KAI Commuter originated from the
Jabotabek Urban Transport Division () of KAI (previously PT Kereta Api), which was separated from Operational Area I Jakarta (
Daerah Operasi I Jakarta) of KAI. The division handles the Jabotabek commuter rail (currently
KRL Commuterline), while the
Daerah Operasi I handles long-distance trains and railway infrastructures. KAI Commuter was founded on 15 September 2008 as
PT KAI Commuter Jabodetabek (KCJ, branded later as "Commuterline" or simply "Commuter"), as a spin-off from KAI. The company formation was based on Presidential Instruction (
Instruksi Presiden) No. 5 of 2008 (signed by
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono) and Letter of
State Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (
Surat Menneg BUMN) No. S-653/MBU/2008 dated 12 August 2008; and got its operating permits from
Ministry of Transportation. The main tasks of the newly formed subsidiary is to provide commuter rail transportation services using
electric trains in Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang and Bekasi (Jabodetabek) and surrounding areas as well as non-passenger transportation business. Ticket revenues, rolling stock maintenance, and station management was transferred to KCJ, but all operational matters (e.g. scheduling and dispatching), rolling stock, stations and infrastructures remained under KAI's responsibility. On 19 September 2017, PT KAI Commuter Jabodetabek changed its name into PT Kereta Commuter Indonesia (), three days after the operator's 9th anniversary. The name change reflects the wider mandate as a commuter rail operator across the country. KCI then rebranded as KAI Commuter on 28 September 2020 along with the logo change of KAI. From 2020 onwards, KAI Commuter began expanding its operations nationwide. Starting October 2020, the operations of both the
Prambanan Express commuter rail and
Lokal Merak train previously managed by KAI were transferred to KAI Commuter after obtain operation permit from Ministry of Transportation on 3 June 2020.
Prambanan Express is a commuter rail serving
Yogyakarta and (formerly)
Surakarta greater areas, which includes cities and regencies in
Special Region of Yogyakarta and
Central Java, while
Lokal Merak is an economy-class local train operating from
Rangkasbitung Station (a terminus of
KRL Commuterline Green Line) to
Merak Station (the westernmost station in Java which has connection to the
Port of Merak) and vice versa.
Prambanan Express is currently no longer serving Surakarta greater area as the electric
KAI Commuter Yogyakarta Line became operational in February 2021 on the segment between Surakarta and Yogyakarta. Starting 1 April 2022, KAI Commuter took over the Greater Bandung commuter trains, which consisted of two lines. In 2024, the entire Surabaya commuter rail network began to be operated by KAI Commuter as its eastern division. ==Services==