1st batch of Chinese-made HSR rails arrives at project site in Indonesia

The first batch of 50-meter rails of the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway (HSR) was transported to the track-laying base on Wednesday, the railway's operator said.

The rails departed from Central Java province's port city Cilacap on Tuesday and passed through Indonesia's existing railway line before arriving at the Tegal Luar Electric Multiple Units (EMU) Depot on the outskirt of West Java province's capital Bandung on Wednesday afternoon.

A statement released by KCIC, a joint venture consortium between Chinese and Indonesian state-owned firms that runs the 142.3-km HSR, said the freight created conditions for the next step of rail welding and laying, as well as provided strong support for accelerating the construction of the project, KCIC added.

KCIC said the first batch of rails, made in southwest China's Panzhihua city, was shipped to Cilacap by sea from port of Fangchenggang city in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in December last year.

It said the arrival marks the rail transport channel from Panzhihua to the project site in Tegal Luar and lays a solid foundation for the early completion and opening of Jakarta-Bandung HSR.

KCIC and Indonesia's state-owned railway operator PT Kereta Api Indonesia and related construction units held delivery and receiving ceremonies at the Cilacap port and track laying base respectively.

With a speed of 350 km per hour, the high-speed railway will cut the journey between Jakarta and Bandung, the capital of West Java province, from more than three hours to around 40 minutes.