Trans-Sumatra Railway Should Based on Local and Business Needs: Parliament

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia's state-owned railway company, Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI), plans to build a railway connection in Sumatra from Banda Aceh in Aceh's northern tip to Bandar Lampung in Lampung's southern plains, in line with President Prabowo Subianto's directive. This will link three separate railway networks on the island, each in North Sumatra, West Sumatra, and South Sumatra-Lampung province.

Member of the country's House of Representatives (DPR), Rivqy Abdul Halim, said the idea is a grand vision "worthy of appreciation", as it has the potential to strengthen interregional connectivity, lower logistics costs, and boost economic growth in Sumatra. However, he affirmed that its realization must be gradual, based on the real needs of the local and business communities, and must not ignore fundamental issues still facing land transportation in Sumatra.

"We fully support the President's vision to provide integrated rail connectivity from Banda Aceh to Bandar Lampung. However, development should not be solely focused on the length of the track being built," Rivqy said in a statement received in Jakarta on Sunday, June 7, 2026.

"What's more important is ensuring that the existing track functions optimally, is fast, safe, and provides real economic benefits to the community," he said.

Rivqy also highlighted that several train services in Sumatra still face challenges in efficiency and travel speed. In fact, on some routes, including the Lampung-Palembang corridor, he said utilization is not optimal and requires a better capacity and service quality.

"We shouldn't talk about building thousands of kilometers of new tracks while trains on some existing lines are still moving relatively slowly and not being utilized optimally. The Lampung-Palembang or Palembang-Lubuk Linggau corridors, for example, still need strengthening to truly backbone passenger and goods mobility," he stressed.

Furthermore, Rivqy also noted that Sumatra's railway network is still dominated by freight transport, particularly for mining commodities and certain logistics. Therefore, planning for the trans-Sumatra railway must strike a balance between freight transport and passenger service needs.

"Going forward, the Sumatra railway shouldn't be perceived solely as a route for transporting mining or commodities. We want a railway network that also strengthens community mobility, opens up access to the regional economy, supports tourism, and connects new growth centers," he said.

Furthermore, he assessed that the development of the trans-Sumatra rail network must be synergized with other infrastructure development. He noted that the Trans-Sumatra Toll Road construction is an important lesson for the thorough study of rail development.

"We have the Trans-Sumatra toll road, whose construction is still underway, and its utilization in some sections is still not optimal. Therefore, the construction of the Trans-Sumatra railway must be based on truly integrated planning, strong demand projections, and measurable financing capabilities to prevent it from becoming a project that is large on paper but has minimal benefits on the ground," he conveyed.

Rivqy encouraged KAI and the government to develop a clear roadmap, starting with optimizing existing routes, increasing travel speeds, building connecting routes that are most economically urgent, and gradually developing full connectivity between Banda Aceh and Bandar Lampung.

"A grand vision must be met with realistic steps. We want the Trans-Sumatra railway to become a symbol of progress in national transportation, but its success must be measured by the benefits it brings to the public and the business world, not simply by the length of track built," he said.