RI learns from China’s rail expertise

The Jakarta Post | World | Tue, October 16 2012, 11:06 AM

Paper Edition | Page: 11

CHINA: Indonesian state-owned railway operator PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) is visiting China to learn about railway management both in the transportation of passengers and goods, director of operations A. Herlianto said on Monday.

“China has a very advanced railway system supported by prime infrastructure and management in moving people and goods,” Herlianto said in a statement made available by the Indonesian Embassy in Beijing.

“Currently, PT KAI is developing railways in Sumatra for both people and goods, especially for coal.”

Herlianto, who met with Chen Juemin, the director general of international cooperation at the Chinese Railway Ministry, added that the delegation wanted to learn more about passenger services, ticketing and pricing.

Unlike Indonesia, which separates the roles of regulator and operator, the Chinese Railway Ministry also operates railways through its 18 bureaus. Trains in China carry 1.8 billion passengers annually with an average movement of 5 million passengers daily, with the figure almost doubling to 9.1 million people per day during holidays. Trains moved 4.1 billion tons of goods in 2011.