Whoosh Gets Busier, Commission V Urges Immediate Improvements to Padalarang Station Access

PARLEMENTARIA, West Bandung - Deputy Chair of Commission V of the House of Representatives Andi Iwan Darmawan Aras stressed that access around the Whoosh high-speed rail station in Padalarang must be improved immediately. In his view, Whoosh’s speed is of little use if passengers are still caught in traffic as soon as they leave the station.

“The time-saving advantage of high-speed rail will lose its meaning if passengers are held up as soon as they leave the station,” Andi Iwan Darmawan Aras said while leading a specific working visit by Commission V of the House of Representatives to Padalarang High-Speed Rail Station in West Bandung, West Java, on Friday (13/11/2026).

The Commission V delegation traveled by Whoosh from Halim Station to experience the journey firsthand as passengers. The visit was part of the House’s oversight function concerning railways, roads, and road traffic and transport.

On the occasion, Andi Iwan also commended Whoosh’s achievements since it began operating in October 2023, with the number of daily trips increasing from 14 to 62. However, he noted problems outside the station. “The area outside the station often sees a buildup of vehicles during peak hours because of drop-off and pick-up activity, with narrow access roads and limited space shared by private vehicles, ride-hailing taxis, and public transport,” he said.

The Gerindra Party faction politician also highlighted the direct access road from Kota Baru Parahyangan to the station, complete with a drop-off and pick-up area and a connecting bridge. The plan was agreed upon in August 2025 but is still at the planning stage. “Three years after Whoosh began operating, the solution for the station’s main access has yet to materialize,” he said.

Regarding onward transport, Andi Iwan Darmawan Aras said the feeder train’s capacity was too small. “The feeder train’s capacity of just 200 seats per train set is far lower than that of a single Whoosh train set, while ticket and schedule integration has yet to be fully achieved,” he said.

Andi said all these issues stemmed from one underlying problem. “These problems are rooted in weak institutional coordination among operators, ministries, local governments, and area developers, compounded by KCIC’s financial constraints amid its debt restructuring,” he said.

Commission V therefore asked its partner agencies to present a master plan for improving the area, along with a division of responsibilities and timelines. The House also asked for certainty on the access road schedule, plans to increase the feeder train’s capacity and frequency, and a funding scheme that would not place an excessive burden on the state budget.

“Safety, security, comfort, and accessibility for people with disabilities and older people must be a serious concern for all of us,” Andi Iwan Darmawan Aras said.

Director General of Railways at the Ministry of Transportation Allan Tandiono acknowledged that the need for access to Padalarang was growing. The average number of daily Whoosh passengers rose from 12,618 in 2023 to 17,630 in October 2026, and often exceeded 20,000 on weekends.

The number of feeder train passengers also increased from 6,459 to 7,901 per day, with occupancy at 53 to 65 percent. Allan said access roads, traffic management, and passenger pick-up and drop-off areas needed improvement, and called on all parties to work together.

“We believe cross-sectoral synergy is needed to develop accessibility to Padalarang Station, including, of course, contributions from the private sector to build better access roads,” he said.

He also saw other opportunities. “Padalarang Station has great potential to become an intermodal integration hub,” he said.

In his view, the station could become a new tourism gateway that would benefit the economies of Padalarang and West Java. (app/rdn)