Malaysian Tourists Drive Whoosh High-Speed Rail Boom During Year-End Holidays

Jakarta - The Whoosh high-speed train connecting Jakarta to Bandung has become a preferred travel mode for international visitors, with Malaysian tourists leading the surge. PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia China (KCIC) reported that 13,000 international passengers used the service during the 2025/2026 Christmas and New Year (Nataru) travel period, and a dominant 53% of them were from Malaysia. This trend highlights the railway's growing role in boosting regional tourism and connectivity.

From the start of the holiday travel period on December 18, 2025, approximately 7,000 Malaysian travelers boarded the Whoosh train. On a daily basis, between 750 to 1,000 tourists from Malaysia utilized the service to travel from Jakarta to Bandung and onward to various tourist destinations in West Java, taking advantage of the year-end holiday break.

Eva Chairunisa, General Manager Corporate Secretary of KCIC, explained that Malaysian tourists are using their holiday to explore Bandung and nearby natural attractions. "Malaysian tourists are leveraging the year-end holiday to vacation in Bandung, as well as visit a number of natural tourism destinations in West Java such as Lembang, Ciwidey, and various other destinations," Eva stated in an official release on Saturday, December 27, 2025.

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The popularity of Whoosh among Malaysians is not a short-term phenomenon. Cumulative data since the train began operations in 2023 reveals that about 294,000 passengers from Malaysia have used Whoosh. Overall, total international passengers on the service in the same period have reached approximately 394,000, indicating Malaysians constitute a significant majority of its foreign ridership.

The entire Nataru period has seen high demand for the service. Total Whoosh tickets sold reached about 225,000, with daily passenger volume averaging between 22,000 to 24,000. This figure represents a significant 20-30% increase compared to regular days, which typically see 16,000 to 18,000 passengers daily.

Specific daily data underscores the sustained demand. On Friday, December 26, passenger numbers were recorded at around 21,000. By midday on Saturday, December 27, tickets sold had already surpassed 16,000, with KCIC estimating the final number for the day would climb to approximately 22,000 passengers.

In response to the high demand, KCIC is advising the public and tourists to plan their journeys carefully. The company urges early ticket bookings through the official Whoosh application or the ticket.kcic.co.id website to ensure seat availability before arriving at the station. This planning is recommended to guarantee a safe and comfortable travel experience during the busy holiday season.

The significant uptake by Malaysian tourists signals a successful integration of high-speed rail into Indonesia's tourism infrastructure. It facilitates easier access to secondary destinations like Bandung and West Java's highland areas, promising positive economic impacts for local businesses and setting a precedent for future cross-border travel within Southeast Asia.

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Indonesia Tourism Jakarta-Bandung KCIC Malaysian Tourists Whoosh High-speed Train Year-end Travel