What’s so good about it?
Train is a great alternative to travel between cities and provinces in Java island. The train system in Indonesia is also well-developed with decent service. In the country, the train comes with different classes. There are three major types that people can experience such as: economy class, premium economy, business class, and executive class. For economy class, the seating type is 3x3 people facing each other, meanwhile for premium economy to executive class it’s 1 person one seat with 2 seats in a row. The difference lies in the chair, its cushion design and the amenities that it offers. I have boarded different types of trains across Java and I came to the conclusion that it’s best to save up for an executive class than traveling with an economy class. However, if you are quite adventurous and want to mingle with locals, economy class is an option. When it comes to price, the most expensive that I know of was only less than $35 and that'll get you an executive class train already.
The train that I take the most is the connecting train between Surabaya to Yogyakarta which is usually around 3-4 hours. There are more than 4 types of trains connecting these two provinces but only two that are decent to board according to me. The first one is Sancaka Fakultatif and the second one is Bangunkarta.
Sancaka has two trains operating from Surabaya to Yogyakarta. However, having to board two of them, I can say Sancaka Fakultatif is the best among the two and among many trains operating in the area. Here's why it's the best train service operating between two provinces.
Spacious Leg Room and seating
Although the train ride is fairly short, spacious seating and leg room makes it feel more comfortable when inside the train. The chair also comes with adjustable leg rest that even makes your short journey feel like seconds when you sleep inside of it.
Wide window with a clean view of outside
If you enjoy taking pictures and just enjoying train ride view, the massive clear viewing window is the best option that you can have. You can enjoy the view of lush paddy fields and if you board the train before sunset, you can see the sunset with the view of the mountainous range in the country.
Comfortable chair and table to work from
The business to executive train comes with a table that fits for a 14’ inch laptop comfortably. There are two power chargers that you can use throughout the journey. Working inside the train gives you a different work scene and sensation. If you are lucky, you get a nice train driver that will bring the train smoothly but I had an experience where it was a pretty rough journey and I hated it. However, this was what was great with Sancaka fakultatif. As far as my experience boarding them, they never disappointed me. It was always a nice journey while I was working from inside the train.
Great food
Food inside the train matters. Not all trains offer equal food and sometimes their options are terrible. However, you can expect to find basic cup noodles in all class trains. When it comes to Sancaka Fakultatif, they have many types of food including Rendang, a delicious beef stew served with rice and steamed papaya leaf. There are other options available as well but since I can’t really eat something spicy especially when I am traveling, Rendang was the least spicy option on the menu. The food comes very hot and once we open the box, the smell tempts everyone that boards the train with us.
In the past, I have reviewed Bangunkarta. I might review more because train has been one of my favorite types of transportation. I have so many great memories. I have tried many types of train, board with all sorts of people to the point that I was able to classify that each train has its own smell and the exact type of passenger that you’d most likely meet inside. In the past, one of my past activities was randomly going around the island in the train and sleeping at the train station. I was also able to see parts of the country that I would never see including passing through a beautiful reservoir in the morning.
More notes : These days we do not need PCR tests anymore to board the train. However, we have to be triple vaccinated (boosted) and it will show in our ticket. So, it’s a bit difficult circumventing these rules. I think train is also the transportation with the strictest rules in the country other than flights.
Anyhow, that’s all from me. I am also making it as a personal note because sometimes I forget the train name and resulting in booking a completely awful train experience. Maybe there’s a silver lining because that means I get a story to tell.
 | 𝘔𝘢𝘤 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧-𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘺𝘦𝘥 𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘫𝘢. 𝘈 𝘵𝘺𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦, 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴, 𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘯𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘺. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘫𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘺 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘺, 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘭, 𝘯𝘰𝘰𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘴, 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘺𝘭𝘦, 𝘤𝘺𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘴. 𝘐𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦, 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘫𝘰𝘺𝘴 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘷𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴. 𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘶𝘱𝘷𝘰𝘵𝘦, 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬. 𝘈 𝘳𝘦-𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘨 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥. |
What a lovely story! Alot to learn about train services over there. It's a totally opposite one here, I haven't been on a train before because it looks dangerous here.
Indonesia train system is more like our Air system. The services looks like the one they give on planes. Hopefully one day, things like this would be possible.
I would really love to eat on a train someday.
How dangerous is it? the long distance train in the country is really nice and safest way to travel. It also quicker too compared to traveling by car or a bus.
It must have been more than 20 yrs since I last took my train ride. I've been told everything has changed for the better.👍
hahaha yeah, it definitely changed a lot. My first train ride was about 24 years ago but it was a chartered train, so I didn't experience peddlers and stuff until later when I board a regular train and the chair was rock hard lol. There are many improvements now and definitely much more convenient than it was.
Waoh modern life in Java. Well Philippines have not yet got that kind of transportation but I read they have plans to have that. Mostly the ride returning from city to province were buses and plains. One day I will experience that. 😍
I watched that too! there was this travel vlogs that just shows viewers how to travel in the Philippines and there was only bus. I am not fan of bus, it's been a while since I rode on. The drivers don't really drive well and it's too crammed up inside of it. Sometimes it feels very stuffy as well.
It must have been a very long journey that someone might need to avail good comfort. In this kind of long journey, I probably avail of business class as well. Comfort and safety during travel is what I prioritized. $35 is quite pricey, but given the service it provides. It's worth it. I didn't ride train often since it's not necessary for me. !PIZZA
Some of these trains either stretch from 4 hours to 12-14 hours ride until the capital. So, comfort and safety matters a lot. In the past, Indonesian train service was horrible because peddlers can get inside the train without ticket. My first train experience was on a chartered train by my grandpa and I guess since then, I grow fond of the train because my first experience were nice. I probably take train either four times/year to couple of times a year just because I like to 😅
In my entire life I have never been on a train😅, How does it feel, in Aceh there is already a train, but the route is still very short, only about 20 km, it is because the railway construction process has not been fully completed
By the way, salam kenal dari saya kk🙏🙏
😃 I heard they are constructing train in many islands now. Maybe one day all Sumatra will be connected by train? I am not sure about the terrain but if it's doable, that would be awesome. I think train is a huge deal in Java because it was part of Dutch colonialism and that they used these to transport goods like sugar from different cities to batavia/ jakarta. So, the buildings and many of its track were actually from those time. Now the govt is building one in another island, that's a good step but that'll take a bit. It just feel normal as I've boarded many trains now. Although it always excites me when I get to be on the train and comparing them with the previous one I boarded.
I think it will happen, because I saw the construction of a railway on the border of Aceh and North Sumatra yesterday, and their possible target in the next 5 years, the railway can operate from lhokseumawe to the terrain, hopefully it can be realized
Thank you very much for the response🙏💪
I have always wanted to ride on trains and do things that I read in books and watched movies. Maybe someday.
I hope you can do that someday!
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Wow ,nice to hear that there is food in the train.
I'd never experienced riding a train yet ,hoping one of these days I can experience it hihi.
Don't you have train service over there?
We don't have here train in the province😁
Is the food free with the ticket price? That's very good!!!
I've never been to Indonesia before but I can imagine the view being gorgeous.
ummm unfortunately not 😂 they just give us complementary covid-19 kit like a pouch, mask, and alcohol wipes. The food menu in each train is different though, like depending where it goes and passes. It just happens that particular train has better menu options that others. I should put a disclaimer somewhere the food isn't included 😅