Jakarta, ThedailyID — PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) will transform Gambir Station into the main gateway for long-distance train services in central Jakarta. The company also plans to develop the area into a modern transport and lifestyle hub integrated with the National Monument (Monas) and public transportation.
KAI President Director Bobby Rasyidin said the company will carry out the project in stages. The plan forms part of Jakarta’s broader public transport development.
However, Bobby stressed that Gambir will not replace Manggarai Station. Instead, each station will serve a different role in the Greater Jakarta rail network.
“Manggarai will remain the main interchange station. Meanwhile, Gambir will serve as the gateway for long-distance trains in central Jakarta and provide direct access to Monas,” Bobby said in a statement on Wednesday, July 8.
He explained that Gambir’s strategic location makes it ideal for the role. The station sits near government offices, business districts, hotels, and Monas.
Therefore, KAI will improve more than train operations. The company also wants to enhance the passenger experience from arrival to departure.
Passengers will benefit from smoother transfers, improved waiting areas, and better access to nearby destinations.
According to Bobby, the project rests on three pillars: mobility, culture, and lifestyle.
Mobility will remain Gambir’s primary function. In addition, KAI will add cultural spaces, commercial areas, customer facilities, and public spaces connected to the Medan Merdeka area.
The master plan also includes direct links to TransJakarta, the MRT, pedestrian pathways, and Monas.
Furthermore, KAI plans to build retail outlets, restaurants, lounges, meeting spaces, a hotel, a rooftop park, and other public facilities.
The design also reserves space for future Commuter Line services. It includes dedicated KRL platforms, a separate concourse, and an intermodal hub on the lower ground level.
“A good station makes travel simple. Passengers should immediately know where to enter, wait, transfer, and continue their journey. That’s what we’re creating at Gambir,” Bobby said.
Meanwhile, KAI also sees the redevelopment as part of Monas area revitalization.
“Monas is one of Indonesia’s most important public spaces. Because Gambir sits beside it, the station should become a welcoming gateway for visitors and commuters,” he said.
Besides improving passenger services, KAI aims to increase non-ticket revenue through commercial development.
Currently, ticket sales contribute about 96 percent of the company’s revenue. Non-farebox businesses account for only 4 percent.
“Rail operations remain our core business. Even so, our station assets must become more productive so the benefits return to passengers and the wider community,” Bobby said.
He added that many KAI assets still have untapped potential. Therefore, the Gambir project will support both transportation services and new economic activity in central Jakarta.
At present, Gambir Station already hosts 132 commercial tenants, including restaurants, coffee shops, convenience stores, retail outlets, lounges, a transit hotel, ATMs, and travel services.
Looking ahead, KAI estimates the expanded development could accommodate hundreds of additional businesses. It could also create between 500 and 1,000 direct and supporting jobs, depending on the project’s final design and construction phases.
Source: CNN Indonesia
