Red Line, new Grand Station to launch in March with free rides

By The Nation

 

 

The Bangkok Red Line from Bang Sue to Rangsit (North) and Bang Sue to Taling Chan (West) will open in March next year with free rides for a three-month trial period, said Transport Minister Saksayam Chibchob on Monday.

 

He added that the Bang Sue Grand Station will open for use before March.

 

Saksayam announced the new Red Line schedule after meeting on Monday with the Japan International Cooperation Organisation (JICA), which has invested about Bt87.4 billion in the project. In August, Saksayam said construction of the Bang Sue-Rangsit Red Line was at least Bt10.3 billion overbudget and required more money from the government.

 

“We received a progress report on the Red Line which says commercial service is scheduled to start in November 2021. Regarding the budget exceeding the specified framework, we have assured JICA that we will discuss [the matter] with the Finance Ministry, said the transport minister, adding that the budget snag would not affect rail operations.

 

He said tests on the Red Line were currently underway ahead of the scheduled trial opening for free rides from March to May. The full service will launch in November 2021.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30398058

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-11-17

 

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7 hours ago, webfact said:

 

The Bangkok Red Line from Bang Sue to Rangsit (North) and Bang Sue to Taling Chan (West) will open in March next year with free rides for a three-month trial period

 

Why free? It's only 10.3 billion overbudget, after all. Thai logic then is to give it away free.

8 hours ago, webfact said:

He said tests on the Red Line were currently underway ahead of the scheduled trial opening for free rides from March to May. The full service will launch in November 2021.

 

So what happens between May and November? The trains stop running? Or is something missing from this report?

40 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

Why free? It's only 10.3 billion overbudget, after all. Thai logic then is to give it away free.

It's because it is a trial period where they can test the trains and systems with real people in a real world situation.  Pretty obvious really and not uncommon.

27 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

It's because it is a trial period where they can test the trains and systems with real people in a real world situation.  Pretty obvious really and not uncommon.

 

You say it's not uncommon. Can you tell me anywhere else, other than Thailand/Bangkok, where they do that? I know that new airport terminals sometimes check things out with employees and volunteers before opening, checking signage is adequate and so on, but never railways or stations.

 

And I still don't understand why it should be free. Or do they expect chaos and breakdowns so they build in an automatic 'refund'.

38 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

You say it's not uncommon. Can you tell me anywhere else, other than Thailand/Bangkok, where they do that? I know that new airport terminals sometimes check things out with employees and volunteers before opening, checking signage is adequate and so on, but never railways or stations.

 

And I still don't understand why it should be free. Or do they expect chaos and breakdowns so they build in an automatic 'refund'.

I'm no world expert on urban mass transits but a quick Google shows free trials in LA, one month free trial of a new metro line in Taiwan, Sydney's tram was initially free.  Like I said not uncommon.  Thailand does seem to do it for much longer than anywhere else though.  

If it is genuinely a test then why shouldn't it be free?  You are helping them to test their systems - why should you pay for that?

In other threads people moan that the mass transit lines are too expensive, now we have a moan when they make them free.

14 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

In other threads people moan that the mass transit lines are too expensive, now we have a moan when they make them free.

You confuse a question with a moan. I didn't moan. I questioned the logic of giving something for free when they are in a deep hole of debt.

 

Thanks for the info on the other systems.

On 11/17/2020 at 12:55 PM, Bangkok Barry said:

You confuse a question with a moan. I didn't moan. I questioned the logic of giving something for free when they are in a deep hole of debt.

 

Thanks for the info on the other systems.

The JICA loan that funded the Dark Red line and Bang Sue station has such low interest rates that the debt doesn't really matter. However, the MOT has had to top up extra funds for design changes and modifications. Bang Sue is the new intercity terminal for all current and future HSR trains so it is inaccurate to compare that part of the construction debt with the future earnings of just the 2 SRT Red lines.

 

As we have seen with the BMA funded BTS extensions which have free ride periods, the thinking has been that it is both to draw pax into using the new ext and to compensate for the fact that these extensions have opened late. Also, I think that you'll find that the 3 month period may not be the whole section and most likely it will be at a reduced frequency.

 

As for these lines. the Light Red line was opened in late 2012 and ran limited services before it closed in early 2014 due to the fact that the SRT didn't have rolling stock for the line and that Bang Sue hadn't started construction. The Dark Red line was originally due to open in late 2016 so it is only a little late.......????

 

Late least year the SRT suggested that the line wouldn't open until early 2022 so anything earlier works for everyone, free or otherwise.

 

Remember, for the Dark Red line this is the first 21.6km of what will eventually a 87km line running from Thammasat Uni to Samut Sakhon which at this rate will be completed by 2050.......