SRT Red Line to BKK CW Immigration (from Sukhumvit area via MRT Blue Line)

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

       

 

 

       

 

 

 

Last year, when my retirement extension was due, I tried out taking the then-newly opened BTS extension line north to Wat Phra Sri Mahathat Station (the BTS's closest stop to BKK CW Immigration), and concluded for various reasons that it wasn't a better or faster travel option for someone coming from the downtown BKK area than the traditional BTS to Mochit Station, and then taxi northward to BKK CW Immigration on Chaengwattana Road.

 

The report on that trip is here: 

 

This year, I tried the now similarly newly-opened SRT (State Railway of Thailand) Red Line route that has an even closer new Laksi Station at the corner of Chaengwattana Road. I'll provide the details below, but the short summary is, I once again found that for anyone beginning their trip from central/downtown Bangkok, the Red Line route to the Laksi Station likewise probably isn't either a faster or easier mass transit option than taking the BTS Sukhumvit/Light Green Line north to Mochit Station and then a regular meter taxi onward to BKK CW Immigration.

 

In short, as someone starting out from home and walking to the nearby Asoke BTS station in downtown Bangkok, I can usually make it to the Mochit Station in about a half hour or so from the time I walk out my front door. And then typically, the taxi trip from Mochit is about another 30 minutes more to BKK Chaengwattana, with the meter taxi fare typically around 100 baht, plus some extra for the expressway tolls if you choose to use the expressway (60+ baht or so from past memory). So, the total trip by BTS and then taxi ends up being a bit more than an hour for door-to-door service. No walking of any consequence, and taxis are quick, easy and plentiful to catch at BTS Mochit.

 

Using the new Red Line in comparison, from central BKK (Asoke area) getting to BKK CW Immigration requires a two-part rail trip starting off on the MRT Blue Line and heading north to the Blue Line's own Bang Sue Station, then walking 200 meters or so via an underground tunnel that connects to the similarly named but separate/adjoining Bang Sue Grand Station of the Red Line, and then taking that further north to the Red Line's Laksi Station. That trip, including a subsequent regular taxi trip from the Laksi Station to BKK CW Immigration, takes about 75 to 90 minutes in total, depending... The MRT Blue Line fare from Sukhumvit to Bang Sue is 40 baht, the Red Line fare is free through October (though during the free period they ask you to scan a QR code at the entry gate indicating your destination), and the last-leg meter taxi fare can be 50 to 90 baht depending on traffic.

 

The Red Line option wouldn't be so bad except for what happens once you finally arrive at the Laksi Station. There you face potentially several different problems in getting to your ultimate destination of BKK CW Immigration: 

 

-- #1: On my trip there last Thursday, once I came down from the Laksi Station, there were hardly any regular taxis waiting around and no taxi queue visible at the station's Exit No. 1 adjoining the IT Square Complex there that is the closest direction to BKK CW Immigration. There might be motocy taxis around, but I don't/won't take them, and didn't actually see any once I came down from the Laksi Station. 

 

 

 

    

 

Where you land in front of the IT Square complex when coming down from Exit #1 at the Laksi Station headed toward BKK CW Immigration:

  

 

  

 

-- #2: You probably could find a regular taxi if you hiked from the Laksi Station over to nearby Chaengwattana Road, except the whole area is a mess due to the construction of the future Pink Line running along CW Road, making walking around there difficult.

 

Chaengwattana Road near Soi 7 looking in the direction of the Laksi intersection and Laksi Red Line Station in the far distance. Google Maps says 1.6 kilometers and a 20-minute walk to the Red Line Laksi Station, though I found it a bit longer because the sidewalk area was generally torn to shreds as you get toward the Laksi intersection.

  

 

  

 

-- And #3: I tested it, the sidewalk walk from the corner of CW Road and Soi 7 near Immigration back to the Red Line Laksi station is a good 20-25 minutes, with the area at the Laksi intersection significantly torn up. In that same amount of time, a regular taxi from the Immigration building doorway could have you most of the way all the way back toward Mochit BTS. Though for those willing, you probably could find a motocy taxi to take you from Immigration back to the Laksi Red Line Station.

 

Part of the issue may be that the Red Line route between Bang Sue and Laksi right now seems very sparsely used. I landed at the Laksi Station about 8:30 a.m. on a weekday and then headed back around noon. And the Laksi Station was pretty much empty of travelers at both times, and the trains were only lightly used on both trips. So, probably not much incentive for taxi drivers to be parked hanging around the Laksi station waiting to ferry folks onward to BKK CW Immigration or elsewhere.

 

Morning Rush Hour (8 a.m.) on the Red Line northbound:

 

Red Line Laksi Station noon time last Thursday:

 

In terms of some of the finer details of the trip, once you arrive at the MRT's Bang Sue Station, you want to head toward the Gate 2-3 exits that take you via an underground tunnel to a poorly signed point midway down the tunnel where you either take stairs or escalator (I believe) up to and into the Red Line Bang Sue Grand Station (though the EN language signage doesn't appear to say that), as follows:

 

This is the turnoff point on the outbound journey that takes you up into the Red Line Bang Sue Grand Station:

   

 

And this is where you come out on the return inbound journey where you're heading down the hallway from the Red Line's Bang Sue Grand Station back to the MRT Blue Line's regular Bang Sue Station.

 

 

 

Once in the Red Line's Bang Sue Grand Station, you want to end up on Platform 3 for the outbound trip to Laksi (Rangsit), as follows. The trains right now are supposed to be running every 15 minutes during rush hours and every half hour at other times:

 

On the return inbound trip from Laksi back to Bang Sue Grand Station, you want to start from Platform 2 at the Laksi Station:

 

And then the MRT Blue Line Platform 1 from Bang Sue back to the downtown area:

 

(end)

 

 

[Searat7]

I miss the days when I could walk from my place in Silom to Suan Phlu in 15 minutes.

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, Searat7 said:

I miss the days when I could walk from my place in Silom to Suan Phlu in 15 minutes.

The location of that office was relatively convenient. That said, it was not a good place to have to go if suffering from claustrophobia. There was no way to expand at that site, and more space was desperately needed. Really, though, I do wish they could have found somewhere nearer Bangkok than Nakhorn Nowhere for the new office.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

When the now-under construction Pink Line opens in the coming years -- assuming BKK CW Immigration is still housed there in the Govt. Complex building -- you'll be able to get there directly from downtown BKK by in theory using only THREE different rail lines:

 

--MRT Blue Line: downtown BKK to Bang Sue

--SRT Red Line: Bang Sue Grand to Laksi

--Pink Line: Laksi to whatever they're going to call its closest station near CW Soi 7

 

And then, the free electric shuttle tram running between the main CW Road at Soi 7 down to the Govt Complex B building that houses Immigration.

 

But by then, they'll probably move the whole thing to MTT!!!  ( j/k ???? )

[SooKee]

Thanks for this update, a route I was pondering for the next trip but on balance I think I'll stick to BTS Wat Phra Sri Mahathat station / taxi as my preferred option.  Single BTS trip to the station from Asok then a taxi to CW for about THB 60-70 and around 10 minutes, primary objective for me is being ease and to cut down on trudging around in urbania.  Second preference, before Covid, was always the BTS to Victory Monument then bus direct to the door, also very easy but less desirable these days both with Covid around and, particularly, with all the road works that have been going on with the ensuing chaos and delays.  Tried all the different MRT to Mo Chit then taxi or bus and even the mini vans followed by motocy but that route can involve a bit of waiting around and I've been unlucky a couple of times with traffic being a pig from Mo Chit to CW.  At least it's easier than it was now, thankfully only once a year.

[DrJack54]

Going in October. Same as posts above several options.

 

I don't go super early like some and also live very close MRT. Hence train to Chatuchak followed by bus that leaves from that MRT stop. Think it's bus 52? Weird but I prefer it to taxi. 8 baht side bonus.

 

I don't bother with electric shuttle from main road. Walk always a good thing.

Edited September 26, 2021 by DrJack54

[jayceenik]

If you get very early morning to Mochit you can board for a very modest fee the packed minibuses that take people working at CW. 

The busses unload their PAX at the corner of CW Rd and the avenue to the complex.

From there a free CW shuttle bus takes the just offloaded PAX to the CW complex.

But that free shuttle bus runs only at a set time when people arrive to work.

Other time you'll have to walk.

I did make that trip once and had a pleasant conversation with a seated next to me lady working at the complex.

The best is still to take a taxi from Mochit to the complex.

 

 

[poskat]

how crowded was CW?

 

I have to go there for my visa extension tomorrow.

 

do you still need to get there super early, wait in a queue

to get a queue #, then requeue, to go in at 830AM

and then get another specific counter queue #?

[DrJack54]

4 minutes ago, poskat said:

how crowded was CW?

 

I have to go there for my visa extension tomorrow.

 

do you still need to get there super early, wait in a queue

to get a queue #, then requeue, to go in at 830AM

and then get another specific counter queue #?

Do you intend to obtain bank letter at CW when you attend imm. Which bank? 

Edited September 27, 2021 by DrJack54

[poskat]

Thanks for that

however, I dont need one, I work in bkk

so I need a copy of my contract, letter from the company etc....

[DrJack54]

40 minutes ago, poskat said:

Thanks for that

however, I dont need one, I work in bkk

so I need a copy of my contract, letter from the company etc....

No worries.

As for best time.....everyone has their own "best way".

Personally I like to obtain queue # just prior to one hour lunch break. So I arrive about 11.30am. suits me as I can do bank stuff during the break.

You can go anytime.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

11 hours ago, jayceenik said:

If you get very early morning to Mochit you can board for a very modest fee the packed minibuses that take people working at CW. 

The busses unload their PAX at the corner of CW Rd and the avenue to the complex.

From there a free CW shuttle bus takes the just offloaded PAX to the CW complex.

But that free shuttle bus runs only at a set time when people arrive to work.

Other time you'll have to walk.

I did make that trip once and had a pleasant conversation with a seated next to me lady working at the complex.

The best is still to take a taxi from Mochit to the complex.

 

 

 

In the past, I've successfully and satisfactorily taken the route 166 expressway bus that runs between Victory Monument and a stop at the Government Complex building that houses Immigration. However, during COVID time in Thailand, I'm avoiding those kinds of trips and crowd exposures as much as possible.

 

Likewise, years living here have taught me to avoid the local van service for safety reasons as much as possible, and even moreso now during a continuing COVID problem in Bangkok, the last thing I want to be doing is sitting crammed in a van for a half hour trip with 8 or 10 other people within breathing distance.

 

Edited September 27, 2021 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

11 hours ago, poskat said:

how crowded was CW?

 

I have to go there for my visa extension tomorrow.

 

do you still need to get there super early, wait in a queue

to get a queue #, then requeue, to go in at 830AM

and then get another specific counter queue #?

 

Last week, because of my transit travel experiment, I didn't arrive to BKK CW until about 9 am, meaning the morning cattle call had already occurred.

 

Nonetheless, I accomplished a retirement extension, re-entry permit and 90-day report in just a bit more than 2 hours overall, and was done and out by 11:15 am.

 

That said, the most time-consuming part of the morning was having to wait to get in to see the IO for my retirement extension. When I got my queue ticket for the retirement extension about 9:20 am, there were 17 or 18 people ahead of me in the queue. And it took about an hour from that point sitting outside in the designated waiting area before I finally got into see the officer for my extension at about 10:20 am.

 

My habit is generally to go in the morning as early as possible and to get there before or as close to opening as possible, so that I have the best odds of being done and out before their hour-long dead-time lunch break.

Edited September 27, 2021 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

On 9/26/2021 at 9:42 AM, DrJack54 said:

Going in October. Same as posts above several options.

 

I don't go super early like some and also live very close MRT. Hence train to Chatuchak followed by bus that leaves from that MRT stop. Think it's bus 52? Weird but I prefer it to taxi. 8 baht side bonus.

 

 

Don't know about the bus part at Chatuchak MRT station. But line 52 at the other end is the bus that runs along Chaengwattana Road and lets you off or picks you up on the main road just a block or so from the CW Soi 7 entrance leading to the Government Complex area.

[DrJack54]

17 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Don't know about the bus part at Chatuchak MRT station.

If your taking MRT to Chatuchak you take exit 2. The exit steps then few steps to same bus stop for the A1 and A2 bus to Don Mueang. 

There is lady in booth for general advice.

Bus 52 drops you entrance Rd to CW where the shuttle is.

I prefer to walk.

Edited September 27, 2021 by DrJack54