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PT KERETA Api Indonesia (KAI) recorded an increasingly widespread distribution of foreign tourists using train services. From January to June 2026, the number of foreign passengers reached 308,874, a 2.54% increase compared to the same period the previous year.
This year, the distribution of foreign passenger boarding and disembarkation was even wider. A total of 106,474 passengers, or 34.47%, departed from 222 stations outside the 10 stations with the highest foreign tourist volumes.
This distribution grew faster than the overall growth in KAI’s foreign tourist volume. In the first semester of 2025, stations outside the top 10 served 101,531 passengers. The number increased by 4,943 passengers, or 4.87%, in the first half of 2026. Meanwhile, the share of trips from outside the 10 largest stations increased from 33.71% to 34.47%.
KAI Vice President of Corporate Communications Anne Purba stated that the above data illustrates the growing number of foreign tourist destinations.
“Tourists are starting to use more stations as starting points for their trips. This pattern opens up space for regional cities to showcase their cultural strengths, culinary delights, history, nature, and local life,” Anne said on Monday (07/20), 2026.
This development occurred as foreign tourist visits to Indonesia also recorded an increase. The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) reported that foreign tourist visits in May 2026 reached 1.38 million, a 5.83% increase compared to May 2025.
Globally, UN Tourism recorded a 2 percent increase in international tourist travel in the first quarter of 2026 and projects an increase of around 3–4% throughout the year.
Within the KAI network, the growth in foreign tourist travel has not been uniform. Eleven of the 13 operational areas recorded an increase compared to the first semester of 2025, while two other areas experienced a decrease.
The highest percentage increase was recorded in Regional Division IV Tanjungkarang at 12.76%. Subsequent growth occurred in Operational Area 4 Semarang at 12.38%, Operational Area 5 Purwokerto at 11.46%, and Operational Area 8 Surabaya at 11.42%.
At the station level, Purwokerto served 5,780 foreign tourists in the first semester of 2026, a 20.54% increase from 4,795 customers in the same period last year. Tegal recorded 2,980 customers, a 23.55% increase, while Kiaracondong served 2,018 customers, an 18.08% increase.
Higher percentage increases were seen at stations with a smaller volume base. Garut served 587 foreign tourists, a 41.79% increase. Purwakarta recorded 617 visitors, a 56.20% increase. Bogor Paledang served 1,262 visitors, about three times the 420 visitors in the first half of 2025.
“Station data can help regions understand changes in visitation patterns. This information can be used to prepare onward transportation, destination information, public facilities, and services tailored to tourists’ needs,” explained Anne.
Travel distribution has the potential to expand tourism benefits when stations are well-connected to destinations. Arriving tourists need onward transportation, accommodations, food, guides, information services, craft products, and various cultural and nature-based tourism activities.
Station stations can be gateways to local experiences. Good connectivity will help tourists reach destinations and introduce them to local products and services,” she concluded. [sources/photo special]
