Introducing the service, which connects Jakarta to Bandung, one of Indonesia’s largest economic hubs, is President Joko Widodo.

In Bahasa Indonesia, Whoosh means time-saving and reliable.

To ease the country’s severe traffic jams, Mr Widodo has prioritized projects like Whoosh.

As a result of land disputes, the Covid-19 pandemic, and a $1.2bn (£984m) budget overrun, the railway was originally scheduled to open in 2019.

In order to accommodate Mr Jokowi’s schedule, the inauguration was pushed back from Sunday to Monday. PT KCIC operates Whoosh, a joint venture between four Indonesian state companies and Beijing’s China Railway International.

This system stands for “Waktu Hemat, Operasi Optimal, Sistem Handal”, which means “Timesaving, Optimal Operation, Reliable System”. With 142km of travel, it can reach speeds of 350km/h (217mph).

“The name is inspired by the sound of a rushing high-speed train,” Mr Widodo said at the launch.

The high-speed railway is expected to increase Indonesia’s economic productivity. The trains are also powered by electricity, which will reduce the country’s carbon footprint.

Indonesia’s Silicon Valley is often referred to as Bandung, the capital of West Java province.

Dedi Dinarto, lead Indonesia analyst at strategic advisory firm Global Counsel, predicts the bullet train’s speed will appeal primarily to business travelers and tourists.

There is uncertainty about whether this substantial infrastructure investment, funded both by China and the national budget, will prove profitable for the government.