Sky Train From The Airport

[Juzrelax]

How is it going, any chance of being completed by October?

[lomatopo]

October, 2008: No.

October, 2009: Yes.

Maybe a trial Express run on 5 Dec 2008.

[Camelot]

It's been delayed again.The consortium building it has asked for a year's extension.

October next year, if you're really lucky. More likely early in 2010.

[Juzrelax]

Oh well, taxi it is then!

[thepodest]

Goddddd I want it to be completed.

[flightcrew1]

Goddddd I want it to be completed.

Why?

Personally I don't see this new airport link/sky train as being user friendly. Since I work for the airlines I am back and forth to the airport frequently within the month. Taxi costs me no more than 260 baht either direction coming from Satorn.

Now if (when it opens) I take the new sky train to the airport I have to drag my luggage down the road to Surasak station and drag it up 2 flights of stairs to the platform. Change train at Siam - change at Pyathai to the new interchange station now I'm finally off to the airport and then change to a bus which will take me to the terminal since the sky train does not go inside. All the while dragging my luggage with me.

Even if I was not in uniform and carrying a bag it just does not seem a comfortable and hassle free way to get to the airport.

Cost? I'm sure it's going to cost more than 200 total one way so for a savings of 60 baht I'm taking a taxi. If there are more than one of you travelling then a taxi is going to be your best bet.

So I for one am not that bothered about when it opens. Seems like a white elephant to me.

[Zpete]

Last in Bangrs late last year, coming soon.

Has there been any station past On Nut, opened as yet?

[midasthailand]

Last in Bangrs late last year, coming soon.

Has there been any station past On Nut, opened as yet?

No, the construction seems to be progressing well, I believe they are expecting to open the line in December 08.

[Briggsy]

Seem to be 2 threads here, one concerning the airport rail link and one concerning the extension of the skytrain from Orn Nuch to Udom Suk.

Would this be a case of getting your threads crossed?

[Zpete]

Last in Bangrs late last year, coming soon.

Has there been any station past On Nut, opened as yet?

No, the construction seems to be progressing well, I believe they are expecting to open the line in December 08.

Bugga, be going home before, grrrrrrrr

[lomatopo]

I haven't stayed up to date on the Airport Raillink but the last time I checked the planned fare was 150 THB for Express service (non-stop: SBIA <--> Makasan - 15 minutes), and initially only Express service would offered. Local service would be 35 THB - 30 minutes. While the overall usefulness/value for air passengers might be marginal the raillink will be a boon for employees and others commuting in from the eastern suburbs. Express trains will overtake locals at one or two stations interim/local stations. Once airport taxi fees increase, taxi fares increase, tollway fees increase, traffic increases the raillink might offer a better value proposition for some air travelers. Also I'd expect the raillink to operate 06:00 - 00:00 allowing six hours each day for safety inspections, much as is currently done for the BTS & MRT.

[wpcoe]

Change train at Siam - change at Pyathai to the new interchange station now I'm finally off to the airport and then change to a bus which will take me to the terminal since the sky train does not go inside. All the while dragging my luggage with me.

Whoops. That's a bit of trivia I had missed. You mean the train will not have a station inside the brand new terminal building???

[Crossy]

Change train at Siam - change at Pyathai to the new interchange station now I'm finally off to the airport and then change to a bus which will take me to the terminal since the sky train does not go inside. All the while dragging my luggage with me.

Whoops. That's a bit of trivia I had missed. You mean the train will not have a station inside the brand new terminal building???

Hmmm, I understood the station was underneath the terminal, which would be sensible. I see if any of my contacts know for certain.

[quiksilva]

Further this so called express train leaves only once every 30 minutes and takes 15 minutes to reach the airport from the city airport terminal link.

But not to worry because a regular train that stops at every stop leaves every 15 minutes, but takes 30 minutes to get there. Plus allow time to check in, oh and it only runs until 11pm at night.

I reckon I can drive there and park in 30 minutes, perhaps 45 minutes, tops.

The only time it will save time is if you happen to be leaving or arriving during rush hour.

[Crossy]

My contact says the station is in the basement of the terminal, so only escalators to negotiate

[wpcoe]

My contact says the station is in the basement of the terminal, so only escalators to negotiate

Thanks, Crossy!

[flightcrew1]

My contact says the station is in the basement of the terminal, so only escalators to negotiate

Thanks, Crossy!

Well I'm at airport now working short flight and if there is going to be a station in the basement of the airport they need to start building it and a tunnel underneath it. I may be wrong (and I hope so) but I could clearly see the end station outside the airport with no tracks or tunnel heading into the airport. So maybe they plan on adding the in airport station later? Crossy if you could find out that would be great!

[Crossy]

Well I'm at airport now working short flight and if there is going to be a station in the basement of the airport they need to start building it and a tunnel underneath it. I may be wrong (and I hope so) but I could clearly see the end station outside the airport with no tracks or tunnel heading into the airport. So maybe they plan on adding the in airport station later? Crossy if you could find out that would be great!

The tunnel was built at the same time as the terminal. I'll try to get some maps and photos.

I remember a big fuss just before the airport opened because the airport construction contractors had used it as a convenient dump for construction waste, SRT were not happy at having to effectively dig the thing again

Some Google Earth images showing the AEL guideway and tunnel entrance

[ThNiner]

Yup, the train station underneath the airport is definitely under construction. I've got some pictures of it from skyscrapercity.com

[flightcrew1]

Yup, the train station underneath the airport is definitely under construction. I've got some pictures of it from skyscrapercity.com

Great! Thanks ThNiner and Crossy. I admit that makes it a lot simpler to use but still if travelling from Satorn I will opt for a taxi as long as they still remain cheap. In Hong Kong and KL and of course in Germany, Amsterdam and London I always take the train as the cost comparison is so different.

[wpcoe]

Great! Thanks ThNiner and Crossy. I admit that makes it a lot simpler to use but still if travelling from Satorn I will opt for a taxi as long as they still remain cheap. In Hong Kong and KL and of course in Germany, Amsterdam and London I always take the train as the cost comparison is so different.

I believe one benefit to using the train if you are a passenger, versus a working crew member (which I assume you are) who is not checking luggage, is that there are to be airline check-in counters in the train station (Makkasan), so no need to be dragging along anything more than carryon luggage and boarding passes from that point on to the airport.

The downtown check-in *is* still part of the plan, isn't it?

Not so many years ago, the downtown Tokyo City Air Terminal even had a Immigrations official to clear that formality before boarding the bus to the airport. You arrived at TCAT, checked-in with the airline (giving them your luggage and getting your boarding pass), then bought the bus ticket, then cleared Immigrations. You were given a card that you turned in at Narita airport itself. There was a special Immigrations line -- no queueing at all -- to simply breeze through the airport and turn in the card. Now, wouldn't THAT be nice for the new Bangkok train system?

[ovenman]

The downtown check-in *is* still part of the plan, isn't it?

Be interesting to see how that plays out. In Kuala Lumpur, one can check-in at the City Air Terminal at KL Sentral before boarding the hi-speed KLIA Ekspres train to the airport, but one can do so only if flying Malaysia Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Royal Brunei, or Emirates. I could very easily see this being check-in for THAI passengers only at the train station in Bangkok.

The KLIA Ekspres actually makes for an interesting cost comparison to this hi-speed link for Suvarnabhumi. The one-way fare on the KLIA Ekspres is 35 ringgit (~350 baht). If two people are traveling together, it's just as cheap, perhaps cheaper, to take a taxi to the city. Probably cheaper overall because unless you are staying at or nearby the KL Sentral railway station, you're probably going to need transport from there to your hotel/home.

[Zpete]

The downtown check-in *is* still part of the plan, isn't it?

Be interesting to see how that plays out. In Kuala Lumpur, one can check-in at the City Air Terminal at KL Sentral before boarding the hi-speed KLIA Ekspres train to the airport, but one can do so only if flying Malaysia Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Royal Brunei, or Emirates. I could very easily see this being check-in for THAI passengers only at the train station in Bangkok.

The KLIA Ekspres actually makes for an interesting cost comparison to this hi-speed link for Suvarnabhumi. The one-way fare on the KLIA Ekspres is 35 ringgit (~350 baht). If two people are traveling together, it's just as cheap, perhaps cheaper, to take a taxi to the city. Probably cheaper overall because unless you are staying at or nearby the KL Sentral railway station, you're probably going to need transport from there to your hotel/home.

Taking into count the time factor, trains win hands down.

[hotgeekus]

Great! Thanks ThNiner and Crossy. I admit that makes it a lot simpler to use but still if travelling from Satorn I will opt for a taxi as long as they still remain cheap. In Hong Kong and KL and of course in Germany, Amsterdam and London I always take the train as the cost comparison is so different.

I believe one benefit to using the train if you are a passenger, versus a working crew member (which I assume you are) who is not checking luggage, is that there are to be airline check-in counters in the train station (Makkasan), so no need to be dragging along anything more than carryon luggage and boarding passes from that point on to the airport.

The downtown check-in *is* still part of the plan, isn't it?

Not so many years ago, the downtown Tokyo City Air Terminal even had a Immigrations official to clear that formality before boarding the bus to the airport. You arrived at TCAT, checked-in with the airline (giving them your luggage and getting your boarding pass), then bought the bus ticket, then cleared Immigrations. You were given a card that you turned in at Narita airport itself. There was a special Immigrations line -- no queueing at all -- to simply breeze through the airport and turn in the card. Now, wouldn't THAT be nice for the new Bangkok train system?

While that sounds like a great system, it is no longer available. But the TCAT is great, I used it Friday. From Tokyo Narita to the TCAT by bus is 29 bucks, and they handle the luggage. That is great if you are close to the area... But that is where the Japanese and the Thai's differ... organization...

[Trevor]

So, if the underground airport station terminates at Makkasan, is Makkasan station going to be linked to the BTS? Or is it a taxi from there?

[Crossy]

So, if the underground airport station terminates at Makkasan, is Makkasan station going to be linked to the BTS? Or is it a taxi from there?

The express trains will terminate at Makkasan (where there will be a walkway to the MRT at Ploenchit), the stopping trains carry on to the end of the line at Ratchathewi where you can transfer to the Skytrain.

There is a proposed extension to the ARL past Ratchathewi, the alignment hangs a right and follows the existing SRT tracks through Bang Sue (where a massive transfer station 'Grand Bang Sue' is planned for what is currently the marshalling yard), Don Mueang and on to Rangsit, I think it is intended to terminate at Chaing Rak.

[Briggsy]

So, if the underground airport station terminates at Makkasan, is Makkasan station going to be linked to the BTS? Or is it a taxi from there?

The express trains will terminate at Makkasan (where there will be a walkway to the MRT at Ploenchit), the stopping trains carry on to the end of the line at Ratchathewi where you can transfer to the Skytrain.

There is a proposed extension to the ARL past Ratchathewi, the alignment hangs a right and follows the existing SRT tracks through Bang Sue (where a massive transfer station 'Grand Bang Sue' is planned for what is currently the marshalling yard), Don Mueang and on to Rangsit, I think it is intended to terminate at Chaing Rak.

Do you mean the MRT Phetchaburi Station. A sky walk from Makkasan to the BTS at Ploen Chit would be a very long walk indeed.

[Crossy]

So, if the underground airport station terminates at Makkasan, is Makkasan station going to be linked to the BTS? Or is it a taxi from there?

The express trains will terminate at Makkasan (where there will be a walkway to the MRT at Ploenchit), the stopping trains carry on to the end of the line at Ratchathewi where you can transfer to the Skytrain.

There is a proposed extension to the ARL past Ratchathewi, the alignment hangs a right and follows the existing SRT tracks through Bang Sue (where a massive transfer station 'Grand Bang Sue' is planned for what is currently the marshalling yard), Don Mueang and on to Rangsit, I think it is intended to terminate at Chaing Rak.

Do you mean the MRT Phetchaburi Station. A sky walk from Makkasan to the BTS at Ploen Chit would be a very long walk indeed.

I do indeed, brain fade brought on by age and too much beer last night

[tuky]

I do hope it continues on down the south eastern seaboard.

[Chang_paarp]

I do hope it continues on down the south eastern seaboard.

There is meant to be a high speed rail link down the eastern seaboard with a stop at or near Siam Country Club, not sure if it links with the airport. One of the mega projects, but don't expect it to happen any time soon. I would count decades not years.