Suvarnabhumi Airport Railway Link Set To Open Early Next Year

[george]

Suvarnabhumi Airport railway link set to open early next year

BANGKOK: -- The long-delayed Suvarnabhumi airport railway link project is expected to be completed by the end of this year and to open for service early next year, according to the project manager.

Speaking after leading a media tour to observe construction progress, Banjongsak Panthon, project manager and engineer, said the civil engineering portions of the airport railway link project is some 78.5 per cent complete and that the electrical and mechanical portions are about 80 per cent ready.

He said there is much progress in the construction of the station and railway system, with Tub Chang Station set to become the first to be completed in July. Now, it is 60 per cent complete.

"I believe the entire project will be finished by the end of the year. Then, the project administrator will bring 31 electric locomotives, which are being built in Germany, to be tested for three months before opening for service to the public," Mr. Banjongsak said.

--TNA 2008-03-28

[Ricardo]

Future passengers will be 'well chuffed' to hear this news.

Another resounding success, for the Head Chef, and his team. Hope they ensure that the trains run on-time.

Edited March 28, 2008 by Ricardo

[sjaak327]

"I believe the entire project will be finished by the end of the year. Then, the project administrator will bring 31 electric locomotives, which are being built in Germany, to be tested for three months before opening for service to the public," Mr. Banjongsak said. "

So earliest opening date would be april 1st

Not too bad I guess.

[johnnyk]

Still years away from anything like this here in Canada, but then we are an 'advanced' country.

[Rajah]

Future passengers will be 'well chuffed' to hear this news.

The last I heard was November this year. Now it's April next year. Let's see when it will really start its service if it is April 2009...

[john b good]

Future passengers will be 'well chuffed' to hear this news.

The last I heard was November this year. Now it's April next year. Let's see when it will really start its service if it is April 2009...

Yes!, and considering that the airport opened in August - September of 2006 it seems to be another example of non-existent planning here in the realm.

One would have thought (perhaps expected) that the link would have been ready to use at the same time as when the airport opened "not two and one half years later" TIT

[Tony Clifton]

But...but...Jakaprob recently said it was all delayed directly BECAUSE OF THE COUP!

[sbk]

Here's hoping they also allow passengers to carry their luggage onto the rail link.....

[wpcoe]

Here's hoping they also allow passengers to carry their luggage

Good point. Are these going to be regular subway/tube-type (mass transit) railway cars, or ones built with baggage in mind?

[johnb]

Anybody know where this terminates in Bangkok i.e. does it join into the existing system?

JohnB

[kevc]

Lets give Thailand a little credit here, they run an excellent BTS and MRT system as good as any I've seen if not better, the rail extension to the airport is due after two and a half years, my home town got theirs six years after the MRT system opened, and as for Suvharnabhumi lets not forget the fiasco at Heathrow this week with only one airline operating out of the new terminal

I don't think Thailands doing too bad.

[toptuan]

Anybody know where this terminates in Bangkok i.e. does it join into the existing system?

JohnB

It terminates near D'Ma Pavillion Hotel & Bangkok Hotel. If you don't know where those are, it's a stone's throw from the old Makkassan Rail Station. Look up Makkassan on any Bangkok Map. About 2-3 kilometers directly north of the Chitlom stop on the BTS.

[johnb]

Anybody know where this terminates in Bangkok i.e. does it join into the existing system?

JohnB

It terminates near D'Ma Pavillion Hotel & Bangkok Hotel. If you don't know where those are, it's a stone's throw from the old Makkassan Rail Station. Look up Makkassan on any Bangkok Map. About 2-3 kilometers directly north of the Chitlom stop on the BTS.

Thank you Toptuan

Johnb

[ThNiner]

Anybody know where this terminates in Bangkok i.e. does it join into the existing system?

JohnB

The "express" rail link will terminate at Makasan, but the commuter line will go upto Phayathai station which will be linked with BTS there. Makasan station will also be linked with MRT I think.

[Crossy]

Here's hoping they also allow passengers to carry their luggage

Good point. Are these going to be regular subway/tube-type (mass transit) railway cars, or ones built with baggage in mind?

Yes, the Airport Express trains will have baggage storage similar to the ARL in Hong Kong, the commuter service will be regular 'metro' style interiors. AE trains are two doors per car, commuter trains are four doors per car.

City Air Terminal with check-in facilities at Makkasan, check your bags then off to the pub, no need to lug your luggage (is that where 'lug' came from?) around town after checking out of the hotel

Edited April 4, 2008 by Crossy

[Blinky Bill]

Should be fun watching the various passengers tumbling down the staircases with their overweight baggage at the existing stations with no down escalators.

Edited April 4, 2008 by Blinky Bill

[trader1]

Lets give Thailand a little credit here, they run an excellent BTS and MRT system as good as any I've seen if not better, the rail extension to the airport is due after two and a half years, my home town got theirs six years after the MRT system opened, and as for Suvharnabhumi lets not forget the fiasco at Heathrow this week with only one airline operating out of the new terminal

I don't think Thailands doing too bad.

They had an accident with the MRT system the week it opened.

As hard as it is to crash the almost idiot-proof system they managed it.

Both the BTS and MRT are still in billions of Baht debt BTW, and only recently the BTS started to turn a profit.

As to comparing Heathrow with Suvarnabhumi we can start to do that when the new Terminal 5 is tainted by as much corruption and greed as the "Pride of Thai People" has been.

At T5 a few bags went missing. At Suvarnabhumi the problems are too numerous to mention. Cracked runways, leaking roofs, the fire truck scandal, the CTX scanner scandal, King Power Duty Free breaking regulations, etc, etc, etc.

Suvarnabhumi is unfit for purpose, even after 30 years in planning and development.

Doing well you say?

Do you do anything but whine?

The airport is great, I go out there very month and love it, picked up some friends yesterday - from a developed country and they were wide-eyed with delight at its size and efficiency. We drove to their hotel in my car in around 35 minutes along excellent roads.

[ratcatcher]

Anybody know where this terminates in Bangkok i.e. does it join into the existing system?

JohnB

The "express" rail link will terminate at Makasan, but the commuter line will go west up to Phayathai station which will be linked with B.T.S. there. Makkasan station will also be linked with MRT I think.

So, can we assume that the 'express trains" and the 'commuter trains" will be powered by overhead catenary system.

The commuter trains may run to the Skytrain at Phyatai. Thus passengers on the express wishing to join the skytrain for the Pahonyothin area will have to change at Makkasan?

Interesting.

Maybe there are some transportation planners on this board?

[ThNiner]

So, can we assume that the 'express trains" and the 'commuter trains" will be powered by overhead catenary system.

Yep.

The commuter trains may run to the Skytrain at Phyatai. Thus passengers on the express wishing to join the skytrain for the Pahonyothin area will have to change at Makkasan?

Interesting.

Yeah, guess so. But I could be wrong.

[nothingleftbutfaith]

The ARL will be a massive commercial failure.

[Crossy]

The commuter trains may run to the Skytrain at Phyatai. Thus passengers on the express wishing to join the skytrain for the Pahonyothin area will have to change at Makkasan?

Unfortunately, yes, and they will have to buy another ticket for the one stop trip, bloody stupid (the fares are different).

Fortunately (and unlike Hong Kong), the commuter trains will actually go to the airport, so those who need to get on the BTS will simply hop on a commuter instead of the express.

There is a study currently at tender stage being funded by ADB into finally providing a fully integrated (like Octopus or Oyster) ticketing system for BKK, whether it will ever actually get implemented, well we can hope.

[ThNiner]

Unfortunately, yes, and they will have to buy another ticket for the one stop trip, bloody stupid (the fares are different).

It would be a two-stop trip actually. There's Rajaparop (spelling?) station before Phayathai.

There is a study currently at tender stage being funded by ADB into finally providing a fully integrated (like Octopus or Oyster) ticketing system for BKK, whether it will ever actually get implemented, well we can hope.

I don't think it's being funded by ADB. (Thailand no longer recieves financial aid from ADB as far as I know.) But both BTS and MRT have signed an agreement to work on the integrated ticketing system a while ago. We should see a trial this year.

[tartempion]

Lets give Thailand a little credit here, they run an excellent BTS and MRT system as good as any I've seen if not better, the rail extension to the airport is due after two and a half years, my home town got theirs six years after the MRT system opened, and as for Suvharnabhumi lets not forget the fiasco at Heathrow this week with only one airline operating out of the new terminal

I don't think Thailands doing too bad.

Sure, sure, but the BTS could do with longer trains, have you recently tried to get into a train at peak hours?

The quais were surely built for longer trains.

They also could do with one fare system similar to Singapore or Brussels for the matter, but then Belgium has the best railway system on the planet. They also have the best beers and the best chocolate. Hmmm, think I will relocate to Belgium soon

[cophen]

At T5 a few bags went missing. At Suvarnabhumi the problems are too numerous to mention. Cracked runways, leaking roofs, the fire truck scandal, the CTX scanner scandal, King Power Duty Free breaking regulations, etc, etc, etc.

Suvarnabhumi is unfit for purpose, even after 30 years in planning and development.

Doing well you say?

At T5 26,000 bags went missing. Apparently they're in Milan being sorted at the moment...

[PadThaiGuy]

Makkasan Station seems to be a very congested area as it is.

I often can't get a taxi to drive me to that part of town.

It will be a fiasco, trying to get to that rail link.

[ThNiner]

They will build access roads/ramps linking Makasan station with the expressway and local roads.

Also BTS has already ordered new 4-carriage trains. They should be delievered next year or the year after to service the extensions.

[PadThaiGuy]

They will build access roads/ramps linking Makasan station with the expressway and local roads.

Also BTS has already ordered new 4-carriage trains. They should be delievered next year or the year after to service the extensions.

...and should be ready by the time the airport becomes obsolete.

[Bagwan]

But...but...Jakaprob recently said it was all delayed directly BECAUSE OF THE COUP!

Another Government lie. Everybody knows that foreigners are to blame.

[Bagwan]

Lets give Thailand a little credit here, they run an excellent BTS and MRT system as good as any I've seen if not better, the rail extension to the airport is due after two and a half years, my home town got theirs six years after the MRT system opened, and as for Suvharnabhumi lets not forget the fiasco at Heathrow this week with only one airline operating out of the new terminal

I don't think Thailands doing too bad.

Can we compare like with like? Heathrow boasts of an Underground link into Central London and an express service into Paddington. Both were built with too much disturbance to airport activities and fulfill their purpose. I doubt that Thailand can take too much credit for BTS and MRT. Were they not built with imported equipment installed, equipped with rolling stock from overseas, and under farang supervision and guidance?

The baggage fiasco at Heathrow has nothing to do with railways or BA for that matter. BAA, which is owned by Ferrovial, a Spanish conglomerate, are the culprits here. Point the finger at strutting Spanish senors.

Regarding transport facilities to and from airports I have always been impressed with Hartsfield, Atlanta,GA.

[jackspratt]

You have chosen to ignore all posts from: jackspratt.

You still following me around?

Tud I don't have anyone on my "Ignore List", which means I choose to read ALL posts, even yours. And sometimes I choose to respond to certain posts, including yours - but not for your benefit, because I know you have me on ignore.

Hardly "following around".

You, on the other hand, have vowed in this Forum on a couple of occasions to place me on "Ignore". Despite this, you have an uncanny knack of still responding to my posts, and most recently, perhaps having a hand in one of my posts "disappearing".

I also note you viewed (for the second time) my member profile at 1.07am this morning. So who is following who around?

Time to get real, old sausage