Indonesian President Joko Widodo takes a test ride Wednesday on the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway, the first in Southeast Asia. Photo: VCG

Laksmi De-Neefe Suardana (left), the winner of beauty contest Puteri Indonesia 2022, was among the passengers on the trip. Photo: VCG

Widodo arrives at the Padalarang railway station in West Java, Indonesia. Photo: Timur Matahari/VCG

People gather at Jakarta’s Halim station in Indonesia for a test ride of the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed railway on Sept. 8. The railway opened the day before. Photo: Zhang Ruixue/Caixin

Passengers wave for a photo inside the train. Photo: Zhang Ruixue/Caixin

A passenger captures the moment when the train reached a speed of 248 kph (154 mph). Photo: Zhang Ruixue/Caixin

A man walks through the waiting hall of a stop along the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway on Sept. 8. The rail line consists of four stops — in Halim, Karawang, Padalarang, and Tegalluar. Photo: Zhang Ruixue/Caixin

Railway station staff perform handover drills on the platform. Photo: Zhang Ruixue/Caixin

Construction outside Halim station continues on Friday. Photo: Zhang Ruixue/Caixin

The 142-kilometer (88-mile) rail line is a project under China’s Belt and Road infrastructure initiative. It’s set to begin commercial operations in October. Photo: VCG