Getting from Kualanamu International Airport to the city

The railway

• Kualanamu was the first airport in Indonesia to get a dedicated rail link, opened on 25 July 2013.
• The line runs 40 km from the airport to Medan city station, in the middle of Medan.
• The journey takes about 42 to 45 minutes.
• Trains run roughly hourly, from around 04:00 to about 20:00.
• Fares are reported between 70,000 and 100,000 rupiah one way. The figure has moved over the years and different services are priced differently, so check when you buy.

Why it matters here

• The airport is 40 km from the city. That is a long way, and Medan's roads are not fast.
• A fixed 45 minutes on a train is worth a great deal against a road journey that varies with traffic.
• The Railink terminal in Medan sits beside the main railway station, so onward trains across North Sumatra are a short walk.

The line

• Five stations: Medan, Bandar Khalipah, Batang Kuis, Araskabu and Kualanamu International Airport.
• The operator is PT Railink, jointly owned by Angkasa Pura II, the airport operator, and Kereta Api Indonesia, the national railway.
• Trains are four car Woojin units built in South Korea, running at up to 60 km/h.

If the train does not suit

• Buses and taxis cover the same ground but are at the mercy of the road.
• For a flight outside train hours there is no rail option, and the road journey should be allowed a good deal more than 45 minutes.