KAI Commuter Line Rangkasbitung from Rangkasbitung to Jakarta Tanah Abang by Train
KAI Commuter Line Rangkasbitung is a trunk commuter railway line from Rangkasbitung to Jakarta Tanah Abang which has been fully electrified and double-tracked since 2017. Heading back to Jakarta after a full day of joyrides to and from Merak, I took KAI Commuter Line Rangkasbitung from Rangkasbitung to Jakarta Tanah Abang, with an immediate transfer from my Lokal Merak 429 from Merak at Rangkasbitung Railway Station.
Rangkasbitung Railway Station
The entrance for KAI Commuter Line Rangkasbitung at Rangkasbitung Railway Station is at the new building on the west.
Tapping into the KAI Commuter Line Rangkasbitung system with my JakLingko card.
Quickly heading down the path back to the main railway station building.
The next departing KAI Commuter Line Rangkasbitung train is at 6.30pm, which was departing in 2 minutes.
Quickly heading to Platform 1.
Quickly boarding the KAI Commuter Line Rangkasbitung KRL train which is about to depart.
Phew, made it.
The KAI Commuter Line Rangkasbitung train was quite empty as I was heading in the wrong peak direction into Jakarta in the evening.
The doors closed immediately as I took my seat. Perfect timing.
As it was night time, and I was quite tired by now, having been up since early morning and chasing trains, buses, and ferries for the whole day, I didn’t take any pictures along the way.
Along the way, the KAI Commuter Line Rangkasbitung stops at Citeras, Maja, Cikoya, Tigaraksa, Tenjo, Daru, Cilejit, Parung Panjang, Cicayur, Cisauk, Serpong, Rawa Buntu, Sudimara, Jurangmangu, Pondok Ranji, Kebayoran, Palmerah, and Tanah Abang.
The KAI Commuter Line Rangkasbitung journey from Rangkasbitung to Jakarta Tanah Abang takes 1 hour and 47 minutes.
My train will form the following train up till Parung Panjang only.
Another train on the opposite platform was also getting ready to depart for Rangkasbitung. This train is in, as I like to call it, ハーフハーフ (Hafu Hafu) livery with the old distinct yellow and red KRL livery on the train’s heads and the new KAI Commuter Line Japan-like livery on the sides. This set is in the mist of being repainted to the full new KAI Commuter Line livery.
Heading up the escalator from the platform on the new connecting bridge on the north end of the platform.
The escalator sign here reminded a bit of a military command in Singapore.
The escalator direction also follow KAI’s direction of travel on the right, though I’m not sure if it’s purely coincidental.
Crossing the new linkbridge over the tracks on the northern end of Jakarta Tanah Abang Railway Station.
Heading down to the new TOD exit at Jakarta Tanah Abang Railway Station on the northern end.
Heading out to the new station building.
Heading out via the fare gates.
Tapping out of the KAI Commuter Line system at Jakarta Tanah Abang Railway Station. The KAI Commuter Line train fare from Rangkasbitung to Jakarta Tanah Abang costs Rp 8.000.
Heading out of the new TOD exit at Jakarta Tanah Abang Railway Station.
The façade of Jakarta Tanah Abang Railway Station North Exit.
Jakarta Tanah Abang Railway Station North Exit is directly connected to Halte Jak Lingko Tanah Abang 2 for TransJakarta non-busway buses and Angkots.
There is also a small park outside with a link to the new pick-up and drop-off points for private vehicles, taxis, and ride hailing services.
Conclusion
The Commuter Line Rangkasbitung now offers quite a frequent service from Rangkasbitung to Jakarta Tanah Abang with about 2 to 3 trains per hour. With the full change to KRL trains, however, passengers now only have 1 choice of train to take along this line, with no option for other classes of seats and speed of trains before the full electrification of the Commuter Line Rangkasbitung.
While travelling along the line is certainly more reliable now with frequent train services, it’s not ideal to be sitting in a high-capacity commuter train sideways for about 2 hours, if you can even get a seat, especially if travelling long-distance from Sumatra with luggage.
Being a high-capacity commuter train, there are much more standing area than seats, and it will certainly not be ideal to be standing for 2 hours, especially if not boarding from Rangkasbitung the moment doors have opened.
I wish that the old locomotive-hauled services like the Lokal Rangkasbitung (Langsam) would return, just for the comfort of being in an Economy Class coach. However, with such frequent KRL trains now, I’m not sure if it’s possible to slot in an express locomotive-hauled train service now to LANGsung SAMpai in comfort.