Jakarta. The Directorate General of Railways (DJKA) has set 2029 as the target year to kick off the first phase of the Surabaya Regional Rail Link (SRRL), also known as the East Java electric commuter rail project.

According to DJKA’s Director of Rail Traffic and Transport Arif Anwar, the initial development will cover a 27-kilometer double-track line stretching from Gubeng Station to Sidoarjo Station, passing through Wonokromo and Waru, and will also include the construction of a new depot in Sidotopo.

The project aims to enhance connectivity, reduce traffic congestion, and support sustainable urban mobility in Surabaya, Indonesia’s second-largest city with more than 3 million residents.

“The work will involve double-tracking along the existing line from Pasar Turi to Sidoarjo. But for phase one, where we already secured the loan, it will run from Gubeng to Sidoarjo,” Arif told reporters at the ministry office on Tuesday.

Arif said the government has signed a loan agreement this year, with supporting studies such as preliminary and detailed engineering designs scheduled for 2026. “The target for construction is 2029,” he added.

The first phase of SRRL will be backed by a loan of around $250 million (Rp 4.1 trillion).

The project’s financing will come from Germany’s Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW), a state-owned development bank that supports infrastructure, climate, and development projects worldwide. Established in 1948, KfW has been a key partner for Indonesia in funding sustainable transport and energy initiatives.