REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The Indonesian government will invite French investors to explore opportunities to establish cooperation in the high-speed railway line project to connect Jakarta and Bandung (West Java).

"This opportunity is open for all investors," Minister of National Development Planning/Head of the National Planning and Development Board (Bappenas) Andrinof A. Chaniago said here on Tuesday night.

France has a mode of fast trains named Train Grande Vitesse that connects the capital city of Paris with other cities in the country and with towns in neighboring countries such as Belgium, Germany, and Switzerland.

In addition, Chaniago stated that the government has opened greater opportunities for investors who wish to work together to build this mode of transportation for the upper and middle class.

After the investors carry out a feasibility study, the government will review them to determine a partner for the project.

So far, Japan and China have expressed serious interest to the government to work on this project.

Japan has even completed the first phase of its feasibility study, estimating that a total investment of Rp60 trillion will be needed for this project.

Moreover, Chinese investors will soon complete the feasibility study for this project.

According to the Bappenas chief, a special team will be established by the government to assess the investors' feasibility studies.

Based on the study carried out by Japanese investors, this fast train project could shorten the time taken to travel from Jakarta to Bandung to 34 minutes from the current duration of two to three hours.

Furthermore, Japanese investors are planning to conduct their feasibility study in three phases at a total cost of US$15 billion.

In a meeting at the Presidential Palace on July 13, Minister of Transportation Ignatius Jonan said that the government was still reviewing the alignment and the start and end points of this high-speed railway line project.

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