New Skytrain Route To Thonburi Begins Operation

[george]

New Skytrain route over river begins operation; commuters get three-month free ride

BANGKOK: -- A new extension of the Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTS) or so-called Skytrain connecting Thonburi with downtown Bangkok goes into operation today, helping commuters avoid notorious traffic jams from the Taksin Bridge to Sathorn Road while effortlessly crossing the busy Chao Phrya River.

The new 2.2 kilometer elevated train extension route from Saphan Thaksin station to Wong Wian Yai is Thailand’s first BTS train running across the river to facilitate people living on the Thonburi side wishing to travel to the main business areas of the city.

A free ride on the route is also offered to the public during the first three months it was announced after Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva presided over the launching of the new route.

He told reporters the government will go ahead with electric train route extensions to cover all areas of the city of Bangkok.

Public transportation development is an urgent policy priority for the government and necessary to help stimulate the economy, he said.

-- TNA 2009-05-15

[JimmyTheMook]

This is a great extension to the line and I look forward to using it.

[khaowong1]

wow... thanks George for the info... I can't wait to try it out... it should be easier to get to Wat Pak Nam or any of the other temples now..can you imagine the people who live on the other side of the river... this must be great for them.. although, they can cross on a boat much cheaper, this is much faster... then again, maybe being time saving is a farang idea...

[TPI]

New Skytrain route over river begins operation; commuters get three-month free ride

BANGKOK: -- A new extension of the Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTS) or so-called Skytrain connecting Thonburi with downtown Bangkok goes into operation today, helping commuters avoid notorious traffic jams from the Taksin Bridge to Sathorn Road while effortlessly crossing the busy Chao Phrya River.

The new 2.2 kilometer elevated train extension route from Saphan Thaksin station to Wong Wian Yai is Thailand's first BTS train running across the river to facilitate people living on the Thonburi side wishing to travel to the main business areas of the city.

A free ride on the route is also offered to the public during the first three months it was announced after Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva presided over the launching of the new route.

He told reporters the government will go ahead with electric train route extensions to cover all areas of the city of Bangkok.

Public transportation development is an urgent policy priority for the government and necessary to help stimulate the economy, he said.

-- TNA 2009-05-15

What took them so long? The infrastructure had been installed over a year ago...Oh yeah! They couldn't work out who would get a slice of the train buying pie

[Junglejumbo]

wow... thanks George for the info... I can't wait to try it out... it should be easier to get to Wat Pak Nam or any of the other temples now..can you imagine the people who live on the other side of the river... this must be great for them.. although, they can cross on a boat much cheaper, this is much faster... then again, maybe being time saving is a farang idea...

Yes, just can't wain to get to see those temples.

[jamesjdaly]

He told reporters the government will go ahead with electric train route extensions to cover all areas of the city of Bangkok.

Yawn! Here we go again!! I am a staunch supporter of Abhisit, but even I know we'll never see much with regards to extensions in our lifetimes.

BTW, has anyone seen the full extension map? It's called 'If there is no corruption' map!!

[Plus]

Incidentally, last week opposition MPs managed to disrupt and cut short a parliamentary session where Democrats were presenting details of how they plan to make that "if there was no corruption" map a reality.

[Pappiklon]

I live on Thonburi Side of the river, Friday night thought great I'll be able to get the train over the river, it was packed a bit like Tokyo rush hour and this is at 9.30pm, We get over the River to the first stop, I get off as do seemingly thousands of others (maybe a slight exageration), I'm thinking Wow didn't realise so many people living over here would be using it this is going to be a big earner for the BTS, had to smile though when only about 10 people exited the station with me, everyone else just crosssed to the other platform to go back again. I guess since it has taken so long to complete it deserves it new found 'pilgrimage' status.

[trucking]

About time they finished it as its been ' almost ' finished for a long time. The line beyond Wong Wien Yai has also been ' nearly ' complete quiet a while. Maybe they'll stump up the cash to finish what has been started.

As for getting excited about crossing the river I can't really see what all the fuss is about ? There have been plenty of buses crossing to the ' Dark Side ' since the year dot. Or there are things called taxis you can use. Whats the obsession with the BTS, which is not exactly cheap, especially if you are traveling with a friend ?

[webfact]

Wong Wian Yai towards city

Wong Wian Yai Station

[JetsetBkk]

...Public transportation development is an urgent policy priority for the government and necessary to help stimulate the economy, he said...

I presume Vejjajiva's forgotten that Phuket is a part of Thailand. More likely is that he hasn't got the balls to take on the transport thugs here.

PS. I don't call them 'Mafia' as it's an insult to the real Mafia.

[tracer5050]

Great have been waiting for this.

[Pawpcorn]

I was among the first to cross the river on the new extension on Friday. This had been a day I had looked forward to, for a LONG time.

One odd thing I noticed was that the Saphan Taksin station (formerly the terminal station) still only has a single track(!) in the region of the station, and if you think about it, this requires some rather delicate timing and communication amongst the BTS train drivers to avoid a collision; to make sure the trains are only moving when timing is such to insure they have passed to the parallel portion of the new tracks.

This COULD account for the rather long delays I experienced on this line, in both directions... as the train simply SAT, idle, in various stations, while a tape recording stated some nonsensical statement of apology about construction, etc.

BUT, delays included, the new extension saved me an honest half hour, in my journey from my condo in Bang Mod, Rama 2, to Siam Square... It took me only 45 minutes, as opposed to an hour and fifteen minutes to an hour and a half.

AND 14 baht for the 76 bus to Wongwian Yai, and 30 baht for the BTS, placing me at Siam for only 44 baht, is a great bargain, in my book.

Minor gripes... only the 76 bus, which is often jammed to the point of standing in body contact with other passengers, is available to get from Rama 2 to the Wongwian Yai station. If you happen to miss the bus... you can easily wait for over a half hour before the next one comes along.

This happened to me on the return trip home (I just missed the 76, during the considerable walk from the BTS station to the closest bus stop), and I ended up walking for almost 15 minutes, to Taksin Road, where the 159, 105, and 76 buses could be used to get home again...

All in all... I'm not complaining though... ANYTHING that makes it easier and more convenient to be able to visit and enjoy Bangkok metropolitan is a welcome change to my (often isolated and boring) life, living on Rama 2, to be near my job.

Take care all,

Pawpcorn

Edited May 17, 2009 by Pawpcorn

[Pawpcorn]

Hi, does anyone know the locations for the stations of the yet-future 5.25 km extension to this new extension??

I have a map that shows the future station names as "Bang Sakaa" (which I think is a misspell of Bang Sakae), "Taksin", "Kalapaphruek" and terminal station "Bang Wa".

Location descriptions of any or all the stations would be greatly appreciated, but longitudes and latitudes would be invaluable.

I have to live in Bang Mod, Rama 2 to be reasonably close to my work, and if the future stations make a visit to bkk metropolis easier... I've got something to look forward to in the future, besides waiting to hit full retirement (aka social security) age...

Geeze, (according to the excellent Wikipedia BTS bio,) BTS had to reach into their own debt-laden pockets to finance this tiny 2.2 km extension, the ONLY expansion to the original lines, due to "Thailand political problems" completely blocking (public money to provide for) ANY expansion of the BTS route. Logic was explained that any success of the BTS was construed to help the Democratic party, which wasn't in power at that time.

This tiny 2.2 km extension is expected to actually put the BTS system into the financial "black" (due to increased ridership) for the first time, since opening in 1999! (according to a writeup in the Bangkok Post a few weeks back)

I, for one, hope that the 12 4-car trains ordered for delivery starting in late 2009 will arrive on time... the crush of people on BTS is already very uncomfortable, at many times of the day.

[Oberkommando]

Incidentally, last week opposition MPs managed to disrupt and cut short a parliamentary session where Democrats were presenting details of how they plan to make that "if there was no corruption" map a reality.

There's no corruption in the Democrat Party right enough.