Medan to Tanjung Balai

Tanjung Balai is a river-mouth port town on the Strait of Malacca and the end of the line for North Sumatra's east coast railway. The Putri Deli is the only passenger train that goes there, covering roughly 175km from Medan in just over four hours, and it is one of the busiest services in the region.

The service: three trains a day each way, the first leaving Medan in the early morning and the last in the evening, which arrives late at night. The train is ekonomi only, with face-to-face seating and a low subsidised fare. Locals use it heavily, and it is the most travelled route in North Sumatra over the Lebaran holiday, so book ahead in Access by KAI.

The route: the train follows the main line south-east via Lubuk Pakam and Perbaungan to Tebing Tinggi, then on through plantation country to Kisaran, where it leaves the line to Rantau Prapat and takes the branch down to the coast. The landscape is almost entirely oil palm and rubber estate: interesting as a slice of working Sumatra, but not a scenic ride.

At the other end: Tanjung Balai station is in the Teluk Nibung area by the port and dates from 1915, built by the Deli Railway Company to move estate produce to the ships. There is little tourist infrastructure here, so this route suits travellers curious about the coast rather than those on a tight itinerary.

For the return journey see Tanjung Balai to Medan. For the longer journey south on the same main line see Medan to Rantau Prapat, and for the inland branch see Medan to Pematangsiantar.