Bali Plans to Replace MRT Project with Autonomous Rail Transit (ART)

Bali could be getting a very different kind of mass transit system. Plans for the island’s long-discussed MRT project are now being reconsidered in favour of Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit (ART), a trackless electric transport system that could connect I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport with Canggu.

According to Bali’s Transportation Agency, ART is being considered as a more practical and cost-efficient alternative to a conventional MRT. The system is expected to require lower investment and operating costs, while also being quicker to develop — a potentially important advantage for an island where traffic congestion has become an increasingly pressing issue.

Unlike a traditional train, ART does not run on steel railway tracks. Instead, the electric vehicles travel on rubber tyres and follow a designated virtual route using technologies such as sensors and GPS. This means the system could potentially make use of existing roads without the need to build an extensive rail network from scratch.

Another advantage is its flexibility. ART can share road space with other vehicles where conditions allow, although dedicated lanes may still be needed along busier sections of the route. For Bali, this could mean a mass transit system that is less disruptive to build while remaining adaptable to the island’s existing roads and urban landscape.

The proposed project is reportedly backed by state-owned railway operator PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI), with an estimated investment of around IDR 2.2 trillion. However, Bali’s Transportation Agency says further details are still being worked out as the island moves away from the original MRT concept.

For now, ART remains in the planning and study stage, but the shift signals a new direction for Bali’s long-awaited mass public transport ambitions. With construction reportedly targeted to begin in 2027, the trackless train could eventually offer both residents and visitors a new way to move between the airport, southern Bali and some of the island’s busiest destinations — without adding more cars to already crowded roads.