Makassar to Barru by Train

The Makassar to Parepare line is the opening stage of the planned Trans-Sulawesi railway. Services currently run along the completed section between Mandai, north of Makassar, and Garongkong near Barru, covering around 110km of the eventual 142km route.

Be realistic about what this is. Departures are infrequent, the intermediate stations have little around them, and most passengers are locals or Makassar residents taking a day trip. It is not currently a practical way to travel in South Sulawesi.

Why ride it anyway: the line passes Rammang-Rammang, one of the largest karst landscapes in the world, and the limestone towers are visible from the train. The route is also built to standard gauge rather than the narrower track used throughout Java and Sumatra, which makes it a genuine oddity on the Indonesian network.

The full line to Parepare has been under construction in stages since 2022, with further sections expected to open as work completes.