Airport Link Makasan Station (City Line)

[corkman]

Hi All,

Does anyone know why it hasn't opened already?

With "commercial operations" due to commence on Monday, does anyone know if the Makasan station will open with it?

All the announcements and flyers that they keep handing out continuously include reference to the Makasan station....... yet the city line hasn't stopped there yet. I'm not bothered about the express line becuase I am never going to use that (nor are most people I suspect - bit of an ill conceived plan I reckon).

Many thanks,

CM

[Aza90]

Makkasan station to open Monday 23rd as full service begins. No check-in of luggage though till year end apparently. I'll be using the Express train for sure as it will initially cost 100 baht for a return ticket, brilliant!

[corkman]

Makkasan station to open Monday 23rd as full service begins. No check-in of luggage though till year end apparently. I'll be using the Express train for sure as it will initially cost 100 baht for a return ticket, brilliant!

But will the city line begin operations at Makasan also?

Regarding the express link - I was discussing this with a colleague yesterday - the train does not eliver passengers to a particularly good residential, business, or tourist area. You're still gonna need to get a cad from the station to your destination...... and the traffic around there is horrible, most of the time. So lets say you were going to stay in the Landmark, for example...... or the Rembrandt (spelling?) - it you are not a resident or expat, chances are the cab drivers picking up at the station won't be using the taxi-meter..... so people are gonna get screwed of the fair, plus they won't be able to explain where they want to go ..... so the cost of train + cab, plus the time waiting for the train, the train journey, and then the cab time...... then to be honest I reckon there is going to be no real saving in terms of time or cost, and there will be a whole world of hassle....... for you or I, if you live or work near makasan, it will be great...... but I just don't see what the customer base or customer benefit is, for the majority of people flying into Sawanaphumi (spelling)

[hotpotato]

From what I know this train service is limited and will be too awkward for the general traveler with baggage.

Useless compared to facilities similar to Hong Kong. But surely wish it well, and hope it proves to be a great service.

[tw25rw]

From what I know this train service is limited and will be too awkward for the general traveler with baggage.

Useless compared to facilities similar to Hong Kong. But surely wish it well, and hope it proves to be a great service.

It is if they catch the stopping train, which will get packed, or try to interchange with the BTS..

Also, expect the area around Makkasan to change a lot in the future now that the main station is there.

[corkman]

But can anyone confirm that the Makasan City Line will open for use on Monday

[straycat911]

For whom it may concern: Ive read the posts on this reply, and ive noticed that anyone failed to say that the final station is going to be linked by a skywalk with phaya tai BTS station, or the fact that Asoke airway link is next to the MTR phetburi, so getting where you wanna go from the airport link wont be much of a problem

[corkman]

For whom it may concern: Ive read the posts on this reply, and ive noticed that anyone failed to say that the final station is going to be linked by a skywalk with phaya tai BTS station, or the fact that Asoke airway link is next to the MTR phetburi, so getting where you wanna go from the airport link wont be much of a problem

Personally, if I were a tourist, I wouldn't fancy stumbling down the steps with a suitcase, and crossing the SRT rail lines and Kampengphet road, through a 100-200m walk, then descending into the MRT and even then the MRT won't deliver you to your door, you've still gotta get a cab (and whats the little security guy going to say when he see's a gyu with a sutcase..... when he spends too much time already stopping women with hand bags)...... for that matter, as an expat, I wouldn't fancy it either.... its going to be pretty much cost neutral (lets face it, if your flying out of bkk airport, 50-100 baht either way won't make much difference) and its just going to be easier to hop in a cab and go door to door..... unless its at 7-9am or 5-7pm rush hour.

To be fair, if you were flying in from say phuket for a business meeting at say 12 noon in say the Wyatt Erawan, then Airport-phaya thai-bts chitlom(?) would be a good option - quick and economical..... but otherwise, and for other destinations......

Edited August 21, 2010 by corkman

[straycat911]

to e

For whom it may concern: Ive read the posts on this reply, and ive noticed that anyone failed to say that the final station is going to be linked by a skywalk with phaya tai BTS station, or the fact that Asoke airway link is next to the MTR phetburi, so getting where you wanna go from the airport link wont be much of a problem

Personally, if I were a tourist, I wouldn't fancy stumbling down the steps with a suitcase, and crossing the SRT rail lines and Kampengphet road, through a 100-200m walk, then descending into the MRT and even then the MRT won't deliver you to your door, you've still gotta get a cab (and whats the little security guy going to say when he see's a gyu with a sutcase..... when he spends too much time already stopping women with hand bags)...... for that matter, as an expat, I wouldn't fancy it either.... its going to be pretty much cost neutral (lets face it, if your flying out of bkk airport, 50-100 baht either way won't make much difference) and its just going to be easier to hop in a cab and go door to door..... unless its at 7-9am or 5-7pm rush hour.

To be fair, if you were flying in from say phuket for a business meeting at say 12 noon in say the Wyatt Erawan, then Airport-phaya thai-bts chitlom(?) would be a good option - quick and economical..... but otherwise, and for other destinations......

yes, i believe that i would have to agree with you, i didnt consider that

[surayu]

But can anyone confirm that the Makasan City Line will open for use on Monday

Personally i couldn't care less anymore about this link, it supposed to open a while ago and then regularly postponed, if i was in you i wouldn't consider it at all, however if the miracle happen and they finally open it then you can just follow up your plan, if not, i am sure it wouldn't be much of an issue to get a taxi between the airport and the airport link station located in the Makkasan area and viceversa, traffic during some peak hours might be more of a headache, for what i can remember even the brand new coloured(bright green?) waistcoat motosay riders located just at the botton of it might have given up, it was interesting to see how they were stationed just at the bottom of the station even if was not open yet (and still isn't i guess).

Edit:

I just noticed this, look at the bottom right corner of this pic, can you see a green/white bus coming from the airport?

Edited August 21, 2010 by surayu

[lomatopo]

Obviously we'll have to wait until tomorrow for first-hand reports but based on SRT communications I expect both the City Line and Express Lines to offer full service as of 05:00 tomorrow, Monday, 23 August 2010. That means City Line Trains will stop at Makasan in both directions and the Express Line will operate non-stop between Makasan and Suvarnabhumi.

A few notes:

The link (bridge) between the SARL/City Line and the BTS at Phaya Thai should be open, work was progressing apace this week on the construction of a new ticket lobby on the mezzanine level of the BTS station. But worst case if its not finished, you will have to walk down to street level then back up until the lobby is finished.

I am not sure what the status of the surroundings at the Makasan station are; it still appeared quite messy as of 2 days ago. I'm not sure what the walk to/from the Petchaburi MRT station might be like; long, hot and dirty.

You will not be able to transfer directly (platform level) between the City Line and Express Lines at Makasan, for obvious reasons. You will have exit one, go down one level, get another ticket, then go back up to the desired platform.

The BTS, and even more so the MRT, are not particularly luggage-friendly. While there is one "bulk" gate at most stations it can be challenging to get through the regular gates just with a single bag. The MRT has X-ray machines and sometimes searches bags extensively. At most BTS stations there are only stairs down to street level. Neither is really meant to accommodate a lot of passengers with luggage. The SARL/City Line will have to limit/discourage (somehow) passengers with luggage as there will be no room for local commuters.

Hopefully all will go well tomorrow. This will be the first day of operations with both City Line and Express Line trains operating a full schedule. The Express Line has to overtake (pass) a City Line train at two stations (I think?, maybe more?) at 160 kph, so that could be a thrill. I'd expect some delays and snafus until they get all the kinks (mostly ticketing) worked out.

Edited August 22, 2010 by lomatopo

[mrtoad]

For whom it may concern: Ive read the posts on this reply, and ive noticed that anyone failed to say that the final station is going to be linked by a skywalk with phaya tai BTS station, or the fact that Asoke airway link is next to the MTR phetburi, so getting where you wanna go from the airport link wont be much of a problem

So you have to haul your bags from Petburi to the station . I think the plans to be honest are not exactly favourable - most people will probably continue to use Taxi's for convenience. The skylink goes no where near any of the main hotel areas - unless you want to change trains several times.

[corkman]

Well, I can confirm:

MAKASAN STATION IS OPEN

However, you've got to climb over / through a barrier / fence to get out onto the road adejacent to Asoke ...... only Thailand :jap:

The really need to get traffic access sroted out, fast, so that taxi's / taxi bike can get in to pick people. It's gotta be a 500m walk just to get to the road.

It is actually quicker to get off at Ratchaparop and take a taxi bike to asoke.......... seriously....... I got the 8.08 train today, as I normally do - and I am usually into work at 8.30 dead on - today it was almost 8.40!

Still - its progress..... and sure it won't be long before they get the access road open - I mean there was two guys (workers) working flat out sitting on their arse having a drink at 8.30am today.....