Indonesia: a perfect example of how'far off'countries are embracing rail tourism

摘要

In june, I was invited to speak at a meeting of heritage and tourist train organisers, convened in Indonesia, to launch the founding of the Asia Pacific Heritage and Tourist Rail Organisations.I have to confess that not having set foot in that country before, I was woefully ignorant of its railway infrastructure, so was delighted to find a national network covering most of the central island of Java -and, I understand Sumatra - but, more surprisingly, to find steam operations alive and well on designated lines.