Hitachi Rail Wins Jakarta MRT AFC Contract for 20 Stations

JAKARTA – Hitachi Rail and Sumitomo Corporation have secured a contract to deploy an Automatic Fare Collection (AFC) system on the Jakarta MRT North–South metro line, introducing automated access gates with contactless bank card payments for the first time in Indonesia. The project covers 20 stations — seven new stations under Phase 2A and thirteen existing Phase 1 stations — with an account-based ticketing solution designed to integrate with the JakLingko multimodal platform. No total contract value was disclosed by the parties.

What Does This Contract Cover?

The contract encompasses the design, supply, installation, testing, and commissioning of a complete account-based ticketing system for the Jakarta MRT North–South Line. The scope is split across two phases: a full AFC software upgrade and system interface development for 13 existing Phase 1 stations, plus the supply and installation of ticket vending machines, automated access gates, fare calculation, and payment processing equipment for seven new Phase 2A stations. The system will support post-pay transactions via contactless bank cards, QR codes, and other digital methods, and will be integrated with external payment gateways and the JakLingko integrated public transport platform.

Key Contract Data

How Does This Compare to Similar Contracts?

The Jakarta AFC deployment mirrors the account-based ticketing model deployed by Singapore’s Land Transport Authority on its MRT network, where contactless bank card acceptance was rolled out beginning in 2019. Singapore’s SimplyGo system now processes over 20 million monthly transactions across buses and trains. By comparison, the Jakarta MRT’s daily ridership reached approximately 110,000 in 2024, according to MRT Jakarta operational data, placing this deployment at a smaller scale but within a network targeting rapid Phase 2 expansion. Across Southeast Asia, Bangkok’s MRT Blue and Purple Lines adopted a similar EMV contactless fare system in 2022, with gate-transaction times under 350 milliseconds. Hitachi Rail’s AFC portfolio has previously been deployed on metro systems in Copenhagen and Honolulu, giving the Jakarta contract a technological lineage that includes both European and North American fare-policy requirements. The project is funded through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) under the STEP program, a structure consistent with other Japanese-backed rail infrastructure packages in the region, including Bangkok’s Red Line and the Manila Metro. The global rail logistics market was valued at USD 469.07 billion in 2026, as reported by Fortune Business Insights, underscoring the scale of the commercial ecosystem into which this contract fits. Independent confirmation of Jakarta-specific payment gateway integration partners was not available at time of publication.

Editor’s Analysis

This contract signals Jakarta’s bid to leapfrog legacy closed-loop fare card systems directly to account-based, multimodal payment architecture — an approach that requires deep backend integration rather than just device installation. The inclusion of JakLingko as a core integration requirement suggests MRT Jakarta is positioning its AFC not as a standalone rail-fare engine but as a spine for citywide mobility-as-a-service aggregation. The Japan railway signalling market’s projected growth trajectory — set against broader Asian urban transit investment cycles — aligns with the timing of this deployment, though the absence of a disclosed completion timeline leaves open questions about whether Phase 2A station infrastructure will be ready to accept the AFC hardware on schedule. (Source: Grand View Research railway traction battery market report, 2026; Fortune Business Insights rail logistics market report, 2026)

FAQ

Q: What payment methods will the new Jakarta MRT gates accept?
A: The gates will accept contactless bank cards, QR code-based payments, and other digital methods, supporting post-pay transactions. The system will interface with major payment gateways and the JakLingko platform.

Q: How many stations will receive the new AFC system?
A: A total of 20 stations are covered: 13 existing Phase 1 stations will receive AFC software and interface updates, while seven new Phase 2A stations will get full equipment installations including ticket vending machines and automated gates.

Q: Who is funding the Jakarta MRT AFC project?
A: The governments of Japan and Indonesia are providing support through funding from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) under the STEP economic cooperation program.