''Argo Wilis'' is an executive and panoramic class train operated by PT

Kereta Api Indonesia PT Kereta Api Indonesia (Persero) (, abbreviated as PT KAI or simply KAI) is a major railway operator in Indonesia and one of the Public transportation, public railway companies in the country. It is State-owned enterprise, state-owned and pa ...

between

Surabaya Surabaya is the capital city of East Java Provinces of Indonesia, province and the List of Indonesian cities by population, second-largest city in Indonesia, after Jakarta. Located on the northeastern corner of Java island, on the Madura Strai ...

and

Bandung Bandung is the capital city of the West Java province of Indonesia. Located on the island of Java, the city is the List of Indonesian cities by population, fourth-most populous city and fourth largest city in Indonesia after Jakarta, Surabay ...

Java Java is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea (a part of Pacific Ocean) to the north. With a population of 156.9 million people (including Madura) in mid 2024, proje ...

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and Pacific Ocean, Pacific oceans. Comprising over List of islands of Indonesia, 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, ...

. The train covers in 9 hours and 43 minutes with stoppage at Cipeundeuy,

Tasikmalaya Tasikmalaya (also known as Tasik) is a landlocked city in West Java, Indonesia. The city is sometimes dubbed ''kota santri'' (city of religious learners) or "the City of a Thousand Pesantrens" for its abundance of Islamic boarding schools. Locat ...

, Banjar, Kroya,

Kutoarjo Kutoarjo is a town and district ( Indonesian: Kecamatan) of Purworejo Regency, Central Java, Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and Pacif ...

Yogyakarta Yogyakarta is the capital city of the Special Region of Yogyakarta in Indonesia, in the south-central part of the island of Java. As the only Indonesian royal city still ruled by Hamengkubuwono, a monarchy, Yogyakarta is regarded as an importan ...

, Solo Balapan,

Madiun Madiun () is a city in the western part of East Java, Indonesia, known for its agricultural center. The city has been administratively separate from the surrounding Madiun Regency since the formation of the two bodies in 1950, but the city remain ...

, Kertosono, Jombang, and Mojokerto. This train runs in the morning from Bandung to Surabaya Gubeng or vice versa, and arrives at the destination at evening/night. In the journey Bandung to Surabaya, passengers can enjoy the beautiful panorama of the eastern part of Parahyangan mountainous region.

Etymology

The word "Argo" (Javanese for "mountain") is a brand name of superior executive train services by KAI, while the word "Wilis" is taken from

Mount Wilis Mount Wilis is a solitary volcanic massif surrounded by low-elevation plains. It is located in East Java, Java island, Indonesia. It is not far from Mount Kelut. No confirmed historical eruptions are known from this volcano. Images gallery ...

, a high mountain with its highest peak in the Bajulan,

Nganjuk Regency Nganjuk Regency (Javanese language, Javanese: ꦏꦧꦸꦥꦠꦺꦤ꧀ꦔꦚ꧀ꦗꦸꦏ꧀) is a Regencies of Indonesia, regency ''(kabupaten)'' of East Java Province, Indonesia. It borders Bojonegoro Regency in the north, Jombang Regency in the ...

East Java East Java (, , ) is a Provinces of Indonesia, province of Indonesia located in the easternmost third of Java island. It has a land border only with the province of Central Java to the west; the Java Sea and the Indian Ocean border its northern ...

History

1998-2018

The train service was inaugurated on 8 November 1998 by the Minister of Transportation, Giri Suseno Hardihardjono at Surabaya Gubeng Station and the Governor of

West Java West Java (, ) is an Indonesian Provinces of Indonesia, province on the western part of the island of Java, with its provincial capital in Bandung. West Java is bordered by the province of Banten and the country's capital region of Jakarta to t ...

, R. Nana Nuriana at Bandung Station. At first, this train operated using a series of trains made by PT. INKA released in 1998 which is equipped with an NT-60 (K8) bogie and there is one optional trip that operates at night. At the beginning of operation until around 2017, this train was often pulled using the CC203 and CC201 locomotives. At the beginning of its operation, this train also served trips at night with optional status. Due to low occupancy rate around 2008, this train was once operated as an elective train, and there was even talk of abolishing the Argo Wilis train service. In mid-2016, this train began operating with eight or nine executive class trains as the occupancy rate increased which resulted in the CC206 locomotive being used as a towing locomotive to replace the CC203/CC201 locomotive. Apart from that, priority type executive train services are also added which only run at certain times.

2018-present

As of 8 June 2018, the Argo Wilis train operates using a series of stainless steel executive trains made by PT INKA released in 2018 and 2019 along with dining trains and generating trains. On 1 December 2019 ''Argo Wilis'' extended to Jakarta ( Gambir station) via Cikampek-Padalarang line, and ''Argo Wilis'' added stops station at Jatinegara (only from Surabaya), & Cimahi. However, this train route has been returned to how it was (–) since the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

and is still valid today. In September 2021, ''Argo Wilis'' shortened travel time and increased speed to 120 km/hour. Also applies to ''

Argo Bromo Anggrek ''Argo Bromo Anggrek'' is the name of Executive and Compartment train jointly operated by Kereta Api Indonesia between Surabaya and Jakarta in Indonesia. The train covers in 7 hours and 45 minutes along Java's north coast, stopping at Semaran ...

'', ''Argo Lawu'', ''Argo Dwipangga'', and ''Taksaka'' train. As of 1 June 2023, coinciding with the implementation of the 2023 Train Travel Chart (''Grafik Perjalanan Kereta Api'' or Gapeka), the Argo Wilis train will serve stops at Ciamis Station and will also exchange circuits with the ''Turangga'' Train.

Facilities

The train consists of 7-9 executive passenger coach, 1 dining car, and 1 power carriage. The train has capacity for 350-400 passengers. The train has received the latest series from INKA since its launch in 1998. However, because some of the 1998 executive freight trains were also allocated to the ''Argo Dwipangga'', some 1995 executive trains owned by KA Argo Gede were often used especially if the train needs a long series. As of June 2018, ''Argo Wilis'' used trains that varied between Argo executive trains made in 1995, 1996, 1998 and 2002, and other trains, and often exchanged trains with ''

Argo Parahyangan ''Parahyangan'', formerly known as ''Argo Parahyangan'' or Gopar for short, is an Inter-city rail, inter-city train service consisting of executive and economy premium class operated by Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI / ''Indonesian Railways Company'' ...

''. Since 8 June 2018, ''Argo Wilis'' has officially used the latest executive train which has a 2018 stainless steel body made by PT INKA Madiun, complete with a new train and generator train. The train uses

CC206 The GE CM20EMP (also known as CC206 in Indonesia) are diesel-electric locomotives owned and operated by Kereta Api Indonesia (Indonesian Railways Co.) and built by GE Transportation. The GE CM20EMPs are multipurpose locomotives, not only for ha ...

locomotive. Previously used locomotive were

CC203 The GE U20C diesel–electric locomotive was introduced by GE Transportation Systems as an export model in 1964. It was powered by an 8-cylinder List of GE reciprocating engines, 7FDL-8 engine. This locomotive is used worldwide with many variatio ...

, CC201, and

CC204 CC, cc, or C-C may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional characters * C.C. (''Code Geass''), a character in the ''Code Geass'' anime series, pronounced "C-two" * C.C. Babcock, a character in the American sitcom ''The Nanny'' * Co ...

. This executive class train uses a 2-2 seat formation which can accommodate 50 passengers per train. The seats in this class are made of leather seats that can be reclined and rotated according to the direction of the train.

List of stations

Incidents

* On 4 February 2013, the Argo Wilis train pulled by the CC201 locomotive collided with a

Toyota Avanza The Toyota Avanza and Daihatsu Xenia are a series of multi-purpose vehicles (MPV) developed by Daihatsu and marketed by both Toyota and Daihatsu, mainly sold with three-row seating. The Avanza and Xenia were developed as an entry-level MPV mar ...

in Manonjaya,

. One person survived, while five people were seriously injured. * On 20 December 2013, there was damage to the rail at km 393+8//9 between Maos-Sikampuh. A local resident managed to stop the Argo Wilis train, which was speeding so that it could stop before crossing the tracks. * On 17 October 2023, in Sentolo, Kulon Progo, between Wates and Sentolo stations, the

Argo Semeru ''Argo Semeru'' ('')'' is an executive and sleeper carriage class train that operated by PT Kereta Api Indonesia in Java which run between Gambir Station (GMR)– Surabaya Gubeng Station (SGU) via and . The train travels in approximately 10 ...

train derailed, and the same time from the opposite direction the Argo Wilis train hit the rear carriage of the Argo Semeru, injuring several people.

Gallery

File:Argo Wilis Departing SGU.jpg, Argo Wilis train departing from File:M1 Argo Wilis.jpg, Argo Wilis dining car File:Argo Wilis.jpg, Argo Wilis passing through Boharan Station, 2023

References

External links

* {{Cite web, url=http://www.kai.id, title=Situs Resmi PT Kereta Api Indonesia (Persero), website=Official website of the Indonesian Railways, language=en-US, access-date=2019-08-01 Passenger rail transport in Indonesia Rail transport in Indonesia Surabaya Bandung