Rail Link Between Bangkok and Suvarnabhumi Airport to Start December 5

[Gaybutton]

Suvarnabhumi Airport Link Sets Soft Launch for December 5

 

BANGKOK, Sept 5 (TNA)

 

The long-delayed Airport Rail Link project, providing direct rail service to and from Suvarnabhumi Airport, will start providing free service to the public from this December 5 which coincides with the birthday celebrations of His Majesty the King, said State Railway of Thailand (SRT) Governor Yuthana Tupcharoen.

 

People interested in free rides on December 5 may apply for tickets beginning October 1 at either the Airport Rail Link office or at SRT headquarters, Mr. Yuthana said.

 

Test runs of the system have been conducted since February by Siemens, the manufacturer and installer of the rail system, and no problems have been found. However, independent engineers will inspect the safety system for the next three months and if no problems are found, the system will be ready for operation.

 

The SRT board has also hired Deutsche Bahn International of Germany for Bt85 million to train Airport Rail Link staff. The board exports to launch the system on December 5, Mr Yuttana added.

 

The 28-km rail link connects Suvarnabhumi International Airport in adjacent Samut Prakan province and the City Air Terminal in Bangkok’s Makkasan area.

 

The Airport Rail Link is owned and will be operated by SRT, through a subsidiary company, which will administer the overall operations.

 

According to a preliminary study, the fare for an express trip will be Bt150 per person, while fares for the City Line commuter trips, will vary from Bt30-50 per passenger.

 

Transport for airport express riders and local commuters will run on the same track with the same equipment, but with a staggered schedule.

 

Premium-fare express services will run on the hour between Suvarnabhumi Airport and City Air Terminal, while the City Line service will stop at six local stations along the route.

 

(TNA)

[Guest lvdkeyes]

Now they just need to get a link between Pattaya and the airport.

[macaroni21]

Premium-fare express services will run on the hour between Suvarnabhumi Airport

 

It runs only once per hour. Costs 150 baht (before adding the cost of the taxi from Makkasan to hotel). Doesn't sound competitive.

[Guest HeyGay]

Does any one know what the name of the stations will be before you get to Silom Line.

[Gaybutton]

Does any one know what the name of the stations will be before you get to Silom Line.

The closest I can find are:

 

http://gmap.gits.net.th/en/projectInfo.asp

 

http://www.bangkokairporttrain.com/index.html

[Guest fountainhall]

It runs only once per hour. Costs 150 baht (before adding the cost of the taxi from Makkasan to hotel). Doesn't sound competitive

 

Frankly, I think the pricing is pretty ridiculous! This afternoon I took a taxi from Suvarnabhumi to my apartment in the centre of the city, and the cost including tolls was not much more than the cost of the airport train for 2 people!

 

Earlier this morning, I took Tokyo's non-stop Narita Express for around

[macaroni21]

Does any one know what the name of the stations will be before you get to Silom Line.

 

When you say "Silom line", do you mean the BTS (skytrain) line that runs from National Stadium to Wongwien Yai? I think the answer is that there is no direct transfer.

 

The website http://www.bangkokairporttrain.com/index.html says

 

- * - * -

 

The Airport Link to Suvarnabhumi Airport will provide 2 Transit options:

 

 

* A Direct Express Train that will take 15 minutes from the City Air Terminal (Makkasan) train station. This service will connect to the city

[Guest fountainhall]

I went to the airport website as I assumed it would have up to date information. Only partly correct! According to one page, the train infrastructure is "40 percent complete and is scheduled for completion in November 2007"

 

But on another, it does give much more up to date information.The commuter train will take 27 minutes against the 15 minutes for the non-stop express. So those missing the fast train may not mind taking the slower one.

 

The stops, according to the site, are -

 

Suvarnabhumi Airport - Lad Krabang - Thub Chang - Hua Mark - Ramkhamhaeng - Makkasan (City Air Terminal - interchange with MRT Phetchaburi Station) - Ratchaprarop - Phayathai (interchange with BTS Skytrain Phayathai Station)

 

The following site has some useful maps showing how the BTS and MRT will link in to the new railway -

 

http://www.top-travel-bangkok.com/suvarnabhumi_airport_link.htm

[Gaybutton]

scheduled for completion in November 2007

Thai time is one thing, but this is ridiculous . . .

[Guest jtrack33]

There is a rail link from Pattaya to the airport. It leaves at 14:21 and arrives at Lat Krabang station(at the airport virtually) at 17:20 for Bht31. From the airport to Pattaya...it leaves at 8:06 and arrives at Pattaya at 10:35.

 

The new airport link does go to Paya Thai after leaving the City terminal mentioned above and it is already complete. I am sure all the system will open at the same time. It meets Phaya Thai BTS station at 90 degrees and briefly passes over the existing BTS line. The connection will be direct(ie, the two lines meet at the same station) and the two lines linked by short walkway.

The distance from the City terminal to MRT Petchaburi station is about 200 meters.

[Guest fountainhall]

Now all we need is for the BTS and MRT management to tell us how they are going to handle the extra demand from airline passengers with luggage on trains which are already vastly overcrowded at peak time.

[Gaybutton]

luggage on trains which are already vastly overcrowded at peak time.

I wouldn't be a bit surprised if their answer would be "Don't go at peak time."