Gov’t to Complete Construction of Yogyakarta International Airport Next Year

Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi inspects construction progress of Yogyakarta International Airport, in Kulonprogo, Yogyakarta Province, Sunday (25/8). (Photo by: Ministry of Transportation PR).

The Indonesian Government sets a target to complete the construction of Yogyakarta International Airport (YIA) in the second quarter of 2020.

“The construction progress is quite good, it is almost 60-70 percent done,” Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi said after inspecting construction progress of YIA, in Kulonprogo, Yogyakarta Province, Sunday (25/8).

According to the Minister, there are currently 14 take-offs and landings at the airport and he expressed his hopes that on the annual exodus next year (locally known as mudik season), as many as 66 flight routes to outside Java from Adisucipto Airport will be relocated to the new airport. “So, we also need to maximize the rail transport,” Budi said, adding that the construction of the railway to the airport is expected to be completed by the end of 2020.

Furthermore, the Minister stated that the Government will intensify railway transportation to provide easier accessibility with shorter headways so the passengers know how long it takes to reach the new airport.

“For the initial stage, the railway will be built in the area of Kedundang Station and around the YIA area,” the Minister added.

“The current travel time from Tugu Station to YIA via Wojo Station is 60 minutes since the passengers also need to use a feeder bus to the airport. If the railway has been connected from YIA to Kedundang Station, the travel time can be reduced up to 35 minutes with headway every 15 minutes,” the Minister said, adding that the train schedule to and from YIA must be further optimized.

For the record, Kedundang Station is an inactive train station which located between Tugu Station and Wojo Station. The station will later become an intersection between the train line to the Yogyakarta International Airport and towards Wojo Station. The railway will be constructed with an elevated model as high as 3 to 6 meters. (Humas Kemenhub/ES)

Translated by: Galuh Wicaksono
Edited by: Mia Medyana