MRT Jakarta opens at half-price fares for this month

Jakarta: Jakarta’s first MRT line, MRT Jakarta, has finally opened on April 1 for commercial operations at 50% discounted fares for the entire month, a strategy to encourage people to use the new rail service.

The commercial launch of the rapid transit system follows two weeks of a trial run that was open to the public, which began on March 12, and after the MRT Jakarta was inaugurated on March 24.

Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan said in a written statement on Sunday that city-owned MRT Jakarta, which operates the new service, had requested the halfprice fares to urge people to try the new public transportation service and to spread word on the MRT.

Anies added that the strategy also intended “... to educate the people to shift their transportation culture from (using) private vehicles to public transportation”.

The 50% discount applies to all trips on the MRT Jakarta, regardless of the distance travelled.

“So, if the fare from Lebak Bulus to the Bundaran HI (Hotel Indonesia traffic circle) is normally 14,000 rupiah (RM4) per trip, it would be 7,000 rupiah (RM2) for the month,” said Anies.

The MRT Jakarta’s first route spans 15.7km from Lebak Bulus station in South Jakarta to the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Central Jakarta.

People can travel on the rapid transit service, which employs a cashless fare payment system, using a single-trip MRT Jakarta card or the Jak Lingko card.

Other accepted payment forms are electronic cash cards issued by state-owned lenders Mandiri, BRI, and BNI, as well as those issued by private lender BCA and city-owned lender DKI.

A single-trip MRT Jakarta card can be purchased at the stations through ticket machines or ticket counters for 15,000 rupiah (RM4.30). — The Jakarta Post/Asia News Network