The Indonesian government reached two historic infrastructure milestones on September 22, 2026, officially commissioning the fully paved 3,000-meter runway at Nusantara Capital Airport and opening Phase 1 of the high-speed toll road network. Located in East Kalimantan, the completed arterial assets link the growing administrative capital directly with coastal logistics hubs.
Constructed under the supervision of the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) and the Nusantara Capital Authority (OIKN), the runway features dimensions of 3,000 by 45 meters. The facility is fully equipped to accommodate wide-body aircraft, including Boeing 777s and Airbus A330s carrying heads of state, international investment delegations, and commercial passengers.
Wide-Body Capability at Nusantara Airport Unlocks Diplomatic Access
Flight calibration and safety trials conducted by the Ministry of Transportation confirmed that the airfield's precision instrument landing systems (ILS), advanced runway lighting, and VIP terminal meet international civil aviation standards. Regular commercial operations and scheduled state services are set to begin immediately.
Simultaneously, PUPR opened Sections 3A, 3B, and 5A of the IKN Tollway, drastically compressing the transit corridor between Sultan Aji Muhammad Sulaiman Sepinggan Airport in Balikpapan and the Central Government Core Area (KIPP). Travel times that previously exceeded two hours across winding provincial roads have been slashed to under 45 minutes.
“The completion of the Nusantara runway and arterial tollways marks our decisive transition from remote site construction to a connected, operating national capital.”
Express Tollway Network Drastically Cuts Logistics Bottlenecks
The toll corridor incorporates advanced environmental engineering, including subterranean wildlife passages designed to preserve the migration paths of indigenous Bornean wildlife such as proboscis monkeys and sun bears. The highway also features a dedicated immersed tunnel under Balikpapan Bay, currently in advanced stages of completion.
The operationalization of vital air and ground connectivity arrives as thousands of state apparatus civil servants prepare for scheduled phased relocations. With domestic private conglomerates and foreign sovereign wealth funds investing billions into hospitals, universities, and commercial zones, Nusantara is rapidly transforming into a thriving sustainable metropolis.
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