No more angkot and dokar? Bali finally to get a subway line, but concerns over reliance on China

DENPASAR, Sept 12 — The popular island of Bali in Indonesia will finally get a public transport boost to alleviate its traffic woes with the recent launch of the Bali Urban Subway project, an ambitious rapid transit railway system.

According to news agency Antara, after years of feasibility studies, local company PT Sarana Bali Dwipa Jaya was appointed to lead the US$20 billion (RM88 billion) project, with a groundbreaking ceremony last week.

The Bali Urban Subway will be an underground system designed to connect major tourist hubs such as Seminyak, Sanur, and Ubud with I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport.

Trains will operate around the clock, featuring a double-track system and six-carriage trains capable of carrying 40 passengers each.

In Bali, tourists usually rely on renting scooters, while locals take minibuses called angkot by companies like Komotra. There are also traditional horsecarts called dokar.

Due to the island’s geography and land limitations, building an above-ground rail system was not feasible, prompting the decision to construct the subway entirely underground.

The design also aligns with Bali’s traditional Tri Hita Karana philosophy, promoting harmony between humans, nature, and the divine.

Construction is challenging due to Bali’s rocky terrain, so the project is being executed in four phases — with the first two focusing on building 16 and 13.5 km of tracks.

The first phase of the subway is expected to be operational by 2028, with the second phase to follow in 2031.

While ticket prices have not yet been finalised, they are expected to be affordable for tourists. A weekly pass could cost between US$35 (RM150) and US$40, with local residents potentially eligible for free travel.

However, the project has come under criticism for its alleged reliance on China, with China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) as one of its main contractors.

South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that CRCC was one of the contractors for the US$7.2 billion Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway that launched last night.

“Why was it given to China? It should be done by those who do the feasibility study,” SCMP quoted Bhima Yudhistira, executive director at Jakarta-based think tank Center of Economic and Law Studies, saying.

“It’s more likely because that is [Indonesia’s] preference, that China will be a priority [partner], especially in the development of public transport in the future.”