Bali shifts mass transit focus from MRT subway to Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit

The Bali Provincial Government has announced it is abandoning plans for a Mass Rapid Transport (MRT) system, known as the Bali Urban Subway, in favor of an Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit (ART) system. Governor Wayan Koster stated the shift was made because the ART—an autonomous electric tram—is considered more efficient and technologically easier to implement than the subway system.

The proposed ART project aims to connect I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport to the Canggu tourism area. While the previously planned subway system carried an estimated investment cost of approximately $20 billion (over Rp300 trillion), the ART option is significantly less expensive, with construction costs estimated at Rp2.2 trillion and path preparation costs near Rp1 trillion.

To facilitate the project, the government is drafting a Gubernatorial Regulation (Pergub) regarding the utilization of underground space, as existing spatial planning rules do not yet account for it. Construction for the ART system is targeted to begin in 2027 once the legal framework is finalized.