Immediately after arriving from the KA Sibinuang B6 from Padang at 3.37pm, I needed to get on the KA Sibinuang B7 from Pariaman Railway Station back to Padang at 4.20pm as it was the last train of the day. The KA Sibinuang plies the Padang – Pariaman route just 4 times a day in each direction.
When I got to the ticket counter at Pariaman Railway Station just after arriving, tickets for the KA Sibinuang B7 were already all sold out.
However, I heard a small commotion at the station entrance and realised that there was a lady selling tickets for the train to Padang. It somehow costed Rp. 5,000 as usual, which was a bit strange to me since I thought she might have wanted to jack up the price now that tickets were sold out.
Nevertheless, I got a ticket for myself from her, not asking too many questions, and went on my way through the check-in at the entrance to the platform.
As Pariaman Railway Station does not have a barcode scanner, tickets are stamped in.
The crowd at the waiting area before boarding the train. Most passengers here are in tour groups.
With the loco now run around to the Padang side, the KA Sibinuang B7 train is formed.
Boarding chaos at Pariaman Railway Station.
Tickets are checked again by the entrance door to each coach to verify the seat and ticket of each passengers again.
After finding that my seat was taken by another group and that most passengers didn’t seem to care about seat numbers, I decided to just find a window by the borders to stand for the trip.
Here’s the situation at the borders before departure.
Departing from Pariaman Railway Station.
With a personal window by the door now, I can get more scenery shots for this KA Sibinuang journey back to Padang.
The situation inside the coach.
While both Padang and Pariaman are by the seaside, the railway takes an inland route.
Arrived at Kuraitaji Railway Station. My door remained closed as it was getting impossible to open the door with the passenger sitting and standing here.
With passengers filling up on the train, the crowd spilled out onto the borders and now has standing room only.
The scenery on the way to Pauhkambar.
Arrived at Pauhkambar Railway Station. More passengers boarded as well, but they were directed to Coaches 1 and 4 where there’s slightly more room for them. Again, my door remained locked.
The scenery on the way to Lubuk Alung.
Approaching the junction to Kayu Tanam.
Locals sprawl out on the track on the Kayu Tanam branch as the last Railbus Lembah Anai of the day had already departed just now.
Approaching Lubuk Alung Railway Station.
There were both alighting and boarding passengers at Lubuk Alung Railway Station, so the crowd remained relatively the same on board.
Departing from Lubuk Alung Railway Station.
Running parallel to the main road of Jl. Raya Padang – Bukittinggi.
The queue of vehicles waiting for the KA Sibinuang B7 to cross.
Crossing over a river towards Duku.
Arriving at Duku Railway Station.
Some passengers disembarked here at Duku Railway Station, but it was not enough to ease the crowded feel on board.
Making a brief stop at Lubuk Buaya Railway Station, with the train stopping on top of the level crossing before the station due to the short platform and long length of the train.
Departing from Lubuk Buaya with the passengers who just alighted from the KA Sibinuang still on the platform as they can’t get off with the train blocking the path to the main road.
Approaching Tabing Railway Station.
The KA Sibinuang B8 to Pariaman was waiting for my KA Sibinuang B7 train at Tabing Railway Station for crossing.
Passengers on my train were not allowed to alight until the KA Sibinuang B8 had departed.
A few more passengers alighted here at Tabing Railway Station.
The station master of Tabing Railway Station giving the all clear to depart.
At Air Tawar Railway Station, most of the passengers alighted.
Air Tawar Railway Station is located adjacent to Basko Grand Mall and where the two main roads in Kota Padang, one by the seaside and one in the inland side, split off. Passengers may also change to the Trans Padang BRT to get into Kota Padang from this station.
Departing from Air Tawar Railway Station.
Crossing over the Kuranji River.
A few more passengers alighted at Alai Railway Station. Seats were finally available in the coach, but I didn’t bother going in as it was just another 10 minutes to the end of the journey.
Approaching Padang Railway Station.
The route map of the KA Sibinuang.
Arrived at Padang Railway Station right on time at 5.58pm.
The end of the passenger line at Padang Railway Station.
The BB303 locomotive decouples from the train to run around the rake.
Goodbye BB303.
Exiting from Padang Railway Station.
Angkots were parked inside the station presumably specially for arriving passengers from the KA Sibinuang, but I didn’t know where they were running to. I got a Grab again to my hotel from here.
Overall, just like the initial journey on the KA Sibinuang B6 from Padang to Pariaman, it wasn’t the most comfortable train ride I’ve been on, standing throughout the 97-minute journey with my face almost on the door (but I’ve been through a lot worse here from Kertosono to Surabaya Gubeng), it definitely offers a unique view of Padang especially seeing how locals interact on board.
The KA Sibinuang train ride should still be one of the things on your list to do for sightseeing in Padang.