Padalarang railway station

The station under construction (1890-1910)

The construction of the roof overcapping of the station

As part of the construction of the Bogor-Bandung–Banjar–Kutoarjo–Yogyakarta railway line, this station plays an important role in the history of railways. The construction of this station was initiated by the Staatsspoorwegen (SS), a railway company belonging to the Dutch East Indies Colonial Government. This station began to fully operate on 17 May 1884, simultaneously with the opening of the Cianjur–Padalarang–Bandung segment of the railway line.[2]

Initially, this station was a stopover point for trains on the Jakarta-Bandung route via Bogor-Sukabumi-Cianjur. Since the operation of the new Cikampek–Padalarang line in 1906,[2] this station began serving trains from Purwakarta. The operation of trains on this line has proven to be able to cut the Jakarta–Bandung train journey and become the flagship of the SS. This train is also named Vlugge, describing the reliability and toughness of this train to challenge the steep terrain on the line. This station is one of the steam locomotive changing points due to the transition of steep, winding terrain with flat terrain on the Padalarang–Bandung segment. Another locomotive changing point is also at Purwakarta Station.[6]

During the Japanese invasion of the Dutch East Indies, on 7 March 1942, at 18.00, this station was bombed by the Japanese so that trains could not pass.[7] One of the Dutch named J.C. Bijkerk said in his story that as soon as the route was bombed, the distribution of food to Padalarang for residents and KNIL (Royal Netherlands East Indies Army) soldiers were disrupted.[8]

There are several stories that are perhaps rarely discussed about this station, such as the route to the Padalarang Paper Factory. Previously, this station was believed to have been used as a stopover for trains transporting straw as a material for making Indonesian banknotes at that time.[4][5]

The platform of the station

The original station roof overcapping

The Padalarang HSR station building which is built next to the existing Padalarang station

This station has five railway lines with lines 2 and 3 being straight tracks and line 5 having ballast loading and unloading facilities. The section of the path leading to Cilame Station is still a single track, while the section of the path leading to the Gadobangkong Station is a double track.

Currently this station only serves train trips in the direction of Purwakarta–Cikampek and in the direction of Bandung–Banjar. To the west of the station the line forks. Although both are all heading towards Jakarta, the routes differ between the two routes. The path that turns to the right is the route to Purwakarta, while the path that turns slightly to the left is the route to Cianjur–Sukabumi–Bogor.

The route to Cianjur used to serve the Cianjuran train to fill the slot for the Bandung–Bogor route.[9] However, this train service was discontinued in 2013 due to the availability of spare parts for hydraulic diesel locomotives which were scarce and old enough to run, as well as the unavailability of public service obligation subsidies from the Government through the Ministry of Transportation of Indonesia.[10] Currently the route to Cianjur is in the process of reactivation, but for now it only goes to Cipatat first.[11][12]

Since 6 April 1999, the station already uses electric signaling produced by Alstom.[13]

The Padalarang high-speed rail station, built by PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia China (KCIC) stands on the northwest of the station, which was formerly used as a ballast loading yard.[14] Padalarang Station has been expanded to serve passenger transfers between high-speed trains and regular train services.[15][16][17]

2	Skybridge
1	Side platform
	Line 2	← (Karawang)	Jakarta–Bandung HSR stop to Halim
	Line X		Straight tracks to Halim
	Line X		Straight tracks to Tegalluar
	Line 1		Jakarta–Bandung HSR stop to Tegalluar	(Tegalluar) →
	Side platform
	Main building of HSR station: Ticket gates, security check, ticket vending machines, and retail kiosks
Mezzanine	Skybridge, local/feeder trains ticket gates, and transfer access between local trains and HSR
G Platform floor	Side platform
	Line 5		KC  HSR Feeder Train from and towards Bandung	(Cimahi) →
		← (Cilame)	C  Garut Commuter Line to Purwakarta  B  Greater Bandung Commuter Line to Purwakarta and Cicalengka	(Gadobangkong) →
	Line 4		Straight tracks directly to Bandung and also as turning tracks directly to Cikampek
	Island platform
	Line 3		Turning tracks directly to Bandung
			C  Garut Commuter Line to Cibatu/Garut  B  Greater Bandung Commuter Line to Cicalengka	(Gadobangkong) →
	Line 2		Straight tracks from and towards Cianjur–Sukabumi–Bogor
	Island platform
	Line 1		C  Garut Commuter Line to Cibatu/Garut  B  Greater Bandung Commuter Line to Cicalengka	(Gadobangkong) →
	Side platform
	Main building: Entrance and exit, drop-off area, and retail kiosks
	Ticket vending machines, HSR/Local/Feeder train customer service/counter, and ticket gates

The following is a list of train services at the Padalarang Station

The following is a list of available supporting transportation modes in Padalarang station.[19]

• 
  The entrance of the station
• 
  Cianjuran train when it was still operating at Padalarang Station (2011)
• 
  The location marker of the station
• 
  The emplacement of the station
• 
  The skybrige that connects between both regular trains and HSR station buildings
• 
  Escalator to the station skybridge

• Media related to Padalarang Station at Wikimedia Commons
• (in Indonesian) PT KAI - the Indonesian rail company
• KCIC official website
• (in Indonesian) Forum Semboyan35 - Indonesian Rail fans Forum
• (in Indonesian) Padalarang Train Station