Service
In December 1994, KAI Ltd launched the Suryajaya, a executive class intercity long distance service running the Jakarta-Surabaya route in 10 hours, using newly refurbished executive class passenger coaches (ex-East German imports produced for KAI in the 1960s), a dining car, baggage generator car, and a CC201 diesel locomotive.
The immediate predecessor of this train, the JS950 Argo Bromo, made the Jakarta–Surabaya run in a record nine hours (one less than the Suryajaya) and was inaugurated with its first official trip in Gambir Station on 31 July 1995 by the second President of Indonesia, Suharto, ahead of both the 50th Indonesian Independence Day Golden Jubilee celebrations in 17 August (hence the JS950, for "Jakarta–Surabaya in nine hours, launched to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Indonesia's independence"[3]) - and the golden jubilee of Kereta Api Indonesia that September. The success of the service led to the introduction of Argo Bromo Anggrek service which commenced with its first timetable appearance on 24 September 1997.
The difference between Argo Bromo Anggrek and the original JS950 Argobromo intercity train service, which would be fused into the former in the 2000s, is the usage of a set of more sophisticated passenger coaches with bolsterless bogies, which are made locally by Indonesian Railway Industry Ltd (INKA) - no less than future president B. J. Habibie was responsible for the concept and partially the design for these passenger coaches, the first all-Indonesian produced modern long distance executive class coaches for intercity services after years of licensed productions by INKA from overseas designs. Although initially hailed as technological innovation of its day, even nicknamed as "747 on rail" by Tourism Minister Joop Ave, they were later downgraded in later years by having the disc brakes replaced with conventional brake shoes, and automatic doors replaced by manual ones due to poor maintenance, especially during and after the 1997 Asian financial crisis and a derailment at Manggarai station in 2010.
In 2021 schedule, From Gambir station (Jakarta), this train departs at 08.00 and 20.30, and arrives at Pasar Turi station (Surabaya) at 16.42 and 05.12. From Pasar Turi, this train departs at 09.00 and 20.35, arrives at Gambir at 17.44 and 05.19.
Currently Anggrek train consists are composed of eight executive class and one Luxury class passenger coaches, together with a compartment suite sleeping car, a dining car and baggage-generator car, all pulled by GE CM20EMP (previously GE U20C) locomotives. At the time of its first inauguration, the train used a set of special coaches with "K9" bolsterless bogies. Since December 2010, coaches from the Sembrani and other standard executive class trains (K1) substitute the K9 coaches, which in that stage underwent refurbishment and renovation at INKA factories located in Madiun, East Java. Since 2019, Argo Bromo Anggrek uses stainless-steel coaches produced by INKA which has a standardized design as other executive class coaches built in the same period in Indonesia.[4] Since 29 March 2024, Argo Bromo Anggrek has officially used the "New Generation" executive trainsets whose overall construction have a 2023/2024 stainless steel body made by PT INKA.[5]
Starting February 1, 2025, Argo Bromo Anggrek train no longer stops on Bojonegoro and Pekalongan Stations, so that the train can shorten its distance time to 7 hours 45 minutes.
On June 1, 2025, Argo Bromo Anggrek officially added the Compartment Suite sleeper/compartment car, also made by INKA, to its consist, which is also the same used on three intercity long distance services, the Bima and Argo Semeru, and the new Sangkuriang, becoming the 3rd Argo class train to receive this coach for the overnight runs from Jakarta to Surabaya.[6]
On May 5, 2026, KAI Ltd announced that the train service will be renamed the Anggrek beginning May 9, in a decision that sparked outrage and shock amongst the rail enthusiast community and the riding public, given that the historic Argo Bromo branding was to be officially retired by the company after 31 years with effect from May 8. It would remain an Argo-classed service, however, given its long history and prestige as KAI's flagship northern Java intercity service.[7]
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