Skytrain Nightmare

[Sir_Sanuk]

Is it just me or has the BTS Skytrain got even more packed during rush hours over the last few months?

I have been taking it twice a day for 3 years at 8.30am and 6.30pm and i've never seen it so regularly packed with hundreds of people all squashed into each others armpits. It gets like this during lunchtimes now as well. Often I cannot get on the first train and have to wait for the second or third train to arrive.

Maybe the rising cost of petrol is making more people take the skytrain, but personally my commute to /from work each day has become so unbearable that I find myself dreaming of getting a car and sitting in a traffic jam for 2 hours.

The problem will get even worse when the extensions open with more people getting on trains that are having to cover further distances. There is space on the platforms to add another car to each train, so why oh why won't they do it? Surely now is the time to do so. Someone should start a petition.

Edited June 6, 2008 by Sir_Sanuk

[ovenman]

There is space on the platforms to add another car to each train, so why oh why won't they do it? Surely now is the time to do so.

I'm pretty sure that the platforms were designed for five-car trains. As to why they don't add cars, my bet is that they don't have any spare cars to add.

[gymshark]

Remember when it first started and the Thais were scared of it and you could ride in an empty carriage, same as the subway.

[Jimjim]

Sir_Sanuk, as my dad always says, that would just make too much sense!

[Mighty Mouse]

Someone should start a petition.

OK, when will you start?

[Briggsy]

Ever used the skytrain equivalent in Manila. By the first 2 stations it's completely full and you literally need to fight to get on after that. Coming soon to a Bangkok Skytrain station near you.

[Nordlys]

Is it just me or has the BTS Skytrain got even more packed during rush hours over the last few months?

And noticeabley less cars on road for the last month or so...

[bergen]

Is it just me or has the BTS Skytrain got even more packed during rush hours over the last few months?

And noticeabley less cars on road for the last month or so...

At least mine is parked for longer periods...................................

[TheWalkingMan]

I always thought that there would be a problem with the capacity of the Skytrains. The platforms always seemed a lot longer than the trains.

TheWalkingMan

[bergen]

I always thought that there would be a problem with the capacity of the Skytrains. The platforms always seemed a lot longer than the trains.

TheWalkingMan

Well.........Imagine what would have happened if they were a lot shorter

[think_too_mut]

I always thought that there would be a problem with the capacity of the Skytrains. The platforms always seemed a lot longer than the trains.

TheWalkingMan

Well.........Imagine what would have happened if they were a lot shorter

(Now) unusable Sky Train has been a blessing for the properties along the BTS lines. It's overreaching it's capacity.

When that Mickey Mouse mean of transportation gets over half a million passengers a month it will start breaking as it's not been designed for much more than a shuttle with stops every 3-400m. Almost like those kiddie trains at the theme parks.

In the meanwhile, heavy duty Shinjuku station in Tokyo will continue to see 2 million passengers a day.

[ThNiner]

BTSC has ordered a new set of four-carriage trains since last year (to serve the extension lines.) They should arrive in about two years from now. It's not that easy and simple to build these trains you know. So it takes time.

[ThNiner]

And to seperate myths/lies from the truth, BTS has averaged about 420,000 passengers a day. So that's about 13 million passengers a month. I'm not sure where the figure, "over half a million passengers a month", came from.

[think_too_mut]

And to seperate myths/lies from the truth, BTS has averaged about 420,000 passengers a day. So that's about 13 million passengers a month. I'm not sure where the figure, "over half a million passengers a month", came from.

My bad, my mistake. A day, don't know how i did not notice earlier.

Now, whether they travel 800m (Asoke-Nana) to avoid the heat/rain or 80km (Chiba-Shinjuku) as breadwinning lifeline daily routine for 40 years, that's another thing.

Edited June 7, 2008 by think_too_mut

[ThNiner]

My bad, my mistake. A day, don't know how i did not notice earlier.

I almost missed it too. But thanks to the fact that you neatly bolded the two words, month and day, I couldn't help but notice them.

[Krub]

Is it just me or has the BTS Skytrain got even more packed during rush hours over the last few months?

I have been taking it twice a day for 3 years at 8.30am and 6.30pm and i've never seen it so regularly packed with hundreds of people all squashed into each others armpits. It gets like this during lunchtimes now as well. Often I cannot get on the first train and have to wait for the second or third train to arrive.

Maybe the rising cost of petrol is making more people take the skytrain, but personally my commute to /from work each day has become so unbearable that I find myself dreaming of getting a car and sitting in a traffic jam for 2 hours.

The problem will get even worse when the extensions open with more people getting on trains that are having to cover further distances. There is space on the platforms to add another car to each train, so why oh why won't they do it? Surely now is the time to do so. Someone should start a petition.

You obviously have never travelled on the Tokyo train network at rush hour time !

[himachal]

You obviously have never travelled on the Tokyo train network at rush hour time !

Mmmm..... I'm looking forward to being gently manhandled into the train by some cute, white-gloved platform staff, a la Tokyo style.

Quick quiz: Where is the longest platform in the world?

[OlRedEyes]

There is space on the platforms to add another car to each train, so why oh why won't they do it? Surely now is the time to do so.

I'm pretty sure that the platforms were designed for five-car trains. As to why they don't add cars, my bet is that they don't have any spare cars to add.

All the spares have been sold

[poolie]

Gasoline prices going up, people leave their cars at home, BTS offers 20% discount on their smartpass, more people use BTS. The stations are designed for 5 carriages. I think they only use 3 at the moment.

[samran]

this is a nice probem to have in many ways.

Less cars on the road and more people using public transport.

[marquess]

Is it just me or has the BTS Skytrain got even more packed during rush hours over the last few months?

I have been taking it twice a day for 3 years at 8.30am and 6.30pm and i've never seen it so regularly packed with hundreds of people all squashed into each others armpits. It gets like this during lunchtimes now as well. Often I cannot get on the first train and have to wait for the second or third train to arrive.

Maybe the rising cost of petrol is making more people take the skytrain, but personally my commute to /from work each day has become so unbearable that I find myself dreaming of getting a car and sitting in a traffic jam for 2 hours.

The problem will get even worse when the extensions open with more people getting on trains that are having to cover further distances. There is space on the platforms to add another car to each train, so why oh why won't they do it? Surely now is the time to do so. Someone should start a petition.

When I first used the BTS in 2000 I am certain that they used four carriages or five. They could easily do so again if they wished.

[hotgeekus]

The skytrain is an excellent method of transportation, in Bangkok.

If the train is full, take the next one? Adding two cars because it is full from 7 - 8 and 5 - 6 doesn't work financially.

Why not try to go to work one hour early (actually 15 minutes) or one hour (actually 15 minutes) later?

Regarding the Tokyo subway, I would much rather take the skytrain..... I just loaded 5,000 yen on my pasmo and it will not last long....

[ballbreaker]

I thought they put a couple extra trains in service during the morning and evening peak hours.

One possible cause for some of the problems is they allow the trains to bunch up. Once I waited quite a while at On Nut for a train to finally arrive. A second train arrived just as we departed for Phra Kanong. Before reaching Phra Kanong we passed 3 more trains headed for On Nut.

[Antimony]

Remember when it first started and the Thais were scared of it and you could ride in an empty carriage, same as the subway.

Is this true??? If it is, pretty effin hilarious...

[Travel2003]

Why not try to go to work one hour early (actually 15 minutes) or one hour (actually 15 minutes) later?

Considering 99,9% of the users are locals (Thais), which one you think they would choose, if they could?

[Thaddeus]

Quick quiz: Where is the longest platform in the world?

Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.

[matte]

Quick quiz: Where is the longest platform in the world?

Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.

No, กรุงเทพมหานคร อมรรัตนโกสินทร์ มหินทรายุธยามหาดิลก ภพนพรัตน์ ราชธานีบุรีรมย์ อุดมราชนิเวศน์ มหาสถาน อมรพิมาน อวตารสถิต สักกะทัตติยะ วิษณุกรรมประสิทธ is longer I think.

[bergen]

Quick quiz: Where is the longest platform in the world?

Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.

Thought this was the second longest

[bergen]

Quick quiz: Where is the longest platform in the world?

Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.

No, กรุงเทพมหานคร อมรรัตนโกสินทร์ มหินทรายุธยามหาดิลก ภพนพรัตน์ ราชธานีบุรีรมย์ อุดมราชนิเวศน์ มหาสถาน อมรพิมาน อวตารสถิต สักกะทัตติยะ วิษณุกรรมประสิทธ is longer I think.

Yeah I was right............................

[duncaw]

There are sufficient cars to run some 6 car trains (they can't run 4/5 car trains on the existing routes - would have to join two 3 car trains together).

The problem is the computer software that runs the trains.

Obviously braking distances etc would be significantly different for a 6 car train.

The software can cope with this provided that all trains are 6 cars. Unfortunately it can't cope with a mixture of 3 car and 6 car trains.

So, in the interests of safety we're all going to have to wait until there are sufficient cars to change all of the trains to 6 cars. I think ETA is around 2065 AD