With the on time arrival of my AirAsia flight from KL , I had a comfortable 1 hour to clear immigration and catch the Minangkabau Express to the city. Despite being the third airport link in Indonesia, the Minangkabau Express does not charge a premium Railink rate, but rather, just a slightly higher fare than normal for travel on the airport branch line and is treated as an additional limited-stop local train on the main line at regular fares.
As such, the Minangkabau Express makes it one of the cheapest airport rail links in the world at only Rp.10,000 (~S$0.96/~RM2.92) per ticket for airport access.
There seems to be some expansion works to the passenger terminal, but the linkway to the railway station is still open through the construction hoardings.
Entering the construction site to the railway station.
Walking through the former public transport terminal.
Heading up the ramp to the station linkway.
The construction site area just borders the air-conditioned station linkway. Ah, so the non-air-conditioned part of the linkway which looks weird before the construction came about was probably meant to be temporary after all. Great forward planning here by Indonesia.
Commencing ground works probably for an extended passenger terminal building.
Heading into the air-conditioned linkway.
The cool air here is a good respite from Padang’s heat.
The arrival and departure boards showing the early arrival of my flight, and the departed turnaround flight back to KL.
Heading down to the station concourse.
Tickets can be purchased from the central counter.
My ticket for the journey from Minangkabau International Airport to Padang.
The timetable for the Minangkabau Express. Only 5 pairs of trains run daily, so be sure to check the train schedule to make sure it matches your flight.
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Before entering the platform, present your ticket to the counter for a quick check-in.
The train to Padang hasn’t arrived yet.
There is a waiting area just beside the entrance with portable air-conditioners to cool the area.
There is also a rack with power sockets for you to charge your devices while waiting.
However, there is a proper air-conditioned waiting room with a snack stall just beside the platform.
The waiting room has a Musholla or Muslim prayer room attached.
Toilets are also available.
Waiting to spot the arrival of the Minangkabau Express.
The station is designed Minang-style with the spired roof and motifs.
The incoming Minangkabau Express arriving at BIM.
A friendly greeting by the driver with a flash of the headlight.
Padang makes for a good backdrop for photos.
The Minangkabau Express at Minangkabau International Airport Railway Station.
The destination plate of the Minangkabau Express.
Walking back to the platform to board the train.
Padang is 22km away from here.
Boarding the Minangkabau Express to Padang.
The interior of the Minangkabau Express, classified as Komuter Eksekutif.
Luggage racks are available beside the doors.
For a higher capacity and flexibility in operations, handgrips are also installed throughout the length of the train to maximise capacity.
A well-stocked first aid box is also available on board the train.
The very generous legroom on board.
Power sockets are available at every bay of 4 seats.
While the train is at the station, the PT KAI video of It’s a Beautiful Day was played.
View the music video here:
Before departure, the safety video was played.
It was pretty airline-style with similar safety instructions such as not putting your bags on the aisles. This video is also played on other trains in Indonesia with TV screens.
Doors should not be opened while the train is in motion, though it would be impressive if you could do that on the Minangkabau Express.
The evacuation route of a typical coach.
Departing from BIM station.
It doesn’t take more than 30 seconds from departure to venture into rural scenery.
Passing through paddy fields.
Crossing over a river.
Rounding the bend to merge with the mainline at Duku.
Entering Duku station.
Making a brief stop at Duku station.
The northern terminus of the Trans Padang BRT at Lubuk Buaya outside Christine Hakim Idea Park (CHIP).
Angkots are still popular for journeys splitting off from the main road.
Vehicles waiting for my train to cross the road.
An almost-parallel railway crossing.
Looking out to the Indian Ocean.
Making a brief stop at Tabing.
If you are connecting with the Trans Padang BRT, it’s a good idea to stop here rather than to continue down to Padang.
Another almost-parallel railway crossing after Tabing.
What a grand welcome.
Zooming past Air Tawar station.
Surprisingly, this is not a stop for the Minangkabau Express despite its strategic location for Trans Padang BRT and Angkot transfers, Basko Grand Mall and the State University of Padang.
Passing by the Grand Mosque of West Sumatra from a distance.
A new bridge currently being built parallel to the railway track.
Approaching Padang Railway Station.
The line splits off before the station to godown sidings behind the station.
Arriving at Platform 1 with the Sibinuang empty rake on Line 3.
Heading down to the platform.
Arrived at Padang right on time.
The correct stopping point for the Minangkabau Express on Platform 1.
The front view of the Minangkabau Express train set. There is only 1 such set in operation on Divre II.
Glad to be back in Padang.
The locomotive depot and Divre II office in front of the station.
From here, I headed out to get a Grab to my hotel.
The Minangkabau Express service may be limited in services per day, but still offers a quick way to get from the airport to the city if the schedule matches up with your flight. The journey takes about half the time as compared with a taxi or bus, and the fares are more than half of that of a bus too. It’s also interesting that the Minangkabau Express service runs on a single-track railway throughout the line so services are surprisingly efficient even though there are limited slots for the train to run on.