Jakarta. Kereta Cepat Indonesia-China (KCIC) has announced that 120,000 Whoosh high-speed train tickets for the Christmas 2024 and New Year 2025 holiday period have been sold, a 20 percent increase compared to the non-holiday season.

KCIC’s General Manager of Corporate Secretary, Eva Chairunisa, shared that during the holiday period, the company will operate 48 daily Whoosh trips on routes connecting Halim to Padalarang, Tegalluar Summarecon, and vice versa.

“Each day, KCIC offers 28,848 seats available for booking through various official channels. We encourage passengers to book their Whoosh tickets online in advance to ensure availability and a smoother experience upon arrival at the station,” Eva stated in an official release on Tuesday.

KCIC expects a surge in passenger numbers on Wednesday, Dec. 25, and Thursday, Dec. 26, coinciding with public holidays and government-mandated collective leave. To ensure seamless service, KCIC has made several preparations, including addressing potential challenges like adverse weather, earthquakes, and foreign objects that could disrupt travel.

“KCIC continues to monitor the tracks and vulnerable points, deploying 510 security personnel, along with an additional 28 military and police officers to strengthen oversight,” Eva added.

Furthermore, KCIC is assigning 50 mobile passenger service officers across Whoosh stations to assist passengers throughout the holiday season.

 Former President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo inaugurated Whoosh, the China-funded Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway, on Oct. 2, 2023. The $7.3 billion rail project has served 6 million passengers in its first year of operation.

The high-speed railway allows travelers to journey from Jakarta to Bandung in just 45 minutes, with single-trip fares starting at around Rp 300,000 ($19.39).

Whoosh can now accommodate up to 22,000 passengers in a single day, a significant increase from just 8,000 passengers in October 2023.