The Suvarnabhumi Airport Rail Link Is Up And Running...

[brt224]

The Suvarnabhumi Airport Rail Link is up and running but will not be opened to the public until spring 2010!

Or so say the people at Siemens, the German company that has built the SARL (Suvarnabhumi Airport Rail Link) for the State Railway of Thailand (SRT).

Technically ready

I had the great privilege to experience a so called VIP run on the Airport Rail Link last saturday and to be given a good presentation of the whole project by the Siemens team.

Although the train is now technically ready (as I have experienced by myself), there are still a lot of testing and trainings to do that will make it difficult to meet the December 5th deadline.

More info about the Airport Rail Link features and schedule, as well as a few pictures here.

[TPI]

The Suvarnabhumi Airport Rail Link is up and running but will not be opened to the public until spring 2010!

Or so say the people at Siemens, the German company that has built the SARL (Suvarnabhumi Airport Rail Link) for the State Railway of Thailand (SRT).

Technically ready

I had the great privilege to experience a so called VIP run on the Airport Rail Link last saturday and to be given a good presentation of the whole project by the Siemens team.

Although the train is now technically ready (as I have experienced by myself), there are still a lot of testing and trainings to do that will make it difficult to meet the December 5th deadline.

More info about the Airport Rail Link features and schedule, as well as a few pictures here.

No connection between the MRT and the SARL?? How hard can it be??

[nakachalet]

connecting mrt and sarl is a technically simple matter as you can pretty much guess.

however the problem is with the selection committee members deciding which company to award the sealed winning bid to....

let's see the exchange rates for french's is.... , german's is...., italy's is.... and china's is....

but let's wait a little longer.... maybe there could be a knight in the new shining armor, who would offer us a little more.... lol

yes, my thaivisa friends, we shall not have to wait too long to be able to hop from mrt to sarl.... and

the winning sealed bid belongs to.... all thaivisa posters.... hip hip huray... lol

[ballbreaker]

I will still use taxi.

[lomatopo]

connecting mrt and sarl is a technically simple matter as you can pretty much guess.

Can you describe the plans for a pedestrian link between the Makasan CAT and the Petchaburi MRT station? Ideally it would be underground but I don't see that happening. So I guess some sort of overhead walkway might be constructed? It will be interesting to see how luggage friendly (stairs?) this walkway ends up being? And will the MRT continue their extensive bag search at the x-ray machines? All in all the SARL/local will be a boon to commuters but of marginal use for air passengers. Factoring in the wait at SBIA (on the hour until 2010 then maybe every 30 min.). Then getting dumped at the traffic he**-hole which is Makasan. Then having to get a taxi or a long walk to the MRT, and perhaps a transfer to the BTS (and 3 different tickets). All this will end up costing more than a taxi and taking far longer.

Upon departure, provided you can check in and check your bags at the CAT (and bag transfer, sans pilferage/theft, can be accommodated with say a 2 hour window), the CAT/SARL might be an interesting alternative, avoiding long check-in lines at SBIA?

As an aside, I thought that Deutsche Bahn of Germany was chosen to operate SARL? Has that decision been reversed?

[Hit]

BTS Phya Thai station has a direct connection to Phya Thai SARL Station.

So, if you are at Siam (like you said on your blog), you needn't take the BTS and MRT to get to Makkasan. A 2 station trip north will suffice.

I am surprised you did not figure this out, considering you posted a map on the blog.

Anyone who has driven/walked/sat on a train past phya thai station over the last 2 years knows this.

[Crossy]

Although the train is now technically ready (as I have experienced by myself), there are still a lot of testing and trainings to do that will make it difficult to meet the December 5th deadline.

Big issue currently seems to be lack of an operating company (and staff to operate it) Deuche Bahn International were slated to be operator, but there appear to be issues with the SRT unions. The system certainly itself is almost there, but will require several months of Trial Running (running a full schedule without passengers) to iron out any final bugs and to train staff.

I was on a previous VIP run, on that occasion the driver was German

The final physical link (10m across the road) at the BTS connection is missing, there is supposed to be an aerial walkway connecting to the MRT at Makkasan which doesn't seem to have actually been started and the exit from Makkasan station is on the wrong side for a nice short (ish) walk to the MRT

The subject of common ticketing is a sore point, should have been sorted ages back particularly as the revenue collection system was done by Thales, same as the MRT.

[geriatrickid]

At least there appears to be hope. I can't wait to finally be able to escape the hassles of the taxis, the touts and the other terrible twerps. I'm excited or at least I was until I read this part of the previous post;

The subject of common ticketing is a sore point, should have been sorted ages back particularly as the revenue collection system was done by Thales, same as the MRT.

Thales? As in the same people that built those tubes used on the Airbus for air speed indications?

ut oh............

[brt224]

BTS Phya Thai station has a direct connection to Phya Thai SARL Station.

So, if you are at Siam (like you said on your blog), you needn't take the BTS and MRT to get to Makkasan. A 2 station trip north will suffice.

I am surprised you did not figure this out, considering you posted a map on the blog.

Anyone who has driven/walked/sat on a train past phya thai station over the last 2 years knows this.

Thanks for this constructive comment Hit

Now my point was to reach Makkasan station, as this is the only one where you can get direct access to the Airport. Ok if you are at Siam you can still make the trip north. My mistake. However you would still have to buy 1 BTS ticket, then 1 City Line ticket, and then 1 Express ticket. Or take the City Line only but this is much longer and you can't register your luggage.

Regarding Deutsche Bahn I have no idea. They did not mention that at all.

[Lancashirelad]

Why didn't they just extend the BTS line from On Nut (which seems to have been done?) straight to the airport? Build more stations over time later. Then passengers could get on anywhere between Mo Chit & On Nut & go straight to the airport.

Too simple? Not enough opportunities for back handers?

[phetaroi]

Why didn't they just extend the BTS line from On Nut (which seems to have been done?) straight to the airport? Build more stations over time later. Then passengers could get on anywhere between Mo Chit & On Nut & go straight to the airport.

Too simple? Not enough opportunities for back handers?

First, I have heard that they want to begin to develop Phetburi more...which, east of the station is rather undeveloped...compared at least to Sukhumvit, which is rather overdeveloped.

Second, please, please...logical as that may sound, the Skytrain is already overcrowded much of the day. I cannot imagine adding more people from the airport PLUS all their luggage. No thanks!

[Crossy]

Now my point was to reach Makkasan station, as this is the only one where you can get direct access to the Airport.

Nope, City Line trains go to the airport too, just take slightly longer to get there

You only need to go to Makkasan if you want to use the City Air Terminal to check in.

[samran]

Why didn't they just extend the BTS line from On Nut (which seems to have been done?) straight to the airport? Build more stations over time later. Then passengers could get on anywhere between Mo Chit & On Nut & go straight to the airport.

Too simple? Not enough opportunities for back handers?

First, I have heard that they want to begin to develop Phetburi more...which, east of the station is rather undeveloped...compared at least to Sukhumvit, which is rather overdeveloped.

Second, please, please...logical as that may sound, the Skytrain is already overcrowded much of the day. I cannot imagine adding more people from the airport PLUS all their luggage. No thanks!

probably also that the land on which the airport link runs is already land allocated to SRT, with surface tracks already there. Building it would have been much less disruptive than had they tried to extend it from On nut. It is also linked to the Skytrain as well as the MRT, so there is good connectivity at least, if not the ticket interchangability (yet?)

In terms of corruption, I'm sure there was plenty. And to be honest, SRT needs a raison d'etre these days. IT is more of a land manager than a rail operator.

[lomatopo]

Now my point was to reach Makkasan station, as this is the only one where you can get direct access to the Airport.

Nope, City Line trains go to the airport too, just take slightly longer to get there

You only need to go to Makkasan if you want to use the City Air Terminal to check in.

By "direct access" I think they meant accessing the Airport Express train which will run direct, non-stop between CAT/Makasan and SBIA (travel time + ~ 15 minutes).

[hhgz]

"Why didn't they just extend the BTS line from On Nut...Too simple?"

After 6 years of planning and construction, that's the best you can do? SRT already owned the right of way, and the transfer was relatively easy. Duh.

[Rionoir]

There's no Spring season.. anyone know which season they are referring to?