The Bali Mass Rapid Transit (Indonesian: Moda Raya TerpaduBali[a]) or Bali MRT (MRT Bali, stylized as mrt bali) is a rapid transit system in Bali, Indonesia.
Bali is the main tourist destination hub and largest city of the Lesser Sunda Islands in Indonesia, harbouring 4.5 million inhabitants, of which nearly half are located in Denpasar metropolitan area. It is estimated that over 1 million residents and tourists commute daily in Denpasar metropolitan area each day. Transport issues are attracting increasing political attention with the government. Over 5.2 million international tourists visited Bali in 2023.[2] Denpasar is the busiest entry port to Indonesia ahead of Jakarta and Batam.[3] In 2019, around 1.3 million of foreign tourists came from Australia, 1.1 million from China, and 0.4 million from India.[4] Meanwhile, 9.5 million domestic tourists visited Bali in 2023.[5]
Gridlock
The idea of constructing an MRT in Bali appeared in 2022 after COVID-19 and recovery in tourism arrivals, because of congested and hazardous roads, and in popular and built-up areas, gridlock frustrates locals and tourists.[6]
First development
The process of developing the first line of the Bali MRT began when President Joko Widodo designated the system as a national project. In September 2024, the project was collaborated with CRCC for the MRT project. In total, the investment value for the first two lines reached US$10.8 billion and for the entire four lines is US$20 billion.[1]
Work on line 1 is expected to be slower due to rocky and hard underground conditions, compared to line 2 which can be faster because of the limestone or alluvial soil conditions which makes it easier during the drilling process.[1]
Continued development
At the same time as the inauguration of the first phase of the North-South Line, President Joko Widodo also launched the construction of the first phase of the Ngurah Rai Airport to Cemagi Line and Ngurah Rai Airport to Nusa Dua Line. The first is the Bali Provincial Government Urban Railway with 4 lines consisting of four MRT lines "Bali Urban Railway" lines.[7]
The routes belonging to the Bali provincial government are:[7]
MRT Ngurah Rai International Airport–Cemagi Line.
MRT Ngurah Rai International Airport–Nusa Dua Line.
MRT Sentral Parkir Kuta–Sanur Line.
MRT Renon–Sukawati–Ubud Line.
Funding
Phase 1
The project is fully financed by the private sector based on a business-to-business approach. This means that the Subway Bali project was built without state and or regional budgets or loans guaranteed by the government, both central and regional. The investment value for the first phase (line 1 and 2) reached US$10.8 billion.[8]
Phase 2
The investment value for phase 2 (line 3 and 4) reached US$10 billion, bringing total investments into US$20 billion.[8]
System network
The Bali MRT is expected to stretch across over 60 kilometres (37 mi), including 16.0 kilometres (9.9 mi) for the Ngurah Rai Airport to Cemagi line and 13.5 kilometres (8.4 mi) for the Ngurah Rai Airport to Nusa Dua line. Trains run on the right to match Indonesian railways, which also have right handed traffic, despite Indonesia having left-hand road traffic.[7]
The following table lists the MRT lines that are currently under construction or planned as of September 2024. Planned lines are preliminary and could still be altered before entering construction phase.[9]
