Jakarta on Saturday, December 27, 2025.

Cikeusal Station has become the busiest stop on the route, largely due to its proximity to the Cikeusal Market. “Data monitoring of user volume, specifically for farmers and merchants during this Nataru period, shows 367 passengers disembarking and 366 boarding at this station,” added Leza Arlan, Public Relations Manager of KAI Commuter.

The operator provides one dedicated carriage across 14 scheduled trips on the Merak Commuter Line. Management recorded 129,448 Merak Commuter Line users over the nine days, a 3 percent increase from the same period last year, which recorded 125,306 passengers.

Passenger volume on the Merak Commuter Line remained high as of Saturday afternoon, with official data recording 15,148 users by 2 p.m. Jakarta time.

“The presence of the Merak Commuter Line and the Farmer and Merchant Train is a tangible manifestation of KAI Group’s support for the local economy, which continues to move during the Christmas holidays,” Karina concluded.

The Farmers-Merchant Train is a special commuter service launched by Indonesia’s state-owned railway operator PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) to support local farmers and traders by providing them with dedicated transport access on the Merak line. (Annaila Azzahra/Lasti Martina)