The crash occurred when the Argo Bromo Anggrek long-distance train slammed into the rear car of a commuter train that was stopped at Bekasi Timur Station, according to officials. The collision left at least four people dead and injured dozens, with rescue teams working to reach passengers in a badly damaged car, police said.
PT Kereta Api Indonesia, the state-owned rail operator, said 38 passengers were taken to hospitals for treatment. Jakarta Police Chief Asep Edi Suheri told reporters at the scene that investigators were working to determine what caused the crash.
Officials said rescue teams focused on a heavily damaged section of the commuter train and worked to reach five passengers trapped there. The affected commuter car had been designated for women only, a measure commonly used on Indonesian commuter lines to help avoid harassment.
Video and local television footage showed passengers panicking at the station as people rushed in search of family members, officials said. The rail operator apologized to customers after the accident.
Authorities also said the Argo Bromo Anggrek’s 240 passengers were safe. Police and railway officials did not immediately say what technical or operational factors led to the collision.
Indonesia’s rail system has seen repeated serious incidents. In January 2024, two trains collided in West Java province, killing at least four people, and the AP report cited earlier deadly cases including a 2013 crash involving a passenger train and a minibus at an unguarded crossing in West Java and a 2010 rear-end collision at a station in Central Java province.