Tanjungkarang Station: Where Dutch-Era Railway Heritage Meets Lampung Culture

RRI.CO.ID, Bandar Lampung – Tanjungkarang Station is a major railway station in Bandar Lampung, Lampung Province. It is the main station serving long-distance passenger trains traveling to South Sumatra, the province directly north of Lampung.

Located 96 meters above sea level, the station stands in the heart of Bandar Lampung, making it convenient for passengers looking to explore the city. It lies on a railway line connecting cities in South Sumatra with Tarahan Station, the terminus for coal trains.

The station takes its name from its location in the Tanjung Karang area when it was built, which later became part of the city of Tanjungkarang-Telukbetung. The city was renamed Bandar Lampung in 1983, but the station retained its original name.

Tanjungkarang Station was inaugurated on August 3, 1914, by Zuid-Sumatra Staatsspoorwegen (ZSS), a division of the Dutch East Indies state railway company Staatsspoorwegen. The station opened alongside the railway line connecting it with Panjang Station, north of Bandar Lampung.

The station's basic architectural design incorporates modernist and Art Deco elements, as seen in many buildings constructed during the late Dutch East Indies period. At the same time, the station combines these styles with elements inspired by Lampung culture, as reflected in the siger ornament on the main building's roof.

The station's front also features an ornament inspired by tapis, a traditional Lampung textile. Tapis is commonly worn or used during wedding ceremonies, receptions for honored guests, and traditional ceremonies in Lampung.

Tanjungkarang Station has five tracks serving both passenger and coal trains. The station is connected to Trans Bandar Lampung, the city's bus system, as well as DAMRI intercity buses serving various destinations.