Is There a Train or LRT in Bali? Project Status 2026

No. As of 20 October 2026 there is no passenger train, LRT, metro or tram operating in Bali, and the island has no railway at all. The nearest trains are in Java: the national KAI network ends in Banyuwangi, near Ketapang port, across the strait from Gilimanuk. What Bali has is a plan, and that plan changed shape only last month.

From subway to tram: what happened

• 4 September 2024: a groundbreaking ceremony for an underground rail project (often called Bali Urban Rail or the Bali LRT) was held at Sentral Parkir Kuta. Phase one was to run from Ngurah Rai Airport via Kuta, Seminyak and Canggu to Cemagi. It was meant to be fully privately funded, with a price tag reported in the hundreds of trillions of rupiah (figures differ between outlets). The first phase was originally due around 2028.
• February-April 2026: The Bali Sun and other outlets reported that no visible construction had taken place since the 2024 ceremony.
• August 2026: Governor Wayan Koster announced the metro was being dropped in favour of light rail, citing weak private investor interest (International Railway Journal, 14 August 2026).
• 1 September 2026: the Bali provincial government, Badung Regency and state railway PT KAI signed a joint agreement on rail development in Bali (Bali Transport Agency release). It covers studies: data collection, feasibility or detailed design, multimodal integration and staff training.
• 21 September 2026: at a plenary session of the Bali legislature, Koster said the chosen mode is a battery-powered electric tram with no overhead wires. According to Bali Post (22 September 2026), KAI has presented the plan three times and Koster said the budget has been prepared.

Route and targets for the Airport-Canggu tram

The figures used by local government as of September 2026, per Bali Post:

• Phase 1: Ngurah Rai Airport-Kuta-Legian, about 6.6 km. Commercial operation targeted for Q4 2028.
• Phase 2: Legian-Seminyak-Canggu, about 6.5 km. Commercial operation targeted for Q1 2031.
• Construction start: targeted for 2027. The province earlier mentioned a groundbreaking in March 2027.

Railway Gazette (21 September 2026) adds that KAI is still also studying ART (autonomous rail rapid transit), an articulated electric bus guided by sensors along its own lane, so the final form is not settled. Technical studies, the exact alignment, land, a depot and permits are all still outstanding. Bali has already seen 2027-2028 targets come and go for the previous project, so treat these dates as targets, not a timetable. For trips in 2026, 2027 and very likely 2028, plan on no train.

How to get around Bali right now

• Trans Metro Dewata: air-conditioned city buses on six corridors, including Sentral Parkir Kuta-Pesiapan Terminal, Ubung Terminal-Ngurah Rai Airport, Ubung-Sanur, Ubung-Monkey Forest Ubud and Sentral Parkir Kuta-Nusa Dua. The standard fare is Rp4,400 per ride (about US$0.27), Rp2,000 for students, seniors and people with disabilities, paid cashless by e-money card or QRIS. Buses run roughly 05:00-19:00 depending on the corridor (IDN Times Bali, 2026). Very cheap, but rarely door to door and finished by early evening.
• Kura-Kura Bus: a private tourist shuttle. According to the operator's blog it relaunched in April 2026 with routes covering Kuta, Sanur, Ubud and up to Kintamani. Check fares and times on kura2bus.com, as they change often.
• Grab, Gojek and metered taxis: the most practical option for most visitors. Pick-ups by app drivers are restricted at some spots (the airport, parts of Ubud and Canggu), so use the official pick-up point shown in the app.
• Car with driver: the sensible choice for long trips to Sidemen, Amed or Munduk.
• Bali Mandara Toll Road: the sea toll road linking Benoa, the airport and Nusa Dua, open to motorbikes too. Rates and payment are covered in our Bali Mandara Toll Road 2026 article.

Routes, fares and when public buses are worth using are compared in our guide to public transport in Bali 2026.

Worth keeping in mind

The corridor the tram is meant to serve, Airport-Kuta-Seminyak-Canggu, is currently the most congested stretch of south Bali. If you are flying out from the Canggu or Seminyak area, allow 60-90 minutes to the airport in the afternoon rush. For news of a groundbreaking, route change or delay, the fastest sources are the Bali Transport Agency website, PT KAI press releases and Bali Post. Status checked 20 October 2026.