Jakarta Eyeing Ambitious LRT Expansion to PIK 2 Mega-Project and Soekarno-Hatta Airport to Complete Transit Loop

JAKARTA, Investortrust.id — Jakarta is plotting a massive expansion of its Light Rail Transit (LRT) network to connect the city's central hubs directly to the premium coastal enclave of Pantai Indah Kapuk 2 (PIK 2) and Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.

Governor Pramono Anung has initiated high-level talks with Steven Kusumo, the CEO of property giant Agung Sedayu Group, to spearhead the extension. The proposal aims to transform the current northern alignment into a sweeping transit loop that bridges the city's main aviation gateway with its fastest-growing commercial waterfronts.

"I whispered to the CEO of Agung Sedayu that perhaps it is time to open the LRT line from Velodrome all the way to this place in PIK 2," Governor Anung stated during the inauguration of the Tian Fu Gong temple complex in North Jakarta.

This expansion unlocks massive commercial real estate value along Jakarta’s northern coast and provides a direct, rail-based solution to the airport's notorious traffic bottlenecks. Furthermore, the surging ridership figures underscore a profound behavioral shift among Indonesian consumers, who are rapidly abandoning private vehicles in favor of transit-oriented developments (TODs). This macroeconomic shift bodes exceptionally well for regional infrastructure bonds and state-backed construction players engineering the metropolitan transformation.

Completing the Transit Loop

The central government has already cleared the zoning and spatial permits for the LRT to extend as far north as the Ancol coastal district. To realize the full circuit, planners intend to push the line from Velodrome through the industrial hub of Tanjung Priok, past the newly built Jakarta International Stadium (JIS), and across Ancol before making the final run toward the PIK 2 township and the airport.

The city’s current priority remains the completion of the Phase 1B line, a critical 7.6-mile corridor connecting Velodrome to the central transit hub of Manggarai. State-owned builder PT Waskita Karya (Persero) Tbk is executing the Rp 11.5 trillion ($723.2 million) project, which features 11 stations and is scheduled for a grand opening this August.

Governor Anung emphasized that Jakarta’s mass transit network currently connects roughly 93% of the metropolitan area. Closing the loop via the northern coastal extension is the final step to ensuring seamless, 100% integration across the capital.

Ridership Explodes 40% Year-on-Year

This aggressive expansion strategy aligns with a dramatic spike in public transit adoption across the Greater Jakarta area. State rail operator PT Kereta Api Indonesia (Persero) reported that the parallel LRT Jabodebek network recorded 2.91 million passengers, representing a spectacular 40% surge compared to the same period last year.

"The rising passenger numbers demonstrate growing public trust in integrated mass transit that offers comfort and predictable travel times," said Radhitya Mardika, Manager of Public Relations for LRT Jabodebek, in an official statement outlining the network's performance.

Commuters are heavily clustering around central business districts, with Dukuh Atas station logging the highest traffic at over 435,000 inbound passengers during the month. As integration with secondary transit lines like TransJakarta buses and the MRT subway improves, officials expect ridership momentum to accelerate through the back half of the year.