The number of KRL (commuter rail) passengers in Indonesia decreased by 54% throughout 2020 due to the impact of Covid-19.

PT Kereta Commuter Indonesia (KCI) recorded a decrease in the number of passengers on the KRL Commuter Line Indonesia over the past two years. Passenger numbers dropped by 54% in 2020, falling from 336.3 million passengers in 2019 to only 154.6 million the following year.

The decrease in the number of KRL Commuter Line passengers throughout last year was a consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic. Restricted public mobility resulted in a reduction in the number of KRL passengers.

The high rate of coronavirus transmission prompted PT KAI Commuter Jabodetabek to implement random antigen swab tests for one week starting Monday, June 21, 2021. The target for testing was stations with high usage volumes, namely Bogor, Bekasi, Cikarang, Tangerang, Manggarai, and Tanah Abang.

Antigen swab tests for Covid-19 were administered to passengers before ticket transactions. Passengers with negative results could continue their journey. Conversely, positive passengers were not allowed to board, and passenger data was reported to the local Covid-19 Task Force.

Meanwhile, the number of passengers in 2019 also decreased by 0.2%. This is in contrast to the period from 2016-2018, when the number of KRL Commuter Line Indonesia passengers increased by 6.6-12.6%.

KRL Commuter Line Indonesia increased its operational services starting October 1, 2020. Its business expansion began in the Daop 1 Jakarta and Daop 6 Yogyakarta regions.