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It involves hiring actors to dress up as zombies, transforming ordinary train stations and trains into the setting of a horror movie to attract young passengers and change their perception of public transportation.
Accordingly, last month, PT LRT Jakarta, the light rail operator in Jakarta, Indonesia, and event organizer Pandora Box held the "Apocalypse Train" program. PT LRT Jakarta decorated a train station and a train with an apocalyptic zombie theme. They also prepared a cast of actors in zombie costumes to scare passengers boarding the train.
On the train, there's an actor playing a reporter covering the Pandora virus outbreak – a fictional virus often seen in movies that can turn anyone infected into a zombie. Alongside him, there's an actor playing a soldier wielding a fake gun, fighting zombies to rescue passengers.
The train station had a sign that read, "Danger, Zombie Warning!" while a red warning light flashed continuously.
Genesis Christi, 17, a young passenger who came to the train station to experience the horror, shared: "Although it wasn't real zombies chasing us, everyone was still very scared."
The actors were dressed as zombies.
Sharing the purpose of the program, Billy Junior, CEO of Pandora Box, said that the company, together with PT LRT Jakarta, wants to bring public transportation closer to young people, offering them many exciting options to encourage them to switch to this mode of transport instead of using private vehicles, which lead to congestion and environmental pollution.
Tickets for the Apocalypse Train ride cost 60,000-70,000 rupiah (US$4-4.70). The operator guarantees the 20-minute ride will not disrupt passengers' normal travel. If passengers choose not to take the train, they can still go to the station to watch the performers completely free of charge.
The program ended on September 11th, and there is currently no specific assessment of its effectiveness. With a population of 30 million, Jakarta is one of the cities facing the most severe traffic congestion in the world.
The city began operating its light rail system in December 2019. Although the fares were affordable, at the time, transportation experts argued that local authorities needed to do more to encourage people to switch from private vehicles to public transport.
