Skytrain Extension Starts Running From Today, August 12

[webfact]

BTS extension starts running from today

By The Nation

An extension to the BTS Skytrain service from Onnut to Soi Bearing in Samut Prakan will open as scheduled today, to mark Her Majesty the Queen's birthday.

The service will be free for five months. From January 2, a Bt15 fee will be collected for the entire 5.25 kilometres covering five stations, on top of the fees collected from the original BTS route.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration covered the Bt50 billion needed for the construction of pillars as well as most of the operational service to maintain the rate at a flat Bt15.

The new stations between Sukhumvit Sois 105 and 107 are Bang Chak, Punnawithee, Udomsuk, Bang Na, and Bearing.

-- The Nation 2011-08-12

[daboyz1]

I wish they had that when I lived there. Taking a taxi from lower Sukh to Bang Na and back every day was brutal.

[WilliaminBKK]

FANTASTIC---let's hope they have enought trains during the peak hours.

[sfbandung]

Everyone loves Skytrain. Well I do.

I haven't used the airport service though. Heard mixed reviews, and it isn't cheap.

[jpinx]

Great -- A good step.

Did they add any more rolling stock, or do we just have to wait a bit longer for the train now?

[damian]

Great -- A good step.

Did they add any more rolling stock, or do we just have to wait a bit longer for the train now?

The new 4 car Chinese trains they bought are now being used on the Silom Line. This has released a number of the 3 car Siemens trains to be used on the Sukhumvit Line with peak headways around 2.5 minutes.

The problem now will be that while these extra trains relieve the current overcrowding, the extra capacity will be taken up with the new patronage from the extension. So its status quo I'm afraid.

Still better than driving during the peak.

[kumsamut]

thaksin was the first person to have completed the sky train and underground train. i think they are super useful.

[NevilleMinshell]

In the 1960"s I used to travel from Uxbridge to Piccadilly on the tube for 2/9d today you would need a mortgage.

[Udox]

Everyone loves Skytrain. Well I do.

I haven't used the airport service though. Heard mixed reviews, and it isn't cheap.

Agreed - The Skytrain was one of the best things that ever happened in Bangkok.

As for the Airport Link. I have used it several times and I like it - average journey time from PhayaThai BTS to Airport around 30/35 minutes and just 45 baht. I consider 45 baht for Central Bkk to the Airport cheap.

I think most of the criticism has come from the actual facilities at the stations (both ends) and the trains could have designed the seating/luggage storage better - but overall its a quick, convenient (and I consider - cheap) way to get to/from the airport - and like the BTS - a welcome addition to public transport.

[webfact]

BTS Skytrain begins extended service from On Nut to Bearing stations

BANGKOK, Aug 12 -- BTS Skytrain on Friday began its first day of service for the extension from On Nut to Bearing stations to celebrate Her Majesty the Queen’s Birthday on Aug 12.

Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra presided over the inauguration ceremony to mark the official start of operations for the extension.

The route extends the Sukhumvit line, which until today ended at On Nut station. The new stations include Bang Chak, Punnawithi (near Soi Sukumvit 101), Udom Suk, Bang Na and Bearing stations, with a total distance of approximately 5.25 kilometres.

The extension will remain open for service without charges until Jan 1, 2012, when a new fare structure is expected to be initiated.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) invested over Bt50 billion in the extension. Construction began in 2006.

Gov Sukhumbhand said that the extension would help facilitate travel for Bangkok commuters and that the service is expected to be used by about 120,000 people daily.

Fares will be charged beginning Jan 2, but the governor said it had not yet been decided whether it would be Bt15 or Bt20. He said he personally wanted BTS to charge a Bt15 flat rate for all five stations.

The Bangkok Mass Transit System Company, which manages the Skytrain routes, expects a 10-per cent increase in the number of passengers. Currently, there are about 500,000 daily commuters on weekdays and about 470,000 on the weekend. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2011-08-12

[jackdawson]

that blows

i loved being the first one in an empty car at tesco onnut

[grahamhc]

thaksin was the first person to have completed the sky train and underground train. i think they are super useful.

They were digging up Sukhumvit to build the skytrain when I first came to Thailand about 1996/1998, and NOBODY had heard of THAKSIN at that time. Yes, it was finished in his reign, but that was all. (I do not know who was in power when it was planned)

I love the Skytrain. I take the bus to On-nut (by Tesco-Lotus) and transfer to the Skytrain.

Remember, Swampy was 30 years in the planning........

[DP25]

thaksin was the first person to have completed the sky train and underground train. i think they are super useful.

They were digging up Sukhumvit to build the skytrain when I first came to Thailand about 1996/1998, and NOBODY had heard of THAKSIN at that time. Yes, it was finished in his reign, but that was all. (I do not know who was in power when it was planned)

Skytrain opened before Thaksin was PM, he had nothing to do with it. Democrats had the PM when it opened.

[yuphin]

Everyone loves Skytrain. Well I do.

I haven't used the airport service though. Heard mixed reviews, and it isn't cheap.

Train to airport is only 40 baht,my wife used it from Pratunam. So convenient!

[sbk]

thaksin was the first person to have completed the sky train and underground train. i think they are super useful.

They were digging up Sukhumvit to build the skytrain when I first came to Thailand about 1996/1998, and NOBODY had heard of THAKSIN at that time. Yes, it was finished in his reign, but that was all. (I do not know who was in power when it was planned)

Skytrain opened before Thaksin was PM, he had nothing to do with it. Democrats had the PM when it opened.

According to Wikipedia it is strictly a BMA project: "then-governor Major-General Chamlong Srimuang asked his deputy Krisda Arunvongse na Ayutthaya to create a new feeder system with a route along Sukhumvit and Silom Rd. Krisda, who in the same period was elected governor, and his team from BMA managed to find an investor to build it. Krisda also convinced all to let the city supervise the project. The investor founded Bangkok Transit System Corporation and this company successfully financed the system and grew it from a feeder system to a full mass transit project."

and:

"In 2002 the cabinet amended a law in order to allow a private firm to finance the cost of operating the train system, while the government would take care of all the civil engineering work. On 18 October 2005, with no approval from the central government forthcoming, the BMA decided to complete the 2.2 km Silom Line route extension (S7 Charoen Nakhon & S8 Wongwian Yai) using its own budget"

[Huey]

Horraay!!! so much closer to my house now! bout time

[blazes]

Everyone loves Skytrain. Well I do.

I haven't used the airport service though. Heard mixed reviews, and it isn't cheap.

It certainly is cheap when you consider the alternative of committing suicide in a 100 mph. taxi.

[Pawpcorn]

thaksin was the first person to have completed the sky train and underground train. i think they are super useful.

Well... since you dragged Taksin's name into it (why??)... From Wikipedia.org:

"Political problems coupled with favoritism and nepotism stalled several expansion projects over the years. The government of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was accused of stalling the Skytrain extensions in order to punish Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), which was controlled by the opposition Democrat Party, in an attempt to prevent the Democrats from gaining popularity among Bangkok residents."

...as an explanation of why development just seemed to stop and drag on, for so MANY years... This extension is way over-schedule...

Next up! The extension of the Silom line, past the current Terminal Station S8 "Wong Wian Yai"; four more stations, S9, "Pho Nimit", S10, "Ratchada-Rajapreuk", S11, "Wutthakard", and S12, "Bang Wa", all due to be completed a year and a half from now, on December 5, 2012 (King's Birthday)

The Bang Wa station would, some day, maybe, provide connection to the Bangkok Metro Blue Line MRT Station Bang Wa (Proposed)

[samran]

thaksin was the first person to have completed the sky train and underground train. i think they are super useful.

oh dear, someone has drunk the kool-aid

[Moonrakers]

This is good news

[dekestone]

Rode out to Bearing about 2pm today. It was great! Of course this is a long weekend and half the city has fled Bangkok. The real test will come on Monday morning rush hour.

[snarky66]

Now it is a long wait at Onnut for an inbound train. Didn't used to be. I personally do not think they have enough rolling stock.

[sfbandung]

Everyone loves Skytrain. Well I do.

I haven't used the airport service though. Heard mixed reviews, and it isn't cheap.

It certainly is cheap when you consider the alternative of committing suicide in a 100 mph. taxi.

Ha ha. Very true. Our record (in a taxi) is Sukhumvit (Sheraton Grande) to the airport in 20 minutes. Most of that doing 120kmh in the stopping lane. It was bloody terrifying.

[damian]

Now it is a long wait at Onnut for an inbound train. Didn't used to be. I personally do not think they have enough rolling stock.

How is it a long wait? It used to be every 3 minutes during the peaks and now it will be every 2.5 minutes.

Onnut was the terminal and you could sit on a train there for several minutes before it departed.

[dddave]

I live in Phra Khanong, one stop down from On Nut and have been concerned that trains would be full by the time they got to my station.

That didn't happen yesterday at all. Trains were run frequently and while it was S.R.O., it wasn't overcrowded.

I suspect that many passengers who originally would take the bus to On Nut and then the BTS will now just get on close to their homes but that the actual numbers of daily riders will not increase dramatically for now.

[dekestone]

I live in Phra Khanong, one stop down from On Nut and have been concerned that trains would be full by the time they got to my station.

That didn't happen yesterday at all. Trains were run frequently and while it was S.R.O., it wasn't overcrowded.

I suspect that many passengers who originally would take the bus to On Nut and then the BTS will now just get on close to their homes but that the actual numbers of daily riders will not increase dramatically for now.

I don't think you can really judge it by yesterday's numbers. It was a holiday after all, and on these three-day weekends lots of people leave town. The real test will be Monday.

[blackout]

what!? i was in bkk like.. almost 4 years ago and see them already build the extension back then, and they just open now?

why take so long for what? 5.25 kilometre?

[Lakegeneve]

what!? i was in bkk like.. almost 4 years ago and see them already build the extension back then, and they just open now?

why take so long for what? 5.25 kilometre?

There is an explanation for the delay and overview of the ext timeline in the Udomsuk thread, http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/213667-bts-extension-udomsuk-station/page__st__25 post #30.

For anyone who used to watch Yes Minister it will make sense as to the reason for the main delay in this extension opening 18 months later than first envisaged when the BMA funded it.

[Estrada]

thaksin was the first person to have completed the sky train and underground train. i think they are super useful.

They were digging up Sukhumvit to build the skytrain when I first came to Thailand about 1996/1998, and NOBODY had heard of THAKSIN at that time. Yes, it was finished in his reign, but that was all. (I do not know who was in power when it was planned)

Skytrain opened before Thaksin was PM, he had nothing to do with it. Democrats had the PM when it opened.

According to Wikipedia it is strictly a BMA project: "then-governor Major-General Chamlong Srimuang asked his deputy Krisda Arunvongse na Ayutthaya to create a new feeder system with a route along Sukhumvit and Silom Rd. Krisda, who in the same period was elected governor, and his team from BMA managed to find an investor to build it. Krisda also convinced all to let the city supervise the project. The investor founded Bangkok Transit System Corporation and this company successfully financed the system and grew it from a feeder system to a full mass transit project."

and:

"In 2002 the cabinet amended a law in order to allow a private firm to finance the cost of operating the train system, while the government would take care of all the civil engineering work. On 18 October 2005, with no approval from the central government forthcoming, the BMA decided to complete the 2.2 km Silom Line route extension (S7 Charoen Nakhon & S8 Wongwian Yai) using its own budget"

Thaksin did have a lot to do with it as an ordinary MP before becoming PM as he was supporting Major General Chamlong, I met them at Hua Mark Station at the time. To give Thaksin his due he was at that time given the job in Goverment of solving the traffic problems in Bangkok, although he did not manage to solve it. General Chavlit and the Democrats solved the problem in 1996 when, as the Brother of the Thai Finance Minister told me,"we've spent all the money defending the baht and there is none left, so we have to devalue the baht". Sure enough the baht plunged and it seems like half the cars in Bnagkok were reposessed solving the traffic problem by ruining the economy.

It has been Rotarians 9mainly Democrats) behind the skytrain projects, including first Bichai Ratakhun (SNC Lavellin Project), Keree (BTS), Krisda Arunvongse na Ayutthaya who also erected those handy raised steel bridges along Petchburi road and Rama IV, and Din Daeng. The main aim of the BTS project was to link Keree's Thana City Housing project to Bangkok so to jack up the prices of his Condominiums, but had been blocked by politicians from other parties. Since Thaksin's family have a number of projects along Bangna Trad that will benefit from the BTS extension to Thana City and the Airport, we can be assured that the Shiniwatra family will give priority to extending the BTS to the Airport.

[Lakegeneve]

It has been Rotarians 9mainly Democrats) behind the skytrain projects, including first Bichai Ratakhun (SNC Lavellin Project), Keree (BTS), Krisda Arunvongse na Ayutthaya who also erected those handy raised steel bridges along Petchburi road and Rama IV, and Din Daeng. The main aim of the BTS project was to link Keree's Thana City Housing project to Bangkok so to jack up the prices of his Condominiums, but had been blocked by politicians from other parties. Since Thaksin's family have a number of projects along Bangna Trad that will benefit from the BTS extension to Thana City and the Airport, we can be assured that the Shiniwatra family will give priority to extending the BTS to the Airport.

Politicians with interests in property companies is also the main reason why the NW section of Purple Line was given the go ahead first over other planned lines. You can thank BJT members for that.