East Kalimantan railway project is a development of 203 km single track railway to be supported with other infrastructure such as the stations, coal jetty, seaport, and coal fired power plant (15 MW). PT. Kereta Api Borneo will operate the project. The project scope includes West Kutai Regency, Paser Regency, Penajam Paser Utara regency, and Balikpapan city.

The project is aimed to reduce distribution cost and time which would encourage mining companies to improve their productions. Although the railway status is as a special railway, there is a potential that PT. Kereta Api Borneo will use the railway for logistics of palm oil, timber, and passenger.