Train Rides

Over the holidays we took cars, taxis, motorbikes, buses and trains. We never really went far but did travel around the city somewhat.
I took 2 trains through the holiday.

The first was a mall 'train' where you pay money and sit in a fake train and go around a floor of the mall while your son jumps up and down and has a great time and the other was a trip on a real train from very close to my house into the middle of the city for less than a pound and less hassle than any other form of transport.

The mall train was in Pejaten and Jeremy always wants to ride it. The last time we were there, it was not running due the batteries needing to be charged so when the opportunity arose again last week, I took him on the train. It was ace.

The mall train

Yes

The sightseeer

Looking for and probably finding trouble

Then on Saturday rather than going on the bus to somewhere, Yovita said we should go on the train. So we did.

There are a couple of railway stations near the house and so all we need to do is work out how to get there as I don't want Jeremy to go by a motorbike taxi as he is too small and the roads too big, regardless if I am holding onto him or not. A taxi would be around 30k, the motorbike taxi 15K each so we opted for the Grab Car choice and we found a driver willing to take us to the railway station for 13k; Which silly cheap so we took it.  The railway station is 10 minutes away and 20 in traffic.

To travel by train in Jakarta you have to buy a plastic card and put money on it and then when you enter onto the railway platform it works out the distance from there to when you use the card again to exit your destination which is pretty clever (for Indonesia) and new to me.

A Jakarta Railway card

Buying or topping up the card

Getting onto the Platforms

A commuter train, second hand from Japan

Once we were in, we kept Jeremy busy with talking about the trains that were coming and going. As there are a lot of trains passing through the station we waited about 30 minutes and let 4 come and go before getting on one. Yovita wanted to go into the female only carriage with Jeremy, leaving me with the rest of society and the like and we did not board some trains as they were sardine can full already and thats not good for her or Jeremy. The railway is a direct line to the city of Bogor and train pass through the station (Kalibata) to head in Jakarta and can go 3 different places. We took a train heading into the center and then north. 

Jeremy waving goodbye to a train 

The train as expected was full but after arriving at a main junction (Manggarai) nearly everyone got off leaving the train a little less crowded and with fresher air. 

Crowded and with on board security.

Our stop was only 1 more stop into the city yet in the heart of the business area and I suppose the entire train trip took less than 30 minutes but Jeremy enjoyed it travel and it was a fun thing to do and we will take more trips on the train soon, but I wont take a train for work to anywhere as the trains were full and it was a holiday so I don't want to imagine life on a train in the rush hour in the rain.

Our train

Railway station at Sudirman

The rail network in Jakarta is vast and very quick and there are lots of trains all the time running. You can circuit the city by train and its not that expensive. Our trip cost 12k and I have a feeling we should have paid for Jeremy but who is going to challenge a large western man holding a small toddler as he passes through the exit gates?

Map of the stations in Jakarta