KA Probowangi: Train from Surabaya to Ketapang (for the Bali ferry)

KA Probowangi is a train service in East Java from Surabaya to Ketapang. The train connects the largest city in East Jave to the ferry port for Bali.

KA Probowangi departs Surabaya at 05:35 and arrives at Ketapang at 12:45, for a total travel time of 7h 10m. This is the best train service if you want to travel from Java to Bali in daylight hours. There are also overnight sleeper trains that arrive at Ketapang in the morning.

Surabaya to Ketapang train map

Map of the route from urabaya to Ketapang, and the Ketapang Ferry Port.

[Map of KA Probowangi train from Surabaya to Ketapang.]

Buying tickets

It is recommended to book tickets in advance for long-distance trains in Java.

Tickets can be booked on the official KAI site or on Tiket (a more user-friendly site for English). My ticket cost 62,500 IDR ($3.94 USD).

The stations are Surabaya Gubeng (SGU) and Ketapang (KTG) in Banyuwangi (there are two Ketapang stations in Indonesia, so double-check this).

Surabaya Gubeng

KA Probowangi departs from Surabaya Gubeng (the main passenger station in Surabaya). There is also Surabaya Kota (City), which sounds like it should be the main station, but it’s not.

There are cafes at Gubeng Station, but they aren’t open at this early hour. There is a convenience store that serves coffee next to the station on the Jl. Stasiun Gubeng entrance (the side facing the river).

Onboard KA Probowangi

[KA. Probowangi Ketapang – Surabaya Gubeng.]

KA Probowangi is all economy class, so there are are no other seat options such as Eksekutif and Premium on other long-distance trains.

The seats are bench seats in 2×3 configuration. You can choose your seat when booking.

I never intentionally book these seats that face each other, but somehow I managed to end up in this seat. If the booking site doesn’t show this, then don’t book the seats in the middle section.

There are seated toilets onboard.

The train was full at one point, but passengers come and go throughout the trip. The busiest station was at Probolinggo, with more passengers getting on and off here than anywhere else. Probolinggo is a useful stop to get to Mount Bromo.

[Passengers at Probolinggo Station.]

There is no restaurant carriage on this train, but food is still served. There are limited snacks sold, and the ever-reliable Indonesian staple of nasi goreng (fried rice).

The rice is kept separate from rest of the meal to keep it fresher.

There is also a mobile drinks service.

There are power outlets by the window, but no onboard wifi.

Scenery from Surabaya to Ketapang

KA Probowangi travels through the Eastern salient of Java (also referred to as The Horseshoe). The scenery becomes spectacular after Probolinggo. The train travels south between Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park and Mount Argopuro.

There are more terraced rice fields here, and the stops along the way are small towns.

Most of the track is through natural settings.

The railway through this eastern section of Java is just as scenic as the train from Bandung to Yogyakarta. I’m amazed that rail travel in Java isn’t more famous.

Ketapang

Ketapang is the last stop. The station was previously known as Banyuwangi Baru Station unitl 2019, and some guides still refer to it as that.

The Ketapang ferry port is about 10-minutes walk away. There are cycle rickshaws but they can only take you to the gate (about 5-minutes walk).

If you are going to Bali, read my full guide on how to travel from Java to Bali by train, ferry, and bus.

[Bali ferry at-Ketapang.]

This train travel review is part of my Southeast Asia railways guide.