Bangkok: Fewer trains for Hualampong as era of Bang Sue hub beckons

[rooster59]

Bangkok: Fewer trains for Hualampong as era of Bang Sue hub beckons

 

Image: Daily News

 

The days of the grand old station of Hualampong in Bangkok being the hub of Thai train travel are coming to an end.

 

Services to the famous station in the downtown area are set to be scaled right back with the opening of the Bang Sue Grand Central station in the northern suburb of Chatuchak later this year.

 

Daily News reported that the PR department of the SRT - State Railways of Thailand - are working on a plan initiated by the transport ministry.

 

This will see Bang Sue become the main hub.

 

Benefits will be many according to the plans as they work on cutting down the number of trains going into the downtown area.

 

This will mean that dirty diesel services will no longer pollute the central area. And traffic will no longer have to stop to allow trains to pass frequently at level crossings in the central city.

 

This has been the bane of road users in Bangkok for decades especially during rush hours when delays of several minutes are frequent to allow trains to pass.

 

Greater use of Bang Sue, that will be much better connected to the new networks within the city like the soon to begin Red Line, will further improve travel prospects. 

 

Now the SRT is working on which services into Hualampong will be cut and which will be redirected to Bang Sue.

 

Source: Daily News

 

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[bluesofa]

33 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

This will mean that dirty diesel services will no longer pollute the central area.

That gives the impression they can continue to pollute the outer areas at will.

 

34 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

Now the SRT is working on which services into Hualampong will be cut and which will be redirected to Bang Sue.

After spending time and money building a new station, the SRT now appear to be working out how it will actually work, suggesting it hasn't been considered until now.

[NCC1701A]

if you have not seen it the new bang sue station is huge and amazing looking. 

[josephbloggs]

30 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

if you have not seen it the new bang sue station is huge and amazing looking. 

Yes, very impressive.

[ballpoint]

So, we're all going to bang sue?  How does sue feel about this?

[Proboscis]

5 hours ago, ballpoint said:

So, we're all going to bang sue?  How does sue feel about this?

Look on the bright side - tourists will at least be able to pronounce the name of the station. Ever try to pronounce Hualampong after a few beers, let alone try to remember it?

[khaowong1]

Some good memories of Hualampong. 

[bangkok19]

Every time I arrive at Hualompong on the underground I think of The Traveling Wilbury's song...  the P.A. announcement...  "This is the end of the line!"

Definitely the end of the line for the old station. Many fond memories catching the 6pm (so-called) express to Chiangmai.

The 6pm National Anthem playing out of the PA system...  the train whistle, then she'd depart!

[MaiDong]

5 hours ago, Proboscis said:

Look on the bright side - tourists will at least be able to pronounce the name of the station. Ever try to pronounce Hualampong after a few beers, let alone try to remember it?

It's not pronounced the same as the ladies name Sue, so the incorrect pronunciation of the capitals railway hub will continue... 

[soi3eddie]

 

I remember once seeing the Eastern & Oriental Express train getting ready to depart from Hua Lumphong to Singapore. My mother and I walked the whole length of the train and back peering into the beautiful carriages and dining cars as the waiters were setting tables for dinner. A truly opulent way to travel from a charming station in the (relative) centre of the city. Can't see the feeling being quite the same at Bang Sue no matter how nice the station is (it does look good though).

 

[khunjeff]

23 hours ago, bluesofa said:

That gives the impression they can continue to pollute the outer areas at will.

 

After spending time and money building a new station, the SRT now appear to be working out how it will actually work, suggesting it hasn't been considered until now.

 

The whole exercise of building Bang Sue Grand Station seems to have been a bit like the Field of Dreams - build it, and they will come.

[Golden Triangle]

7 hours ago, soi3eddie said:

 

I remember once seeing the Eastern & Oriental Express train getting ready to depart from Hua Lumphong to Singapore. My mother and I walked the whole length of the train and back peering into the beautiful carriages and dining cars as the waiters were setting tables for dinner. A truly opulent way to travel from a charming station in the (relative) centre of the city. Can't see the feeling being quite the same at Bang Sue no matter how nice the station is (it does look good though).

 

 

I have been fortunate to have travelled from Singapore to Bangkok on that train, I would love to do it again one day, I did post some photos on here just after we got back. A fantastic memory.

[bangkok19]

On 1/24/2021 at 5:41 PM, Golden Triangle said:

 

I have been fortunate to have travelled from Singapore to Bangkok on that train, I would love to do it again one day, I did post some photos on here just after we got back. A fantastic memory.

I've always wanted to do a trip on that train.

I remember once trying to get on the train at Hualompong to video the interior....   WRONG!!!   A security guard at every door, they politely escorted me off.

I always thought it would be nice sipping a chilled Chardy on that open-air verandah at the back of the last carriage watching the scenery disappear behind the train.....    until I saw all the smokers crowded in that area smoking.  I don't know if it's still allowed.

 

[Golden Triangle]

2 hours ago, bangkok19 said:

I've always wanted to do a trip on that train.

I remember once trying to get on the train at Hualompong to video the interior....   WRONG!!!   A security guard at every door, they politely escorted me off.

I always thought it would be nice sipping a chilled Chardy on that open-air verandah at the back of the last carriage watching the scenery disappear behind the train.....    until I saw all the smokers crowded in that area smoking.  I don't know if it's still allowed.

 

 

I was a smoker when we did the trip, I used to go down there when it was quiet, surprisingly not many people there most of the time and I did respect non smokers, the other thing that surprised me was that you had to pay for alcoholic drinks, and not cheap either, I heard after that all non branded spirits were free now, all in all it was a fantastic trip, due to a combination of breakdowns and bad weather we didn't manage to do the excursions, so as a form of recompense wine & spirits were free with meals and for a while in the bars.

 

If you can do it I would highly recommend it ????????

[cormanr7]

I take a train now and then from the old Bang Sue station next to the new Bang Sue Grand Station. An impressive building indeed, often touted as the largest railways station in SE Asia. Well, that would be the largest without passengers then. Until recently, after endless delays, it was supposed to open Jan. 2021 but now postponed again I think first to July and now 'possibly' November. Many articles (like the one in the first post) don't bother to give a starting date/month anymore but vaguely mention 2021.