Suvarnabhumi Rail Link To Open August 12

[sriracha john]

Transportation Minister to test Airport Link Skytrain before opening in August

The Transportation Minister has prepared to test the Airport Link Skytrain prior to its opening in August while its construction has so far reached 90 percent completion.

Director-General of the Department of Highways Suphot Suplom, as an executive of the State Railway of Thailand (SRT), announced that the construction on the Airport Link Skytrain has been completed up to 90 percent and that the service would be fully opened on August 12, 2009.

In the initial stage, the service will be available from Makkasan Station or the City Air Terminal to Suvarnabhumi Airport Station.

Mr. Suphot stated that the SRT is currently selecting the company to provide check-in service including a luggage x-ray system.

Moreover, he said an additional budget of 100 million baht for linkage way construction would be proposed to the cabinet for deliberation on February 24.

However, Transportation Minister Sophon Saram will examine the progress of construction and electronic system tomorrow (February 13) as well as conduct an operational test by himself.

He further informed that, in the first two years, a private company would be appointed to take charge of the system while the SRT would carry on the duty afterwards.

- ThaiNews / 2009-02-12

[PREM-R]

Transportation Minister to test Airport Link Skytrain before opening in August

Mr. Suphot stated that the SRT is currently selecting the company to provide check-in service including a luggage x-ray system. Here we go again!

- ThaiNews / 2009-02-12

[sriracha john]

2Bangkok's excellent series of photos and history of the Airport rail link:

http://www.2bangkok.com/2bangkok/srt/airportlink.shtml

[dotcom]

Plenty of scope for corruption while sourcing the baggage scanners.

August 12? I'll believe it when I see it.

[yabaaaa]

When are the taxi mafia coming out to stop it?

[Losangels]

August 12? I'll believe it when I see it.

August 12, 2010 the earliest

[mdechgan]

For 150 baht per person one way I don't think they have to stop it. If two people are flying I think its better to just take a taxi. ALso won't have to carry the baggage up escalators, through elevators, through doors, etc.

[sriracha john]

For 150 baht per person one way I don't think they have to stop it. If two people are flying I think its better to just take a taxi. ALso won't have to carry the baggage up escalators, through elevators, through doors, etc.

As said, price will key to its success or demise (I've not seen 150 quoted before, reference?).

If it's reasonable, ala skytrain, then it could work... like Singapore's does.

But if it's unreasonable, then many a couple/families/even singles will opt for the taxi method.

Edited February 13, 2009 by sriracha john

[bkkjames]

For 150 baht per person one way I don't think they have to stop it. If two people are flying I think its better to just take a taxi. ALso won't have to carry the baggage up escalators, through elevators, through doors, etc.

As said, price will key to its success or demise (I've not seen 150 quoted before, reference?).

If it's reasonable, ala skytrain, then it could work... like Singapore's does.

But if it's unreasonable, then many a couple/families/even singles will opt for the taxi method.

The reason for taking it is that it will be 15 mins door to door. However, having the main station in possibly one of the worst areas in Bangkok for traffic, will not add to its long term appeal.

By the time you load you bags at swampy and find a cab at makassan to take you to a hotel on suk or sathorn, it would have been as quick to jump in a cab from the airport. Time will tell.

[mdechgan]

For 150 baht per person one way I don't think they have to stop it. If two people are flying I think its better to just take a taxi. ALso won't have to carry the baggage up escalators, through elevators, through doors, etc.

As said, price will key to its success or demise (I've not seen 150 quoted before, reference?).

If it's reasonable, ala skytrain, then it could work... like Singapore's does.

But if it's unreasonable, then many a couple/families/even singles will opt for the taxi method.

Ticket rates for Airport Express and Airport City Line:

Airport Express (New Makkasan - Suvannabhum) -> 150 Baht (US$ 4.29)

Airport City Line (Phyathai - New Makkasan - Suvannabhum) 30-40 Baht (about 1 US$)

SRT and Siement (Thailand) said despite of all shortcoming, they will do their best to open the Airport Link on 12 August 2009. ONLY when their is an unavoidable delay would force them to open AIrport Link on 5 December 2009.

REF: Thai News Agency - 29 Jan 2009

A taxi to makkasan during traffic hours can easily get over 100 baht and will take longer than 15 mins depending where from. Its better to just get on the tollway especially for people that live on the outskirts like the west side of the river, bang bua thong, rama 2 rd, nonthaburi, etc.

[Travel2003]

Should be interesting to see how the taxis will arrange it from the City side of the line.

[sriracha john]

Airport link to open Aug 12

The Airport Link from the Phaya Thai and Makkasan to Suvarnabhumi airport is set to open for passengers on Aug 12, Deputy Transport Minister Sopon Zarum said on Friday. He conceded some facilities, including the baggage carousel system, would not be ready on the opening day, but he said he needed to speed up its launch. The luggage-loading service at Makkasan station would not be operational, so there might be some inconvenience for passengers with heavy bags. The construction of the 28-km route is 96%-complete with delays to work at some stations and route sections due to hold-ups in land acquisitions, said SRT Deputy Governor Prasert Attanan. The SRT plans to collect a fare of 150 baht from passengers taking non-stop trains while those travelling on trains that stop at every station will pay between 15 and

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/13...-to-open-aug-12

[sriracha john]

Interesting and untried (on skytrain) concept with the express versus local stop fares. Wonder how that will work in terms of the crowds chosing.

[JimsKnight]

This is good news, here's something to whet your appetite til' they open it

http://www.livevideo.com/video/OnTheRoadTh...in-bangkok.aspx

[Heng]

Will certainly make my periodic trips to Sathorn from Pattaya easier for sure. Now if they would only build a park and ride garage at the Suvarnabhumi (just off the motorway).

[george]

Suvarnabhumi rail link to open Aug 12

BANGKOK: -- The Airport Link from the Phaya Thai and Makkasan to Suvarnabhumi airport is set to open for passengers on Aug 12, deputy Transport Minister Sopon Zarum said on Friday.

He conceded some facilities, including the baggage carousel system, would not be ready on the opening day, but he said he needed to speed up its launch.

The luggage-loading service at Makkasan station would not be operational, so there might be some inconvenience for passengers with heavy bags.

The construction of the 28-km route is 96%-complete with delays to work at some stations and route sections due to hold-ups in land acquisitions, said SRT deputy governor Prasert Attanan.

The SRT plans to collect a fare of 150 baht from passengers taking non-stop trains while those travelling on trains that stop at every station will pay between 15 and 45 baht.

-- Bangkok Post 2009-02-13

[mdechgan]

Will certainly make my periodic trips to Sathorn from Pattaya easier for sure. Now if they would only build a park and ride garage at the Suvarnabhumi (just off the motorway).

Would be better if they just extended the rail all the way to Pattaya.

They only have like 100k to go with very little land needed to be aquisitioned.

They could even build alongside the motorway or new toll way.

[jamesjdaly]

.......the baggage carousel system, would not be ready on the opening day....

....The luggage-loading service at Makkasan station would not be operational.....

So why open the bloody thing early?!! Remember Swampy's early opening?!!

Edited February 14, 2009 by jamesjdaly

[huggybear]

.......the baggage carousel system, would not be ready on the opening day....

....The luggage-loading service at Makkasan station would not be operational.....

So why open the bloody thing early?!! Remember Swampy's early opening?!!

For some of us that come up for business meetings with just an overnight bag, it won't be a problem.

Agreed, for those with massive luggage for a month's stay in Thailand, they will still have to use the taxis.

[TAWP]

The SRT plans to collect a fare of 150 baht from passengers taking non-stop trains while those travelling on trains that stop at every station will pay between 15 and 45 baht.

So it's a dual-rail in both directions with tracks outside the stations to bypass any congestion caused by the normal trains [that stop at every stations] or is there a completely separate track from and to the two endstations?

[samran]

While this particular train line is being sold as an express 'airport link', what is going relatively unnoticed is that there is going to be a bog standard train link as well, which will connect directly to both the underground and the skytrain.

This is going to transform the lives and the commute for many thousands of people in BKK eastern suburbs and substantially shift the dynamics of public transport in BKK, the same way that the skytrain and the underground already have for many.

My bet is that the airport express service will be bust in 2 years time (so long as taxi's remain as competitive as they do), but the operators will find they have a thriving commuter service on their hands....

[h90]

Suvarnabhumi rail link to open Aug 12

BANGKOK: -- The Airport Link from the Phaya Thai and Makkasan to Suvarnabhumi airport is set to open for passengers on Aug 12, deputy Transport Minister Sopon Zarum said on Friday.

He conceded some facilities, including the baggage carousel system, would not be ready on the opening day, but he said he needed to speed up its launch.

The luggage-loading service at Makkasan station would not be operational, so there might be some inconvenience for passengers with heavy bags.

The construction of the 28-km route is 96%-complete with delays to work at some stations and route sections due to hold-ups in land acquisitions, said SRT deputy governor Prasert Attanan.

The SRT plans to collect a fare of 150 baht from passengers taking non-stop trains while those travelling on trains that stop at every station will pay between 15 and 45 baht.

-- Bangkok Post 2009-02-13

did they also mention the year?

[jamesjdaly]

^^^

[sriracha john]

Suvarnabhumi rail link to open Aug 12

Please merge earlier thread from General into this one. Thank you.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Airport-Link...st-t242586.html

Airport Link Skytrain To Open August 12th

[sriracha john]

I remember when that was the original plan for the Skytrain...

[Journalist]

Suvarnabhumi rail link to open Aug 12

The SRT plans to collect a fare of 150 baht from passengers taking non-stop trains while those travelling on trains that stop at every station will pay between 15 and 45 baht.

-- Bangkok Post 2009-02-13

I prefer my trains to stop in at least two places.

I do look forward to taking this train, but not at first, as I expect there will be accidents, (didn't a train nearly go off the end of the BTS line at the beginning?), and all those endearing lovable snafus that make Thais chuckle.

[geriatrickid]

I'm just thrilled that they have a tentative opening date. At least there is light at the end of the tunnel as they say. I just hope that it isn't the light from an oncoming train.

[sriracha john]

SRT to set up subsidiary to manage Airport Link

The State Railway of Thailand (SRT)’s Governor Yutthana Thabcharoen expressed confidence that his organization will be able to establish a subsidiary to manage the Airport Link to Suvarnabhumi Airport before the rail system's official opening on August 12.

Mr. Yutthana said a proposal to establish the subsidiary has been submitted to the Cabinet Secretary-General, who will bring up the matter at the next Cabinet meeting.

The SRT Governor revealed that a company with great expertise in rail performance will be brought in to advise and assist Airport Link subsidiary offficials.

Moreover, Mr. Yutthana said test-runs on the Airport Link would be conducted for at least three months prior to the system's opening, with free rail services offered to passengers during this period.

He adds that in accordance with the Cabinet's resolution, the railway construction committee has endorsed the extension of the Airport Link's implementation deadline by 180 days, due to the deadline's upcoming expiration at the end of February.

- ThaiNews / 2009-02-14

[frankthetank]

At least there is light at the end of the tunnel as they say.

isn't the line supposed to be overhead???

[Ricardo]

At least there is light at the end of the tunnel as they say.

isn't the line supposed to be overhead???

The tunnels are required to speed through the central-Bangkok mountain-range.