Comparison

Access by KAI vs Explorer.id

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Access by KAI

This app simplifies train travel in Indonesia by allowing users to book various train tickets, manage existing bookings, and access loyalty rewards. It also offers trip planning, online payments, food ordering, and entertainment features for a comprehensive travel experience.

Highlights
  • Book intercity, local, LRT, KCI, and airport train tickets
  • Manage and modify existing ticket bookings
  • Add tickets purchased from external channels
  • Earn and redeem loyalty points (Railpoin)
  • Trip planner and online payment (PPOB) services
  • Order food and beverages (Railfood)
  • In-app entertainment features
Features
Read full description

The Access by KAI application is the official application from PT Kereta Api Indonesia (Persero) which makes it easy for users to access various kinds of services related to train travel in Indonesia.   TICKET RESERVATIONS Access by KAI provides various menus for ordering train tickets starting from intercity train tickets, local train tickets, LRT Jabodebek train tickets, KCI train tickets, Airport train tickets and Fast Train tickets, all of which can be accessed in one application.   The Connecting Train menu in the Access by KAI application is useful for users who want to schedule connecting trains. The system in the application will find a combination of connecting train schedules as desired   MANAGE TICKET BOOKING Users of the Access by KAI application can manage previously purchased train tickets. Passengers can add their tickets to the Access by KAI application purchased on external channels via the Check & Add Ticket menu. If you have added the ticket, you can change the schedule, cancel the ticket, transfer the ticket or print the e-boarding pass. With this feature in the Access by KAI application, passengers no longer need to bother going to the station.   LOYALTY PROGRAM Railpoin is PT Kereta Api Indonesia's loyalty reward program as a form of our gratitude to our loyal customers. Railpoints will be obtained from every purchase of a train ticket, and can be exchanged back for a train ticket or exchanged at a favorite merchant. Be a premium member and enjoy the benefits!   ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE Entertainment is a form of activity or method designed to provide entertainment or pleasure to people. Like watching movies, listening to music, and much more. Entertainment and lifestyle are closely related because entertainment can be part of a person's lifestyle. The KAI Access application provides several features to support these activities such as:     Trip planner is a feature to assist users in planning their trips. As well as providing information and also organizing trips. With the help of a trip planner, users can easily plan trips in a more organized manner, get relevant information and save time.   PPOB is an online payment system that allows users to make payment transactions electronically in a faster and more efficient way. The PPOB feature is already available at Access by KAI with products being sold such as credit purchases, data packages and electricity tokens.   Railfood is a food and beverage ordering service that is integrated with the Access by KAI Application to make it easier for customers to order food and drinks before or when customers travel by train. The food/drink menu served is a selection of typical train culinary delights and regional specialties.   EoB and Premium Entertainment are additional entertainment features for watching movies streaming in the Access by KAI application without internet quota which can be accessed while traveling using the train's WIFI network. Premium Entertainment is an additional paid entertainment feature for watching movies in streaming which can be accessed anywhere and anytime.   INTERMODA INTEGRATION Access by KAI offers convenience in traveling by train and offers integration with other modes of transportation such as taxis and buses. So that users can plan their trips by train as well as order other modes of transportation   Download the ACCESS by KAI application right now, to be able to access the convenience of traveling by train.   Website: https://kai.id Customer Service: 021-121, email: cs@kai.id Follow us on twitter @keretaapikita & @ kai121 Find us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/keretaapikita Follow us on Instagram http://instagram.com/keretaapikita Watch us on Youtube http://youtube.com/keretaapikita

About

Explorer.id

Discover curated tour packages for exploring Indonesia's archipelago. Book open or private trips with included accommodation and car rentals. Support local communities and enjoy unique travel experiences.

Highlights
  • Open and private trip options
  • Group discounts
  • Wallet with cashback points
  • Special interest packages
  • Unique local experiences
  • Flexible departure dates
Features
Read full description

As a digital travel platform based in Indonesia, Explorer.id simply wants to become your online travel solution by providing various tour packages to explore the Indonesian archipelago through open trip & private trip. With Explorer.id, all you need to do is relax and enjoy your vacation because we provide all the details such as hotel, car rental including awesome experiences once you booked our package. The exclusive deals that we offer do not include flight ticket. By downloading this app, you do not only show your support to Indonesia’s travel and tourism but together with us, you also help improve the economy of the surrounding local communities every time you make a booking / using our services. Besides this app is free and easy to use, these are some cool features you’ll find in Explorer.id: - Flexible Open trip & private trip available. - The more the merrier! The more people join, the cheaper the price. - Wallet & cashback Every time you book a trip, you’ll get points on your wallet that you could use for your next trip. - Special Interest Package Special interest packages are available according to your hobby and favorite preferences. - Experiences We invite you to further explore the value, culture, and diversity of one place that will be a memorable experience. - Free to choose your departure date - Trusted Has an awesome professional experienced team & safe website for online transaction. - Don’t worry! The trip will depart no matter how much the travelers are. - This trip is organized by millennials point of view, so we will definitely invite you to see the wonder of one place that you won’t find in any other place. Pretty cool apps, eh? If you read the description until this point, we believe you have the same perspective & excitement with us to explore Indonesia. Just pack your bag and get ready to be amazed. But wait! Before the adventure begins, you need to download this app right away! P.S. We would also be grateful if you could rate our app as well.

Screenshots

Access by KAI4 screens
Explorer.id4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Access by KAI at 4.7 against Explorer.id's 3.0. Access by KAI also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (228 vs 2). Explorer.id's advantage is review sentiment (38% vs 6%) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Access by KAI holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Access by KAI has 228 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 6% of Access by KAI's written reviews are positive against 38% of Explorer.id's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Access by KAI versus Explorer.id: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAccess by KAIExplorer.id
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (228 ratings) — better3.0 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews6.4% of reviews38.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings228 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksEvery 5 weeks
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.6 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size171 MB59 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPT. KERETA API INDONESIAPT WEHA JALAN-JALAN

Customer experience

Access by KAI

All ratings228 ratings
Positive93.9%
Neutral1.8%
Negative4.4%
Written reviews156 reviews
Positive6.4%
Neutral7.1%
Negative86.5%

Explorer.id

All ratings2 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews50 reviews
Positive38.0%
Neutral10.0%
Negative52.0%

Bugs and requests

Access by KAI

Reported bugs

58 issues
  • App crashes frequently
  • App freezes often
  • Loading times are very slow
  • App overheats the phone
  • Battery drains quickly
Show 53 more
  • Foreign credit cards not allowed
  • Foreign users cannot register or log in
  • Tickets not appearing ('jadwal kereta tidak tersedia')
  • Booking timeouts
  • App closes unexpectedly during booking or payment
  • Basic member registration fails
  • OTP not sent or verification fails
  • Payment errors (transaction failed, timeout, session expired)
  • Seat availability shown but not bookable
  • Passport ID not accepted for booking
  • KAI Pay issues (saldo, PIN reset, activation)
  • Rail Food feature not working
  • Face recognition only accepts NIK
  • White screen issues on iOS
  • Error messages like 'jwt expired', 'session expired'
  • Cannot reschedule tickets
  • Cannot cancel tickets
  • Double booking due to status issues
  • App not responding or stuck on loading screens
  • Update pop-up cannot be closed
  • Cannot view train schedules for certain routes
  • Error during payment via OVO
  • Discount tab for elderly passengers not working correctly
  • Cannot select elderly age for discount
  • SMS OTP issues
  • Cannot delete registration
  • App requires frequent restarts
  • Login issues after updates
  • Cannot add payment methods
  • Radio buttons not functioning
  • Cannot book from specific stations (e.g., Jakarta Kota)
  • E-modas not usable
  • Date picker for birth date not working
  • Cannot change phone number
  • Cannot log out
  • App not loading destinations
  • No verification code received
  • App not supported on older iOS versions
  • Cannot change date of birth in profile
  • App not working on iOS 9
  • No train schedules available
  • KAI Pay charges admin fees
  • Cannot upgrade to basic member
  • Cannot find specific stations (e.g., Halim Whoosh)
  • App hangs or becomes a black screen
  • Cannot set up OTP via email
  • Customer service unresponsive
  • Cannot use app on older iOS versions
  • App crashes after clicking destination
  • App closes by itself
  • Login fails
  • Interface too large for smaller screens
  • No verification code for certain SIM cards

Requested features

15 requests
  • Improve app stability and fix bugs
  • Optimize server performance
  • Allow foreign phone numbers for OTP
  • Add English language option
  • Improve KAI Pay functionality
Show 10 more
  • Fix passport ID booking issues
  • Allow background app operation
  • Remove gender-based seat coloring
  • Improve payment options and speed
  • Make app accessible for international users
  • Allow rescheduling
  • Fix OTP issues for registration and upgrades
  • Improve UI/UX for better usability
  • Ensure app compatibility with older iOS versions
  • Add logout option

Explorer.id

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Access by KAI

No in-app purchases

None

Explorer.id

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Access by KAI free?
Access by KAI is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Explorer.id free?
Explorer.id is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Access by KAI or Explorer.id?
Access by KAI is rated higher. Access by KAI averages 4.7 out of 5 from 228 ratings, while Explorer.id averages 3.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Access by KAI or Explorer.id have ads?
Explorer.id shows ads; Access by KAI does not.
Which is updated more often, Access by KAI or Explorer.id?
Access by KAI ships an update every 5 weeks, and Explorer.id every 5 weeks. Most recently, Access by KAI was updated on October 15, 2026 and Explorer.id on October 16, 2026.

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