Not only farmers and local residents felt amazed when the panoramic train passed. Other executive passengers in the back of the train also gathered to see when the train stopped at Cirebon and Purwokerto Stations.
By
WILLY MEDI CHRISTIAN NABABAN
·4 minutes read
WILLY MEDI CHRISTIAN NABABAN
Passengers talk before the panoramic train departs from Gambir Station to Yogyakarta Station, Thursday (29/12/2022).
The view looks like mountains, hills and trees painted on a large canvas. The farther the view, the thicker the misty white clouds are. The fog seemed to reflect the cold atmosphere on the panoramic train with a temperature of 23.9-24.5 degrees Celsius on Thursday afternoon (29/12/2022.
The stunning view of the expanse of rice paddies and vast fields set against the mountains and hills appeared after passing Cirebon Station. Earlier, the train passed the ironic landscape of storefronts of multi-story buildings side by side with densely populated houses on the outskirts of the tracks.
"Finally," said one of the 46 passengers on the panoramic train on the Jakarta-Yogyakarta route, Alfi Rafi (25).
Cool.
Awe arose when passing through the tunnel which was illuminated by two lines of LED lights along the tunnel wall. The echoing roar of the train also drummed to the point of knocking on the eardrums. "Cool," said a number of passengers in unison while taking out their gadgets to capture the moment.
However, the surprise didn't just belong to the passengers on the train. Farmers working in the fields stopped for a moment to see the panoramic train passing by.
Not only farmers and local residents felt amazed when the panoramic train passed. Other executive passengers in the back of the train also gathered to see when the train stopped at Cirebon and Purwokerto Stations.
WILLY MEDI CHRISTIAN NABABAN
An officer refills water for the needs of a panoramic train toilet at Purwokerto Station, Central Java, Thursday (29/12/2022). The panoramic train toilet is much more luxurious than the executive class.
There were those who took pictures with the caption "Panoramic" on them, there were also those who went inside to take pictures.
Since its initial trials in mid-2022, this panoramic train has drawn curiosity. It is similar to the Glacier Express with views of the snow-capped Alps from Andermatt to Zermatt, Switzerland.
In Indonesia, even though it is operated during the rainy season, the panorama is different, although it still manages to enchant passengers with trees, rivers, hills and expanses of agricultural land.
"[The Swiss panoramic train] is one of the inspirations," said the vice president for public relations of PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI), Joni Martinus.
Joni said this train was modified from the Balai Yasa Surabaya Gubeng executive class train. The interior is characterized by a glass roof which can be closed automatically using a remote so that passengers will not feel dazzled when taking an afternoon trip. The side of the train also has 12 glass units that are 2.2 meters long and 1 meter wide.
The seats are not much different from the executive class, but the dining table and footrests are modified to be more comfortable. The toilet is also wider, fresher, is made of ceramic, and has a clean white nuance. Passengers also receive lunch, snacks, mineral water and some medicines, which are included in the fare of Rp 1 million (US$66), which is more or less similar to the fare for a Glacier Express Classic ticket. Originally tickets were sold for Rp 750,000, but they were sold out. Kompas also had difficulty getting tickets because of the high demand.
Are you curious to try the sensation of Switzerland through the land of Java?
"The fare of Rp 1 million to enjoy the scenery while traveling and accommodation is quite worth it," said Alfi, who compared it to executive class facilities.
Currently, panoramic trains are only available on the Jakarta-Yogyakarta-Jakarta route, with the Taksaka train departing at 10.40 a.m. and 11.45 p.m. during the Christmas-New Year period. The evaluation will be carried out after January 8, 2023. There has been talk of replacing it with the Bandung-Surabaya route using the Argo Wilis train to present a more beautiful view.
However, for night trips, it doesn't appear to make much difference. Passenger complaints, namely not finding a beautiful starry sky, are difficult to accommodate. Apart from that, security also needs to be improved So, are you curious to try the sensation of Switzerland through the land of Java?
This article was translated by Hendarsyah Tarmizi.
