One of the World’s Most Congested Cities Has Big Public Transport Plans

[webfact]

Bang Sue Grand Station in Bangkok is touted to be Southeast Asia’s largest railway hub.

Photographer: Andre Malerba/Bloomberg

 

Thailand’s government hopes a new Bangkok railway station can solve the city’s traffic woes.

 

By Prim Chuwiruch

 

Wrapped in four storeys of reflective glass and covering 298,200 square meters —more than 40 soccer pitches—Bangkok’s Bang Sue Grand Central Station will be more than just a transportation hub. At least, that’s the plan. Thailand’s government is hoping the capital’s new railway station, which opens fully to the public in November, can also solve the traffic woes of one of the world’s most congested cities.

 

“We want to make the rail system the main mode of transport in Thailand, linking the country with regional neighbors,” Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob said during a media event showcasing the development.  The aim is to “lower logistics costs and lessen our dependency on private vehicles, which will fix our road congestion problem in a sustainable way.”

 

It’s an ambitious goal, even for a project as big as Bang Sue. Visible from an overhead expressway where cars commute to and from Bangkok’s downtown, the complex is touted as Southeast Asia’s largest transportation hub, and cost 93.95 billion baht ($3 billion) to build. 

 

Full story: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2021-06-17/bangkok-thailand-has-big-plans-for-new-railway-hub-bang-sue-grand-central

 

-- © Copyright Bloomberg 2021-06-19

 

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[bipper]

Another central world no doubt. Let's get the basics right ????????

[Venom]

...????

[rwill]

I don't really see how a train station is going to ease Bangkok's traffic congestion.

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

Ah linking international destinations by rail.....how very forward thinking of Thailand. It's like the 1800's all over again

[PETERTHEEATER]

2 hours ago, rwill said:

I don't really see how a train station is going to ease Bangkok's traffic congestion.

Have you no imagination? ????

[Sydebolle]

Am I glad to hear, that we are back to the "Mother of" terminology; here possibly the "Mother of all Public Transports" - by all accounts better than "Mother of World's most congested City" 

[DaLa]

17 minutes ago, Sydebolle said:

Am I glad to hear, that we are back to the "Mother of" terminology; here possibly the "Mother of all Public Transports" - by all accounts better than "Mother of World's most congested City" 

It's an apt statement though for Thai Rail.  I used it a few years ago, Bangkok to Hua HIn, and boy I had the Mother of all sore backsides when I arrived.

[Justgrazing]

14 hours ago, webfact said:

—more than 40 soccer pitches

 

As Thailand is p*ss poor when it comes to soccer but has loads of buses surely a better comparison would be 

" 298,200 sq mtrs equivalent to 9840 Bangkok buses " ..

or thereabouts if they were all parked in neat lines .. 

Edited June 19, 2021 by Justgrazing
Sp