The New Skytrain

[melvinmelvin]

Here near Bangyai they finally given the roads back to cars and my travel is quite fast again. I can't see how the BTS is ever going to take on cars / bikes and vans on this route now that the trouble they created themselves is gone. Only during the most busy part of the day could the BTS win.

But I am happy that the roads are better now again, only problem could be taxi's that will clog up the BTS stations and slow down normal travel for cars again once its running. But right now I am happy with all the roads returned to their original state before the BTS made a mess of it.

It is good to hear that you are happy again.

A couple of reminders. The Purple Line is not a BTS line. It is an MRTA line and the operator of the subway has won the concession to run the line. The mess as you put it, was made by contractors.

Eventually, it will have elevated and underground sections and intersect with 6 other metro lines. One needs to see the bigger, longer term picture. In years to come everyone living along this line will be very happy that they have the metro option.

Sorry for commenting on an old post but am interested in this.

I'm living close to purple in Bang Rak Yai.

You say that eventualy it will be good, what time perspective do you have on that?

I have some problems understanding the wisdom behind purple line.

Say 2 people living in a MooBan in Bang Yai want to go shoppig at MBK or thereabouts:

1 motocy raap jan to purple station, maybe 2*20 baht

2 purple to Tao Pun, baht? 40-50?

3 out, new ticket, underground to Sukhumvit, 40-50 baht?

4 out, new ticket, BTS to Siam, 20-30?

5 out, new BTS to National Stadium

fairly time consuming, taxi meter much quicker and for two people I think taxi meter would be cheaper than mrta / bts

I'm all for public transport, but this purple thing from amp. Bang Yai or amp. Bang Bua Thong to MBK/Siam or so does not seem very inviting.

And Ratchapruek rd was not so useful for you up there in Bang Rak Yai until the whole northern part of it was built. Ask anyone who lives on the Thonburi side around Pinklao or Taling Chan how traffic is getting home for the last 10 years, then ask them again once the new Expressway (running alongside the Light Red line) opens up next year.

If we went back 30 years and complained about the expressway system not being useful with only the 1st stage opened it would seem silly now, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_expressway_system . It takes time to build a network, even longer to build an intergrated one in BKK!

Take a look at the planned metro system map back in this thread. When the southern part of the Purple Line is completed in say 5-6 years (??) then you'll have great access many areas of BKK esp once the Blue Line ext opens and a couple of other lines. Yes to go to MBK from your place I probably would not use the Purple Line when a van to Victory and the BTS would do a quicker job.

Public Transport can't be all things for everyone, every trip. The important principle is to have the option and provide the infrastructure in corridors where there is a need and demand. Especially in a poorly planned city like BKK. Given how bad traffic is on Rattana tibet rd I'm sure you'll be very thankful to have the 1st stage of the Purple Line open for use next year. (2.5 years late....!!). Remember, all construction is about 4-7 years behind where it was originally intended to be from a decade ago.

Right, Lac Leman, I think I take your point. Will be OK when network is completed.

Maybe I am expecting too much too soon.

Rattana ain't that bad actually getting from me to the Highway, and the highway ain't too bad either.

And Ratchapruk getting back from town is usually quite fast, even during rush hours.

Don't think I will ever use purple to Tao Pun before much more of the network is completed.

(although it does happen that I take the underground from Sukhumvit to Bang Sue, and continue with taxi, when Sukhumvit does not move or I can't get a taxi on Sukh)

Many times I have been looking at the planned systems, and it looks quite good to me.

One aspect though that makes me wonder;

BKK have several railsystems today, BTS, MRT, SRT, the airportlink, and more systems are planned.

But it seems to me that these railed systems are not compatible, you cannot run the same carriages on the various systems, is that sound at all?

[IsaanUSA]

I know it's not specifically about the BTS Skytrain, but I saw the news about the BMA Gold Line Monorail that will connect with the BTS Thonburi station and will link to ICONSIAM and then over to the purple line. Overall completed length would be 2.7km, include 5 stations and a maintanance depot.

Seems a bit extreme for 2.7km, no? I know monorails are much cheaper than electric trains, but is this worth it? I don't really go over to the Thonburi side of town, so I don't know what important places this will serve.

[Crossy]

I know it's not specifically about the BTS Skytrain, but I saw the news about the BMA Gold Line Monorail that will connect with the BTS Thonburi station and will link to ICONSIAM and then over to the purple line. Overall completed length would be 2.7km, include 5 stations and a maintanance depot.

Seems a bit extreme for 2.7km, no? I know monorails are much cheaper than electric trains, but is this worth it? I don't really go over to the Thonburi side of town, so I don't know what important places this will serve.

I suspect it's actually intended as a feeder for Iconsiam although it does cut off the corner for those heading to/from Hua Lamphong.

Monorail is cheap, low volume transit and is probably the ideal technology for a short route where one would normally use buses (which of course get stuck in traffic).

[Lakegeneve]

I know it's not specifically about the BTS Skytrain, but I saw the news about the BMA Gold Line Monorail that will connect with the BTS Thonburi station and will link to ICONSIAM and then over to the purple line. Overall completed length would be 2.7km, include 5 stations and a maintanance depot.

Seems a bit extreme for 2.7km, no? I know monorails are much cheaper than electric trains, but is this worth it? I don't really go over to the Thonburi side of town, so I don't know what important places this will serve.

I suspect it's actually intended as a feeder for Iconsiam although it does cut off the corner for those heading to/from Hua Lamphong.

Monorail is cheap, low volume transit and is probably the ideal technology for a short route where one would normally use buses (which of course get stuck in traffic).

Another monorail line highly unlikely to be built unless Icon want to pay for the whole thing themselves. It doesn't make much sense though as bus feeders would do the task in much the same time. An extended link to Thonburi SRT station and the Orange Line might work in the future but there are so many more pressing projects that need to be approved and built first.

[Lakegeneve]

BMA has announced today that finally S4 on the Silom line and N6 on the Sukhumvit line will be built in 2016. S4 first then N6.

These two stations were always planned to be built around 10 years after the line first opened.

[dantilley]

Hey LG,

Any update that you know of about the Airport Link? Are some carriages still under maintenance and do you know when they are expected to be back in service again? Will the Express Line be coming back into service at any stage? And any chance of 4-carriage trains being ordered?

[IsaanUSA]

Just got back from a trip to Hong Kong. Super impressed with the MTR. Very long trains. Quick and efficient. Very clean, although the decorations are a bit outdated. Bangkokians should be happy with the Spider Card.

[robblok]

On the purple line they were done.. and now again the opened up the ground in the middle (and blocking a traffic lane on both sides in front of the new central). They really never seem to plan ahead. It seems the norm not to wait till all is finished but to finish it and let the other installers tear it up again and reset it.

Real annoying as this adds to the traffic jam. Its not super bad but just stupid.

[dekestone]

BMA has announced today that finally S4 on the Silom line and N6 on the Sukhumvit line will be built in 2016. S4 first then N6.

These two stations were always planned to be built around 10 years after the line first opened.

Good news! These were listed as 'Future stations' on the very first maps of the BTS, and I was beginning to think they'd never get built. On the original map N6 looks like it'll be at the end of my soi so it'll save me the ten minute walk to Ari. (But reduce business for the tuk-tuk and moto guys at Ari.)

[zakk9]

Just got back from a trip to Hong Kong. Super impressed with the MTR. Very long trains. Quick and efficient. Very clean, although the decorations are a bit outdated. Bangkokians should be happy with the Spider Card.

Te underground in Hong Kong (and in Singapore and in most major cities all over the world) is an integrated system with low prices and high capacity. Bangkok is building a fragmented system with high prices and low capacity. BTS Sky-train looked impressive in December 1999. After that, it's been going mostly downhill. While following this thread is interesting and informative, it cannot hide the fact that every obstacle possible is invented to prevent public transport in Bangkok to become an attractive option for most people.

[Thian]

On the purple line they were done.. and now again the opened up the ground in the middle (and blocking a traffic lane on both sides in front of the new central). They really never seem to plan ahead. It seems the norm not to wait till all is finished but to finish it and let the other installers tear it up again and reset it.

Real annoying as this adds to the traffic jam. Its not super bad but just stupid.

That also happened at Rattana tibet rd, they opened the whole new road again to change something, took many months.

And nobody knows why they do such things, it's all normal for the Thai, they never ask what happened.

[Lakegeneve]

I'll finally get around to doing a long overdue update by the weekend.

[Lakegeneve]

Hey LG,

Any update that you know of about the Airport Link? Are some carriages still under maintenance and do you know when they are expected to be back in service again? Will the Express Line be coming back into service at any stage? And any chance of 4-carriage trains being ordered?

Basically, 2.5 yrs after the money was approved an order for 7 new 5 cars sets has been placed but there are accusations of some corruption in the process which is holding up the process .....after a 2.5 yr delay what will another few months matter

The Express Services will come back at some stage in the future, most likely after the track work is done at Makkasan to link both lines. That project is also 2 yrs overdue.

[Thian]

Is the airportlink not working? I just told some friends to use it

[jpinx]

Is there a list of what will open when, of all the various new projects? In English please

[BookMan]

Is the airportlink not working? I just told some friends to use it

It is still working... just not the express train

[Crossy]

Is there a list of what will open when, of all the various new projects? In English please

The only one I can quote with certainty is the Purple Line which will open on August 12th 2016 with the Blue Line link Tau Poon to Bang Sue early 2017.

The Red Line, Bang Sue - Rangsit is supposed to open in 2018 but progress indicates otherwise.

I can't comment on the various Green Line (BTS) extensions, Lake Geneve is your man there.

[Thian]

Is there a list of what will open when, of all the various new projects? In English please

The only one I can quote with certainty is the Purple Line which will open on August 12th 2016 with the Blue Line link Tau Poon to Bang Sue early 2017.

The Red Line, Bang Sue - Rangsit is supposed to open in 2018 but progress indicates otherwise.

I can't comment on the various Green Line (BTS) extensions, Lake Geneve is your man there.

I'm confused,

Rangsit is Vibhavadee Rangsit right? Last time i took a taxi and told him to go to Vibhavadee he didn't know where it was, when we arrived i showed him the sign and he said: ohhhh Rangsit.....

Blue line from Tao Pun to Bang Sue? That's very close to eachother, i mean soi tao pun the woodstreet. Is that the same?

[zakk9]

Is there a list of what will open when, of all the various new projects? In English please

The only one I can quote with certainty is the Purple Line which will open on August 12th 2016 with the Blue Line link Tau Poon to Bang Sue early 2017.

The Red Line, Bang Sue - Rangsit is supposed to open in 2018 but progress indicates otherwise.

I can't comment on the various Green Line (BTS) extensions, Lake Geneve is your man there.

I'm confused,

Rangsit is Vibhavadee Rangsit right? Last time i took a taxi and told him to go to Vibhavadee he didn't know where it was, when we arrived i showed him the sign and he said: ohhhh Rangsit.....

Blue line from Tao Pun to Bang Sue? That's very close to eachother, i mean soi tao pun the woodstreet. Is that the same?

There is no place called Vibhavadee in Bangkok. The road is named after Princess Vibhavadi Rangsit who was killed by communist insurgents while on a visit to assist rural villagers in Surat Thani. There's a district in Surat Thani named after her. The road leads to Rangsit though.

[Denim]

Recently returned from London where I had the chance to use the London underground .....probably the oldest in the world. Very quickly seful if you are staying in central London as you are never far from the underground. Steeped in history and very atmospheric. If you have the time you can take a pleasant ride out to Chesham and get a taste of rural England.

Been on the Thai BTS and underground. Very disappointing. No seats on the platforms and generaly very boring.

[brewsterbudgen]

Recently returned from London where I had the chance to use the London underground .....probably the oldest in the world. Very quickly seful if you are staying in central London as you are never far from the underground. Steeped in history and very atmospheric. If you have the time you can take a pleasant ride out to Chesham and get a taste of rural England.

Been on the Thai BTS and underground. Very disappointing. No seats on the platforms and generaly very boring.

At least the BTS is clean, very cool and has videos to entertain commuters!

[stoneyboy]

Recently returned from London where I had the chance to use the London underground .....probably the oldest in the world. Very quickly seful if you are staying in central London as you are never far from the underground. Steeped in history and very atmospheric. If you have the time you can take a pleasant ride out to Chesham and get a taste of rural England.

Been on the Thai BTS and underground. Very disappointing. No seats on the platforms and generaly very boring.

At least the BTS is clean, very cool and has videos to entertain commuters!

Ahh come on you don't get this on the BTS.

[Thian]

Is there a list of what will open when, of all the various new projects? In English please

The only one I can quote with certainty is the Purple Line which will open on August 12th 2016 with the Blue Line link Tau Poon to Bang Sue early 2017.

The Red Line, Bang Sue - Rangsit is supposed to open in 2018 but progress indicates otherwise.

I can't comment on the various Green Line (BTS) extensions, Lake Geneve is your man there.

I'm confused,

Rangsit is Vibhavadee Rangsit right? Last time i took a taxi and told him to go to Vibhavadee he didn't know where it was, when we arrived i showed him the sign and he said: ohhhh Rangsit.....

Blue line from Tao Pun to Bang Sue? That's very close to eachother, i mean soi tao pun the woodstreet. Is that the same?

There is no place called Vibhavadee in Bangkok. The road is named after Princess Vibhavadi Rangsit who was killed by communist insurgents while on a visit to assist rural villagers in Surat Thani. There's a district in Surat Thani named after her. The road leads to Rangsit though.

For sure there is a Viphavadee Rangsit road, wibhawadee however you spell it, in BKK, it's the road that leads from Don Muang airport to Chatuchak (and further) . You can even see roadsigns with that full name on it. Above it is the elevated highway.

Many times i get confused by the long names of roads/bridges in BKK. Also bridges with numbers like Rama V and Rama VII are confusing, Rama V bridge is not even on Rama V-road. And when you take it then there's Rama VII while i thought i allready passed the Chao Praya . So yes, i get lost a lot in BKK

Edited January 6, 2016 by Thian

[robblok]

For sure there is a Viphavadee Rangsit road, wibhawadee however you spell it, in BKK, it's the road that leads from Don Muang airport to Chatuchak (and further) . You can even see roadsigns with that full name on it. Above it is the elevated highway.

Many times i get confused by the long names of roads/bridges in BKK. Also bridges with numbers like Rama V and Rama VII are confusing, Rama V bridge is not even on Rama V-road. And when you take it then there's Rama VII while i thought i allready passed the Chao Praya . So yes, i get lost a lot in BKK

Glad to know im not the only one getting lost and confused at times in BKK. Actually I think I am the worst of all but that is just how it is.

And yes there is a road called the viphavadee rangsit road or whatever you spell it.

[zakk9]

I'm confused,

Rangsit is Vibhavadee Rangsit right? Last time i took a taxi and told him to go to Vibhavadee he didn't know where it was, when we arrived i showed him the sign and he said: ohhhh Rangsit.....

Blue line from Tao Pun to Bang Sue? That's very close to eachother, i mean soi tao pun the woodstreet. Is that the same?

There is no place called Vibhavadee in Bangkok. The road is named after Princess Vibhavadi Rangsit who was killed by communist insurgents while on a visit to assist rural villagers in Surat Thani. There's a district in Surat Thani named after her. The road leads to Rangsit though.

For sure there is a Viphavadee Rangsit road, wibhawadee however you spell it, in BKK, it's the road that leads from Don Muang airport to Chatuchak (and further) . You can even see roadsigns with that full name on it. Above it is the elevated highway.

Many times i get confused by the long names of roads/bridges in BKK. Also bridges with numbers like Rama V and Rama VII are confusing, Rama V bridge is not even on Rama V-road. And when you take it then there's Rama VII while i thought i allready passed the Chao Praya . So yes, i get lost a lot in BKK

Yes, there's a Viphavadee Rangsit road, but no place called Viphavadee.

If you ask a Thai taxi driver to take you to a place calling it something different from what his used to, he mostly won't understand what you mean. I once asked a driver to take me to On Nut BTS, and was taken way into On Nut Road. For a Thai, the station is BTS On Nut, nothing else, just as the road is Viphavadee Rangsit, nothing else. As for the spelling of Viphavadee, don't even get me started. The logical spelling with the Latin alphabet would be Wippawaddee, from วิภาวดี, but alas...

[jpinx]

Hey LG,

Any update that you know of about the Airport Link? Are some carriages still under maintenance and do you know when they are expected to be back in service again? Will the Express Line be coming back into service at any stage? And any chance of 4-carriage trains being ordered?

Basically, 2.5 yrs after the money was approved an order for 7 new 5 cars sets has been placed but there are accusations of some corruption in the process which is holding up the process .....after a 2.5 yr delay what will another few months matter

The Express Services will come back at some stage in the future, most likely after the track work is done at Makkasan to link both lines. That project is also 2 yrs overdue.

Any indications on a likely operational date for the line out from Bearing to Samut Prakarn Crocodile Farm?

[melvinmelvin]

Recently returned from London where I had the chance to use the London underground .....probably the oldest in the world. Very quickly seful if you are staying in central London as you are never far from the underground. Steeped in history and very atmospheric. If you have the time you can take a pleasant ride out to Chesham and get a taste of rural England.

Been on the Thai BTS and underground. Very disappointing. No seats on the platforms and generaly very boring.

At least the BTS is clean, very cool and has videos to entertain commuters!

Ahh come on you don't get this on the BTS.

ImageUploadedByThaivisa Connect1452096137.893445.jpg

you get a fair amount of it on the Metro in Paris though

[melvinmelvin]

Recently returned from London where I had the chance to use the London underground .....probably the oldest in the world. Very quickly seful if you are staying in central London as you are never far from the underground. Steeped in history and very atmospheric. If you have the time you can take a pleasant ride out to Chesham and get a taste of rural England.

Been on the Thai BTS and underground. Very disappointing. No seats on the platforms and generaly very boring.

no dustbins, no toilets, few seats

[IsaanUSA]

Is there a list of what will open when, of all the various new projects? In English please

We are not allowed to link to other forums, but there is another forum with MUCH more detail on building development, transportation development, and other infrastructure development. Sky Scraper City is the name, and there's a whole section on there for Thailand. Loads of pictures and a decent amount of English.

[jpinx]

Is there a list of what will open when, of all the various new projects? In English please

We are not allowed to link to other forums, but there is another forum with MUCH more detail on building development, transportation development, and other infrastructure development. Sky Scraper City is the name, and there's a whole section on there for Thailand. Loads of pictures and a decent amount of English.

Thank you - that would be fine, but my Thai reading abilities are not good enough