Medan Station: The Main Railway Station of Medan

RRI.CO.ID, Medan – Medan Station is a major railway station in Medan, North Sumatra. Located in the city center, the station serves long-distance, regional, and airport trains operated by the state-owned railway company, Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI).

Medan Station officially opened on July 25, 1886, under the Deli Spoorweg Maatschappij (DSM). The Dutch-owned private company operated the railway system in Medan and its surrounding areas to transport passengers and goods, particularly tobacco leaves.

In the 1930s, the station building was remodeled to replace the old structure, which was considered outdated, and to accommodate the rapid development of Medan. The replacement building was completed in 1939.

In 1984, PJKA—the former name of KAI—replaced almost the entire station building with a new structure. One of the features retained was its iconic clock tower, which stands approximately 20 meters tall.

Medan Station is located directly opposite Merdeka Square, a prominent public square in the heart of Medan. The surrounding area includes important landmarks such as the Medan city government complex and the historic Kesawan district, which is known for its colonial-era buildings.

The station originally served as the hub of a railway junction with lines extending in four different directions: north toward Belawan Port, west toward Aceh, east toward Rantauprapat and Pematangsiantar, and south toward Batu and Pancurbatu south of Medan. The southern line is no longer in operation, although there have been recent proposals to reactivate it.

As of August 2026, the station has seven tracks at ground level and two elevated tracks. The ground-level tracks serve long-distance and regional trains, while the elevated tracks serve the Sri Lelawangsa service toward Kuala Bingai, Lubuk Pakam, and Kualanamu International Airport in Deli Serdang Regency, east of Medan.

A locomotive depot serving KAI locomotives is located near the station. Besides the station building stands a monument featuring a steam locomotive manufactured in Germany in 1914.

Medan Station is also connected to the Mebidang BRT service, a two-route bus rapid transit system inaugurated in 2026. Buses stop at the Lapangan Merdeka bus stop, which is located near the station.