Rangkasbitung railway station

Rangkasbitung Station (RK)^[1] is a railway station located in East Muara Ciujung, Rangkasbitung, Lebak Regency, Banten. It is the main station of Lebak Regency. This station has a small rail yard to keep passenger coaches and goods carriages. This yard also keeps locomotives from Jakarta, which serve trains from Jakarta Kota. All train services that pass this station stop at this station.

R22 LM01 Rangkasbitung Station Stasiun Rangkasbitung
The new entrance hall of Rangkasbitung station (2021)
General information
Location	Jl. Stasiun Rangkasbitung No.1, East Muara Ciujung, Rangkasbitung, Lebak Regency Banten Indonesia
Coordinates	6.35266°S 106.25152999999999°E / -6.35266; 106.25152999999999
Elevation	+22 m (72 ft)
Owned by	Kereta Api Indonesia
Operated by	KAI Commuter
Line(s)	Rangkasbitung Line LM Merak Commuter Line Merak–Tanah Abang
Platforms	1 side platform 2 island platforms
Tracks	8
Construction
Structure type	Ground
Parking	Available
Accessible	Available
Other information
Station code	RK• 0130 • RANGKAS[1]
Classification	Large type A[1]
History
Opened	1 October 1899 (1899-10-01)[2]
Electrified	2017
Previous names	Rangkasbetoeng Station
Services
Preceding station Following station Citeras towards Tanah Abang Rangkasbitung Line Terminus Terminus Merak Local Jambu Baru towards Merak
Location Rangkasbitung Station Location in Java

Since 1 April 2017, KRL Commuterline has commenced operations from Tanah Abang Station to Rangkasbitung, formerly terminating at Maja Station. Therefore, local services such as Kalimaya, Langsam and Rangkas Jaya, which terminate at Angke and Tanah Abang Station, have stopped operations.^[3]

Starting on 3 November 2020, the elimination of single-trip card (Tiket Harian Berjaminan or THB card) sales was carried out at this station in stages to reduce passenger contact in anticipation of the transmission of COVID-19. However, passengers can still tap in/tap out with THB cards at the station.^[4] In 2022, the renovation and expansion of Rangkasbitung Station commenced construction. It will add a second floor for concourse and easy access to KRL Rangkasbitung Line and Merak Commuter Line platforms, as well as to anticipate the climbing number of passengers.^[5][6]

History

The station was built together with the Tanah Abang–Rangkasbitung railway in the late 19th century. In the past, there was a branch for the railroad line to Labuan via Pandeglang, which has been inactive since 1984. On this line there is another branch for the line at Saketi to Bayah;^[7] it was built by Japanese war prisoners and conscripted workers better known as romusha during the Japanese occupation during World War II. Thousands of people died because of the inhuman treatment of the Japanese soldiers. Branch lines are included in the reactivation master plan.^[8]

The electrification and the double-track construction on the Maja–Rangkasbitung section was commenced in 2015 to support the KRL Green Line extension to Rangkasbitung.^[9] Eventually, on 1 April 2017, the KRL Green Line was officially extended to Rangkasbitung; since then, the line is better known as the Rangkasbitung Line.^[10] In 2022, the first phase of the extension of Rangkasbitung Station begun, focused on adding new track lines. The second phase is ongoing, constructing a new large building over the emplacement. The expansion will increase the capacity up to 83,000 daily passengers. It is expected that Rangkasbitung Station will be the one of the main hubs of train services in Banten.^[5][6]

Building and layout

This station has eight lines. Initially, line 1 was a straight line. After the Maja–Rangkasbitung double track was officially operated in line with the enactment of the 2019 train travel chart on 1 December 2019, line 1 is now only used as a double track straight line from the direction of Jakarta, while line 2 is used as a double track straight line towards Jakarta as well as a double track and single track from and towards Merak.

At this station, there is also a train depot and a locomotive depot, which store and maintain the flat carriages used for the Babarandek and Baja Coil trains as well as the Merak Commuter Line series and the locomotives that are given the task of pulling them. There is also a KRL depot, which was built together with the construction of the double track.

The old station building, which was a legacy of the Staatsspoorwegen, has now been designated as a cultural heritage by Center for Preservation and Architectural Design Unit of Kereta Api Indonesia.^[11] Currently, on the west side of the old building, there is a new building in the form of a waiting room, which is reserved for KRL passengers only, while the old building is used as a dedicated waiting room for Merak Commuter Line passengers.^[12]

The following is the track layout table of Rangkasbitung Station, as of 1 August 2025:

R22 LM01

G	Main building
P Platform floor	Side platform
	Line 1	←Jambu Baru	LM Merak Commuter Line, from and towards Merak
	Island platform
	Line 2		Straight tracks towards Tanah Abang or Merak
		←Jambu Baru	LM Merak Commuter Line, from and towards Merak
	Island platform
	Line 3	Temporarily inactive turning tracks
	Line 4
	Island platform
	Line 5		Rangkasbitung Line from and towards Tanah Abang	(Citeras) →
	Island platform
	Line 7		Rangkasbitung Line from and towards Tanah Abang	(Citeras) →
	Line 8		Train parking
	Line 9		Train parking

Services

The following is a list of train services at the Rangkasbitung Station:

Passenger services

• Local economy class
  • Merak Commuter Line, towards Merak

• KRL Commuterline
  • Green Line, towards Tanah Abang (Rangkasbitung branch)

Defunct services

• Kalimaya express local (Merak–Tanah Abang)
• Langsam local (Rangkasbitung–Angke)
• Rangkas Jaya express local (Rangkasbitung–Tanah Abang)
• Patas Merak rapid local (Merak–Tanah Abang (succeded by the Merak Commuter Line, with shortened route from Merak to Rangkasbitung)
• Krakatau intercity (Merak–Kediri via Tanah Abang)

Incidents

• On 25 October 2001, around 02:40 local time, a passenger train numbered 930 serving the Jakarta Kota–Rangkasbitung route collied with a coal transport train numbered 2123 serving the Cigading–Bekasi route around 800 metres (870 yd) west of the station (bound for Jambu Baru Station). Train numbered 930 suffered brake failure, so the train couldn't stop and continued moving towards Rangkasbitung emplacement and collied another train (numbered 2123) stopped on the Rangkasbitung entrance signal on the Jambu Baru side.^[13][14]
• On 11 October 2010 around 01:45, some carriages of passenger trains that parked at the emplacement were burned by a group of unidentified people. There were at least 17 economy class carriages were burned out. After arriving at Rangkasbitung, the carriages were washed at 23:00 to be used in the next day. However, a fire sparked around 01:45, and it was extinguished around 03:00. Thus, passenger train service numbered 901 bound for Pasar Senen had to be cancelled.^[15]

Gallery

• 
  The new hall of Rangkasbitung station, 2020
• 
  KRL Commuterline train at Rangkasbitung, 2022
• 
  The atmosphere inside the station, with massage chair services, 2022
• 
  Front view of the heritage building, 2024
• 
  The old canopy of the station
• 
  Emplacement of the station, 2022
• 
  Merak Commuter Line train entering Rangkasbitung, 2022