Indonesian president declares operation of Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway

(ECNS) -- Indonesian President Joko Widodo declared the official operation of the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway (HSR) at Halim Station in Jakarta on Monday.

Widodo said at the opening ceremony that the Jakarta-Bandung HSR, with a maximum speed of 350 kilometers per hour, is the first high-speed railway in Indonesia and Southeast Asia, marking the modernization of Indonesia's transportation mode.

Both the technology adopted by the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway and the speed it can achieve are "brand new" for the Indonesian people, Widodo praised.

Widodo announced the name of the HSR "Whoosh," saying that it was inspired by the sound of the train, and that the high-speed train is efficient, environment friendly and integrated with other public transportation tools.

Officials the Chinese Embassy in Indonesia, China Railway International Co., and the Indonesia-China High-Speed Railway Co., among other organizations, attended the inauguration ceremony.

The Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway traverses a combined total of 13 tunnels and 56 bridges.