Indonesia Unleashes 'Whoosh': The First High-Speed Railway in Southeast Asia, Transforming Travel from Jakarta to Bandung

 

Indonesian President Joko Widodo inaugurated Southeast Asia's first high-speed railway on Monday.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo inaugurated Southeast Asia's first high-speed railway on Monday. (Photo: Twitter)

On October 2nd, 2023, Indonesia made history by launching the first high-speed railway in Southeast Asia. Named "Whoosh", this groundbreaking bullet train has revolutionized travel between two of Indonesia's largest cities, Jakarta and Bandung. 


The high-speed rail covers a distance of 142.3 kilometers (approximately 88.4 miles) at an impressive top speed of 350 kilometers per hour (220 miles per hour). This means that what used to be a three-hour journey can now be completed in just 45 minutes.


The Whoosh is not only the first of its kind in Southeast Asia but also in the Southern Hemisphere. It stands as a testament to the rapid technological advancements and infrastructural development in the region. 

The high-speed rail project was backed by China as part of its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a global infrastructure development strategy initiated by the Chinese government in 2013. The BRI aims to connect Asia with Africa and Europe via land and maritime networks, thereby improving regional integration, increasing trade, and stimulating economic growth.


Despite numerous challenges and delays, including slow land clearance and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the project finally came to fruition. Initially, the completion date was set for 2019, but it was subsequently pushed back to 2020, then 2021, and finally, the railway was officially opened in 2023. 


The successful launch of the Whoosh high-speed railway marks a significant milestone in Indonesia's transportation sector and sets a precedent for future high-speed rail projects in the region.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

'I LOVE YOU SO' (AUTUMN CONCERTO) TAGALOG DUBBED - ABS-CBN

Image
Autumn Concerto   Autumn Concerto is a Taiwanese Drama starring Taiwanese F4 Vanness Wu and sweet actress Ady An . This is also the second highest rating Taiwanese drama, the highest rating being held by Fated to Love You . Autumn Concerto also known as Next Stop, Happiness, will be dubbed in Tagalog by ABS-CBN and changed its title to "I Love You So" (Autumn Concerto) . First premiered on October 4, 2009 on TTV and SETTV. It is also known as the drama series that made child actor Xiao Xiao Bin shot to stardom.  Watch "I LOVE YOU SO" (AUTUMN CONCERTO) TAGALOG DUBBED soon on ABS-CBN.   "I Love You So" (Autumn Concerto) Story   Ren Guang Xi, a cocky law student, seems to lead the perfect life. He's the sole successor to a huge and famous business and a talented ice hockey player. But in reality, his lonely life lacks joy, laughter and motivation. That is until he meets Liang Mu Cheng, the new bento seller at his school canteen. Although orphaned ...
Read more

House Approves Marcos Day (September 11) in Ilocos Norte

Image
President Ferdinand Marcos The House of Representatives has approved in the third and final reading the law declaring September 11 as a special non-working holiday in the province of Ilocos Norte in commemoration of the birthday of former President Ferdinand Marcos. According to the report, House Bill 7137 was approved by a vote of 197 on Yes, 9 No and an abstention which set the said date as “President Ferdinand Edralin Marcos Day” in Ilocos Norte.  Ilocos Norte Representatives Angelo Marcos Barba and Ria Fariñas, and Probinsyano Ako party-list Representative Rudys Caesar Fariñas authored the measure. “For the people of Ilocos Norte, the young and promising Marcos has brought pride to the province and served as inspiration for young leaders to exemplify his leadership and governance administration,” said the Fariñas siblings. Barba, meanwhile, said Marcos laid the "foundation for nation-building", noting that the country was "ahead of our time" in agriculture,...
Read more

Momoland's Nancy becomes victim of voyeurs, illegally manipulated photos leaked online, Agency to sue

Image
Nancy   While Momoland's Nancy is being damaged by illegally manipulated photos, the agency has taken a tough response. Nancy's agency, MLD Entertainment, said in an official statement,  “Recently, illegally manipulated photos related to our artist Nancy are being distributed online and on social media. "We will take a strong legal action against anyone who distributes it," it said. According to reports, a staff member took a photo of Nancy while she was undressing.  The incident happened in 2019 when Nancy attended the ‘2019 Asia Artist Awards in Vietnam,’ wherein she was the MC.  The said photo leaked online. The agency plans to implement civil and criminal penalties for violations of the Special Act on the Punishment of Sexual Violence Crimes, the spread of pornography under the Information and Communication Network Act, and infringement of personal rights through the legal representative. The agency emphasized,  “Nancy is a victim of voyeurs and composite ph...
Read more