[1/2] An electric Multiple Unit high-speed train is seen during Hot Sliding Test in Tegalluar, Bandung, West Java province, Indonesia, May 19, 2023, in this photo taken by Antara Foto. China-backed consortium PT KCIC, Mott MacDonald, Umbra, CDB and China's embassy in Jakarta did not respond immediately to requests for comment. PT KCIC was awarded the project in 2015 after lodging a cheaper proposal than a Japanese rival, with completion expected in 2019. The planned 45-minute train ride between Jakarta and Bandung compares with a car journey of two to three hours or the current three-hour rail trip. Locating the stations in central Jakarta and Bandung would have been too costly, ministry official Seto said.

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Persons: Antara, Al Farisi, Joko Widodo, Teuku Rezasyah, Mott MacDonald, Mahendra Vijaya, Hario, PwC, Sutanto Soehodho, Seto, Stefanno Sulaiman, Devjyot Ghoshal, Jamie Freed Organizations: REUTERS, Initiative, Padjadjaran University, Reuters, PT, China Development Bank, CDB, PT KCIC, KCIC, University of Indonesia, Thomson Locations: Tegalluar, Bandung, West Java, Indonesia, REUTERS JAKARTA, China, Jakarta, Indonesian, Southeast Asia's, Independence, PwC, CDB, China's