Road Trip Jawa Timur Naik Kereta Api Tut Tut Tut | Train to East Java

Actually train is one of my favorite public transportation among all, since it has fix schedule, fix route, and you will not get lost in the middle of the trip. And no macet macet is important especially during high season! It was my first ever trip to East Java, and the longest train trip I ever take in Indo, previously I only take from Jakarta to Bandung. 

Total in 2 weeks I have 7 train trip 2,283 km, 36.5 hours haha, so excited but yet worry about my butt😅 Let’s start to share the experience taking KAI (Kereta Api Indonesia)! 

Start from Jakarta, there are few train station that serve long-distance train : Stasiun Gambir, Stasiun Pasar Senen, Stasiun Jakarta Kota — in simple way mostly Gambir is more expensive trip and Pasar Senen cheaper one, nothing difference in high level, you just need to find your trip begin from which station. 

How to purchase train ticket? 

1. Download app KAI Access, then you can simply buy from the app, its very easy and convenient. Even the app you can use to buy not only long-distance train but also local train and commuter line. 
2. Thru any travel aggregator or 3rd party provider like traveloka, tiket.com, etc 

Personally I will recommend the first one (KAI Access app) unless you have some you have some voucher from the aggregator, why? 

• No need to print the boarding pass on station, you just need to show the boarding pass QR code from the KAI Access app 
• Order food thru the app and they will send to your seat 
• 1 app to purchase many type of train ticket
• Live tracking where are you now and what is the next staion and next stop station

Usually I dont like to download new app but this one works and worth! 

Detail of my train trip

How to depart and when?

Suggest to arrive in the station at least 45 minutes before train depart, the departure time on the ticket is when the train leave the station and some of it leave earlier I don’t know why also, so better arrive earlier and directly enter to the train. If you are on the first station of the trip then the train is already there so you can directly find your seat but if your station is on the middle better to wait on the platform so once the train coming you can directly enter to it, some train only stop few minutes so make sure to get on. 

When enter the gate they will check your boarding pass and ID card (KTP or passport), no need to print the boarding pass if you use KAI Access and show like below picture, but if not then you need to print out the boarding pass on the counter before enter the gate. 

And taraaa now we can use face recognation even no need to show the boarding pass or KTP, you just walk thru the gate and voila so fast! If you havent register face recognation, the staff on the ground will help you and it can use in any station that have this face recognation gate, also I found when in Malang they still use manual checking or because its different gate? Not sure thou. 

Rule inside train

1. No smoking, yeay~ I love it. I thought its new rule by Ignasius Jonan former KAI director who lead lot of changes in KAI to make it until what people love now. Previously, train is not a good public transport option in Indo, lot of people didnt bought ticket and enter it, lot of people didnt sit in their own seat, dirty, and uncomfortable, its such a huge big game changer to see how KAI operate now ❤❤❤
2. Sit on your own seat number, you will see your car & seat number on the ticket 
3. You will get small eco-plastic / paper bag on the seat, its to put your trash and the cleaning staff will walk thru every some time to collect it, dont litter! 
4. Put your luggage upside or in the luggage area (but not all train type have luggage area so if you bring the big suitcase you also need to put it upside) 

Facility inside train 

1. Have toilet, some is basic one some is fancy one but anyway it works and clean, also have tissue & hand soap 
2. Dining car : selling some hot-meal & beverage —- but also the crew will walkthru to sell the food. It’s not that delicious imo but eat-able and the price still reasonable around 40k for nasi goreng, ayam geprek, or you can order pop-mie for 11k —- paymeny by QRIS or cash only but you can order from KAI Access app and pay thru app 
3. Blanket for rent : not sure how much it cost but it have 
4. Entertainment : whole nature view from your window is your entertainment haha 
5. Electricity socket : But most of it is Indo plug so make sure you have the converter 

Facility in station 

1. Drinking water refill in each station, just make sure you bring your own bottle 
2. Porter but its not free, its like pay as you wish service. A bit story of it, the porter didnt get any salary from KAI so they really based on what the customer give, you can have their service if you got more belonging, they will help to carry your belonging to the train and give them cash directly. But I see there is e-porter in the KAI Access also, kerennn!!! The fare is flat 38k thru APP but not sure if each porter already have this access since most of them already senior one. 
3. Minimarket
4. Toilet 

How about the seat? 

Well, I’m not sure how to differentiate the seat type based on the ticket haha I use google to search based on the train name. But here is the seat I got from different type of train. 

1 of 7 : Jakarta PSE - Surabaya Pasar Turi total 11h 30m in this 90 degree seat it has 2 & 3 seat, see the legroom for both side total 4-6 passenger share that tiny space, clean squat toilet with tissue and handsoap, manual door so if arrive at the station and door is closed the passenger inside will help to open

1 of 7 : Full seat and full luggage area upside but cold AC

2 of 7 : What so called economy next gen, so the seat for economy will change like this but still in process not yet all and it has luggage area like MRT one so I didnt put it upside, helpful for lady like me who need effort to put upside haha

3 & 4 of 7 : What can I ask for 8k ticket? Haha. It same one with the 1 of 7 kinda seat

5 of 7 : Still 90 degree seat and full seat, this legroom for 4 of us (me and other 3 stranger)

5 of 7 : No place for luggage so we just put it one side of the aisle

6 of 7 : Better one but its not economy new gen, legroom shorter but better than 90 degree one

7 of 7 : Definition of save the best for the last for me from KAI maybe 😅 The most modern and comfortable one among all the train seat type in the trip. But no luggage storage area so you need to put it upside

And the only universal socket among all train in this trip

Overall, I like how KAI now, thanks to Pak Ignasius Jonan (you may wonder he is the former KAI director who make these changes) and made me want to explore more and more. See you on next post about what I explore on each city!