[6] Kereta Api Indonesia is the latest of a long line of successive state railway companies dating from Dutch colonial days.

The colonial government of Dutch-East Indies gave the concession to W. Poolman, Alex Frazer and E.H. Kol on 28 August 1862.

The line opened on 10 August 1867[7][8] was Batavia (Jakarta) – Buitenzorg (Bogor) and Samarang – Vorstenlanden (Surakarta and Yogyakarta).

[9][10] On 28 September 1970 PNKA was changed to Perusahaan Jawatan Kereta Api (PJKA, the Railway Service Corporation).

[citation needed] On 1 August 1990, PJKA changed to Perusahaan Umum Kereta Api (Perumka, the Railways Public Corporation),[12][13] and as of 1 June 1999 converted into joint-stock company PT Kereta Api (Persero) (PT KA, Indonesian Railways Company JSC).

However, electric multiple units have been imported since 1976 for the Jabotabek commuter urban transport, which was spun off from KAI in August 2008.

The project would have established final assembly of diesel-electric TRAXX Asia Locomotives in Surabaya, East Java for export and domestic use.

[22][23] On 8 June 2015 the Duri-Tangerang double track project was inaugurated for KA Commuter Jabodetabek, but it can be also used for airport trains.

[30] As of 2016, KAI operated: The company is a major customer of the local railway equipment industry, PT Industri Kereta Api, operating passenger coaches, freight wagons and electric multiple units made by the Madiun-based company.

[citation needed] AIC assembles diesel-electric TRAXX Asia Locomotives in Surabaya, East Java with Bombardier Transportation (now Alstom since 2021).

The main users of these exclusive carriages are government officials, corporate boards, extended families, and groups of artists or tourists.

[33] On 18 October 2014, KAI launched the Jayabaya train for disabled people traveling the Pasar Senen-Surabaya-Malang route and back.

[34][35][needs update] KAI operated coal trains under partnership with Bukit Asam (PTBA) in Southern Sumatra.

The coal were transported from Tanjung Enim in South Sumatra to Tarahan Rotary Car Dumper in Lampung, which were then shipped to Java.

[36] Other service which was operated under partnership with PTBA transports coal from Tanjung Enim to Kertapati Apron Feeder in Palembang.

[39] KAI operates a library train (Kereta Pustaka Indonesia) that documents company activities, small size assets and books.

A large stabling point and maintenance facility for electric multiple units are located in Depok, West Java.

[41] Motive power depots are located in Medan, Padang, Padang Panjang, Kertapati, Tanjungkarang, Rangkasbitung, Cipinang (Jakarta), Bandung, Cirebon, Purwokerto, Cilacap, Kutoarjo, Semarang Poncol, Ambarawa, Yogyakarta, Solo Balapan, Madiun, Sidotopo (Surabaya), and Jember.

[citation needed] Large areas in front of Purwakarta station (formerly a motive power depot) have been used for scrapping of the disused economy class electric multiple units since 2013.

[citation needed] Polsuska (Indonesian: Polisi Khusus Kereta Api or Railroad Special Police) is KAI's security unit.

Polsuska has responsibilities relating to law and order including security of railway stations and train users.

[citation needed] The commuter lines that serve Greater Jakarta maintain a separate security force (Petugas Keamanan Dalam/PKD).

In this law, track maintenance is more directly handled by the government via the Directorate General of Railways, under the Ministry of Transportation.

[48] Kereta Api Pariwisata (branded as KA Wisata, formerly IndoRailTour) provides rail tourism services.

[50] PT KAI is in a consortium with Wijaya Karya [id] (Wika), Perkebunan Nusantara VIII [id] (PTPN VIII), and Jasa Marga, under the name Pilar Sinergi BUMN Indonesia for the Jakarta–Bandung high-speed train project operated by Kereta Cepat Indonesia China (KCIC).

[citation needed] PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) through transportation is a service provided to facilitate passenger travel, both those who are going to the station and those who are going to continue their journey after getting off the train.

Dinas Pelayaran (Sailing Services) is one of the divisions of Railway Bureau Company (PJKA) which operates in the field of water transportation.

Other reasons, namely the construction of the Ampera Bridge in Palembang and the decommissioning of the railway line on Madura Island which made the fate of this division even more gloomy.

[53] Inter-island crossing activities in Indonesia have been pioneered by the Government in this case the Railway Service (DKA, PNKA, PJKA).

The three ships were built at the Zaandam Shipyard with a Werkspoor 750 DK × 2 production engine, used to serve crossings from Pelabuhan Panjang (Lampung) to Merak Port (West Java) which is currently part of the Banten region.