DENPASAR: Bali plans to build a 2.2 trillion rupiah (US$123 million) electric tram to ease congestion and improve connectivity on the resort island, with the first phase expected to link I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport with the popular tourist destination of Canggu.
Bali Governor I Wayan Koster said the project, dubbed the autonomous rail rapid transit (ART), would replace a planned mass rapid transit (MRT) system that broke ground in 2024 but failed to attract sufficient investor interest.
Koster said the ART system would be easier and less costly to build than the MRT because it is designed to integrate with existing road networks, while the MRT would require extensive underground tunnelling.
"ART is far more efficient and easier to implement from a technological perspective," Koster told the press recently.
He said the project would begin next year, pending the issuance of a gubernatorial regulation.
Koster said that the proposed electric tram system was estimated to cost 2.2 trillion rupiah, with state-owned railway operator PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) expected to play a role in financing and operating the system.
“The first phase was estimated to cost 1.2 trillion rupiah, with a further 1 trillion rupiah required for the second phase,” Koster said.
However, Bali's Transportation Agency head, Kadek Mudarta, said that the financing arrangement for the project has not yet been finalised.
"The financing scheme is still under discussion. One option is for PT KAI to make the investment. The required investment for rolling stock, infrastructure and operating costs will be determined based on the results of the feasibility study," Mudarta told The Jakarta Post.
He added that the feasibility study, which has not yet begun, would determine the most suitable concept and route for the proposed system.
The tram could eventually serve areas beyond the proposed airport-to-Canggu route, Mudarta said.
The Badung administration, where the proposed tram system would operate, plans to widen key roads to 24 metres and provide dedicated lanes for the tram, which is expected to travel at speeds of up to 40 km per hour.
The administration is also preparing to acquire land for roads along the proposed 20-km tram corridor, which is planned to run along Bali's coastline.
It has allocated Rp 980 billion for land acquisition over three years, from 2027 to 2029, according to the administration.
Badung also plans to develop park-and-ride facilities at strategic tourist hubs to support tram operations and reduce roadside parking, which authorities say contributes to congestion in Bali's tourism areas.
Transportation and urban planning expert Rumawan Salain of Udayana University welcomed the tram project but said it needed to be backed by a thorough study and integrated with broader measures to tackle congestion.
He said the government should carefully assess the infrastructure needed for the tram, particularly whether existing roads would have sufficient capacity to accommodate the system.
"If the tram uses existing roads, wouldn't that make congestion worse? That should also be considered," he said.
Salain said the tram should not be viewed as a standalone solution and should be developed alongside broader public transport and urban planning policies.
Those measures should include optimising Trans Metro Dewata, Bali's existing bus service, he said.
He also called for stricter enforcement of urban planning regulations, saying uncontrolled construction was contributing to congestion on the island.
Residents and tourists have faced persistent traffic congestion on Bali's roads for years, with authorities blaming narrow roads, illegal parking and a high volume of vehicles.
The island also lacks a comprehensive public transport network, with services limited in some areas and slow or infrequent in others.
The Bali administration has tried to address the problem by developing mass public transport.
In 2024, it broke ground on a Rp 20 billion MRT project, with the first phase planned to connect I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport with Central Parking, Seminyak and Canggu.
The MRT project, however, has stalled after failing to attract sufficient investor interest.
Alongside the proposed tram system, the Bali administration is also planning to develop a water taxi service linking I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport with Canggu by sea.
The government estimates the journey, which can take one to two hours by road, could be cut to about 30 minutes by water taxi.
Construction of the water taxi system is targeted to begin this month and continue through July 2027, according to the government. - Jakarta Post/ANN
