Commuting by train (Bogor-Jakarta)

In a train on the way back to Bogor from Jakarta yesterday, a lady with a two years old child came aboard at Gambir station. All the seats were occupied. Two ladies next to me advised her to go to the corner since there was an army who might gave up his seat for her and the baby. Out of their expectation. The army was frozen on his seat. Then they said “Oh no. Let’s close our eyes. Pretending we were sleeping”.

Well, this kind of conversation is something normal in a train between Bogor to Jakarta. Once people get their seats, they will suddenly fall asleep. Ignoring whoever standing in front of them. Whether an old lady, mother with a child, or someone standing with one leg, who cares ! Other way besides falling asleep is busy with cell phone. It was a time when my 75 years old mother was standing in front of 3 young guys who were busy sending messages with their cell phones. So busy till they did not notice an old lady was in front of them. Fortunately it was only a short trip. If it takes more than 30 minutes, I would punch the guys immediately. Back to the lady with a baby, luckily, not the army but other guy gave up his seat for her.

Contrasting to other countries, mostly in Europe, seats are prioritized for women and children. In Czech Republic, all young people are standing in the train. Leaving the seats empty with only old ladies and women with children. Plus me, off course, I’m an Indonesian. But still there are some disadvantages. During a trip in subway in London, two young ladies were having conversation. It was a bit loud since they were seating across to each other. Suddenly an old lady offered her seat to one of them. They were wondering why. She said “to stop you both making so much noise”. Then, no body moved and things returned to silence.

I’ve been taking trains in many countries. The most memorable one was on my trip from Czech Republic to Republic of Slovakia. It was a night train. The train conductor checked our tickets at about 2 AM. Not alone, an army with a big gun was standing behind him. So you could imagine, when you were still a half sleeping, opening the door and seeing a police and an army with a big gun in front of you, saying “ticket and passport please !”. I thought I was dreaming in a middle of World War I. But my dreaming had not finished yet. In Kochitzte, Slovakia, I took a cup of coffee to open up my eyes in dark chilly morning. When I paid the coffee, leaving my bag behind, in less than 2 minutes, my big wallet with passport and money was gone stolen by the gypsies. Oh no ! Fortunately, I have a very good friend, Ema, who was taking care of me. She was the one who paid for everything and took me to Indonesian embassy to get a document functioning as my passport. Thank you Ema. Some day I will visit you again and that time, I’ll be the one who pay for everything.

What about train from Bogor to Jakarta ? There are about 15 million people live in Jakarta and its sub urban area. Most people live in the sub urban area and Bogor as the housing price is much cheaper than Jakarta. That makes about 116 million people in a year commuting by train to go to Jakarta (Kompas.com). It is nothing compare to London subway where about 1 billion people a year using the service (wikipedia). But off course, the situation is also different.

London subway began to operate in 1863, during the era of the Queen Victoria. The first underground railway system in the world. As time goes by, they make more and more underground tunnels at different level of depth. If you comprehend termite’s nest, it looks like that. So during the day, people in London are termites, moving from one point to an other, using underground tunnels.

When in London, public transportation service is built for 100 years ahead vision. In Jakarta, probably there is no vision at all. At the moment, there are about 600 000 vehicles get into Jakarta daily, where only 2% are public transportation and 98% the rest are private cars (Kompas.com). No wonder why people in Jakarta prefer to take breakfast in their cars, due to the traffic jam. Then train becomes very important. No traffic light, no traffic jam, no one brave enough fighting in front of a moving train, so the train suppose to make our time more efficient. I said suppose to, because in reality it does not work like that. Unreliable departing time, regular broken machine, regular trouble on electricity, and even some people stole the bolt of railway that halt the train journey. If that happens, all we can do just wait till things are better again. Or take other alternative transportation such as bus.

But the inconveniences of the train is not only from the train itself. The passengers also play a big part of it. Pickpockets are something normal especially in the early time of the month when people just get their salary in cash. When people get off from the train and from the other side, people push in to come aboard, that’s when the pickpocket operates. But this creates solidarity amongst passengers. Once someone lost their wallet, some body will offer her/him some money for bus fare or a lift in his/her car/motorcycle at least till the pickpocket victim arrive safely at home. This happened to my little sister. The pickpocket also slices off women’s bag to take the wallet inside. One time I was a victim of pickpockets who operate with their hypnotizing skill. I felt like I just woke up from my sleep when the train hit the light after getting through a dark tunnel (under a bridge). Then I realized that my wallet was not in place. But there is a passenger’s behaviour that annoying me so much. Some guys like to do “petting” to other women passengers. When the train is full of passengers, very hard to move, then suddenly somebody rub his tool against me. Ouch, so disgusting !!

I’m taking train from Bogor to Jakarta since 1982, when I was first enrolled in Bogor Agricultural University. Though I rent a room in Bogor, I went home every week end. Until one time, I fell down from the train when I get off in Bogor. That accident made me unconscious. I was lucky that the best friend of my boy friend at that time was in the train as well. He organized people to carry me until I arrived at my rented room. If you familiar with the name of Drajat A. Wibowo, a famous economist who is the member of Indonesian house representative at the moment, that is the guy who helped me. I tell you a secret. In the university, he liked to study during the train’s trip. In one day he could take several train’s trips only for studying. But it made him graduated with “cum laude”.

But the train services is getting better now. There are more express trains “Pakuan” with air conditioner. There are also economic scale trains with air conditioners. People with children prefer the take this one. Though mostly are second hand trains from Japan – the price is one tenth compare to a new train - there are more trains available at the moment to address the increase of passengers each year. When the train make improvement, hope there would also improvement of passengers behaviour.