Suvarnabhumi Airport Rail Link - A Completely Inconvenient Means Of Travel

[toenail]

Was the article paid for by the TAXI mafia? Makes me wonder.

I'd take the Airport Rai Link anytime. Hate it when I have to argue with taxi drivers who try to scam me. You don't get that with the ARL.

No traffic jams on the ARL. Once the train starts moving from Makasan Station - you are almost sure that you will get to Swampy in less than 1/2 hour. With a taxi, you never know when you'll get there. Just adds to a travellers anxiety - which I don't need.

So you can diss the ARL all you want but it's still a great way of travelling between Swampy and downtown Bkk.

I agree. The wife and I found it to be a great way to and from swampy. We were recently in Norway and Copenhagen and everyone was toting their luggage down the streets to their hotels. We didn't mind it so much in Thailand nor in Europe. There is always ways to improve the system but to say it is a failure is not accurate.

"Toting luggage in Copenhagen or in Paris is certainly different than "toting" ones luggage (on wheels I'm assuming) on the narrow, crowded sois in hot, humid Bangkok. In some areas of the city the "side walks" are blocked with telephone/utility poles, vendors,sleeping dogs, fat tourists, and trash. Try pulling your suitcase on the streets and you'll be knocked over by a hit and run driver.

[Tokay]

Thank god they are planning a new BTS line from the airport all the way to Pattaya. Sure that one will be a smashing success as well.

[sfm]

When The Link arrives to Ratchatevee there are three floors down. No elevator.

For a large part of travelers with normal holiday luggage it is simply a major problem.

I use the link to the airport when I pick up visitors. Never from.

[ES1]

A well written article some of the points made could very well apply across the board in the Land of Scams....

Errum....yea well written 10 years ago because that is exactly the sort of article that was written about the skytrain.....Another "failure".

Edited September 9, 2011 by ES1

[ES1]

Am I missing something?

I have been using the new train that opened, what, last year? And it's no problem to get downtown.

Fast, cheap, convenient.

Faster, cheaper, and more convenient than Paris' RER B in the world's N° 1 tourist destination.

I have used it a few times and love it. I have taken the express a few times to/from Makassan. It's awesome! My only complaint is getting to/from Makassan with luggage. MRT is not an option because of luggage checks and lack of a direct pedestrian link between the stations.

Without luggage it's the best way to get to/from the airport hands down! How can anything that avoids bangkoks notorious traffic not be?!

Edited September 9, 2011 by ES1

[ES1]

Thank god they are planning a new BTS line from the airport all the way to Pattaya. Sure that one will be a smashing success as well.

Are they? Do you have a link? I'd take it over risking my neck in a tin can going 150km/hr on that free for all take your chances road to Pattaya any day.

[Crushdepth]

The train is fine. The only problem (which is a big one) is that it doesn't run often enough. The time between trains is longer than it takes to get a taxi into town. So what do you think people will do?

[LindsayBKK]

Paid by taxi mafia? me thinks yes.

Why people only just complaining when it's been in operation for a long time now.

Oh because they have Pheu Thai Gov now.

I would rather airport link than taxi any day. 45bht versus 220 + toll .

I don't have to listen to taxi driver country music and drivers complaining or chatting on mobile to friends while driving. ไม่มีมารยาท

I see lots of people using the rail link so how can they not be making money.

Every 15-20min is fine.

Edited September 9, 2011 by LindsayBKK

[Tricky]

I guess the biggest problem is not the link itself but the fact that makkasan station is a white elephant and isolated. I have only ever used the slower 'stop at every station train' from phaya thai and it was packed the 4 times I used it. the biggest problem I found was not the airport link but trying to get on a crowded bts train at phaya thai to go 2 stops to Siam. But anyone who has ever traveled to heathrow at peak hour will also tell you the same. Arriving at bkk airport on a Friday at peak hour when it's raining...I'd much rather take the train than be stuck in a taxi for up to 2 hours.

[thrilled]

People complain about everything.After 20 some hours on planes,I carry my luggage,I don't roll it.I take all the stairs ,no escelators.I mean it gives me A workout after not doing any exercise for 2 days.

I see so many heavy weight people that come to the country.I mean if ya worked out regularily ya wouldn't have trouble with taking stairs and your luggage.

[BrianLee]

This article reads like an opinion piece.<div><br></div><div>Scheduling may be an issue, so why didn't they EXPLAIN when most international and domestic travelers are having to wait too long for trains?</div><div><br></div><div>Why and how are the trains aging faster than normal?  </div><div><br></div><div>Most importantly, who CARES with the stops are not close to where you are staying?  The train had to be built before they make extensions, and if you are that cheap when taxis start at 50 baht, then don't travel internationally.  TAT isn't looking for BUM tourists or at least they said they are not and I hope they realize bums are not who they need here....there are enough of those type foreigners.</div><div><br></div><div>And local domestic travelers normally can make personal pickups with friends, just like in the West. so it's mostly a tourist issue, I would think.</div><div><br></div><div>If you are carrying too much weight, well, you need to ask WHY you would think public transport would be the way?    Usually it is a combo of a cheapskate who isn't willing to travel light.  You should not even have it both ways....I've traveled to Issaan by bus (no choice, given the airport logistics makes it so the bus wasn't much longer and it lets you sleep vs. constant movements from taxi to plane to taxi to cycle).</div><div><br></div><div>The thing is/was a waste of money....it only attracts cheap visitors and allows scammers/katoeys/etc. to come/go to the airport to find ignorant 1st time visitors to victimize in my opinion.</div>

[HerbalEd]

The airport rail link was unnecessary and a hugh financial mistake. Given the very cheap price of taxis in BKK, why would I want to take a taxi from my condo to the train station, then have to take my bags out of the taxi and lug them into the station, and then take the rather slow train to the airport? Why do that when I can so easily take taxi from my condo directly to the airport .... and at a faster time and a price that's about the same? What a huge waste of money this airport rail link is!!

[HerbalEd]

I don't have to listen to taxi driver country music and drivers complaining or chatting on mobile to friends while driving. ไม่มีมารยาท

I see lots of people using the rail link so how can they not be making money.

Every 15-20min is fine.

So does this mean that no one on the train is chatting and no one is talking on a mobile?

[ES1]

I think a lot of these posts here are by people who have never taken the train.

"only complaining because of recent election"...lol that's a good one.

Makassan in a bad spot......"..posted by somone who only takes the slow train which does not stop at makassan....lol...another good one!

"Train not busy enough..." followed almost immediately by "train too full....bts phaya Thai too full".......lol....too funny!

I was going to thailand before a lot of you. I know that because none of you seem to remember (or you have bad memories from breathing bkk smog every day) when BTS first started up. Heard exactly the same arguments. Exactly. Why go up stairs when you can take taxi. Why pay that much when taxi is cheaper. Stations not in convenient locations. Not frequent enough. See, nobody is using it....therefore it will fail forever....knock it down! blah blah yada yada. Took BTS several years before it really took off now people are complaining that it's TOO busy. It would be funny to pull some of those old news articles talking about how BTS is a huge failure.....lol

Of course everyone completely misses the biggest benefits. Avoiding traffic, reducing traffic, reducing air pollution. But NAH.....none of those are problems in bkk........HA!

You people need to get off your whiney asses and get a life.

Edited September 9, 2011 by ES1

[Nisa]

There really is nothing that is going to encourage people on longer terms trips to use this mode of transportation. Even if somebody lives fairly close to the link they still would need to lug their suitcase(s) down the sidewalk. If they live a bit further they would need to take a taxi to the link and if they are already in a Taxi then they should just take it all the way to the airport.

The low price of taxis and the lack of usual traffic congestion going to the airport in Bangkok makes this line less useful than it might be in other major global cities. However, in the future it should prove useful as well as simply being another form of transportation to get around various locations in Bangkok. The more Bangkok continues to develop and extend various lines, the better it will be for the city and its residence ... Although this line may not have met its goal in regards of airport commuters, it still will be a benefit to Bangkok, especially in the future.

[Nisa]

Thank god they are planning a new BTS line from the airport all the way to Pattaya. Sure that one will be a smashing success as well.

Actually, that would be a very big success if it was an express train with only 1 or 2 stops along the way. All the issues of why travelers don't use the link locally would not be real issues if traveling further. It would also increase ridership on the current link as people in the BKK area would find it a much faster, safer and/or cheaper way to visit Pattaya than taxi or bus.

[bkkjames]

Will it stop at chonburi for ice coffee, bangsaen for seafood lunch, laem chabang for.. Before stopping at the station next to a gem shop in pattaya?

[Gillespie]

European airport-city links may have their glitches, but I've never encountered one where to change stations passengers have to cross a road and a railway line, as you do to get from Makkasan to Phetchaburi MRT. I regularly see commuters take a tumble as their clicky heels can't cope with the surface. Now try that when you're lugging a couple of suitcases and/or children as well. I suspect most long-haul travellers would rather get ripped off.

[Nisa]

European airport-city links may have their glitches, but I've never encountered one where to change stations passengers have to cross a road and a railway line, as you do to get from Makkasan to Phetchaburi MRT. I regularly see commuters take a tumble as their clicky heels can't cope with the surface. Now try that when you're lugging a couple of suitcases and/or children as well. I suspect most long-haul travellers would rather get ripped off.

Get ripped off?

[Debothai]

The Airport Link is convenient only when one does not have luggage. So, the way to make travellers use it is by having checking in facilities for luggage at Makkasan and luggage transport at Suvarnabhumi. The system is being used in Abudhabi and they don't have a rail link there but it is very convenient I heard.

For a light wheelie bag, the airport link is convenient...However one still must get a taxi to and from it to go to any destination in BKK.

The reason why it is under used is simply because the taxi fare is comparatively low....For 250-350b east bangkok is accessible by taxi and most visitors are in east BKK anyway...But if the taxi fare was 500-600 baht then the ARL becomes attractive as an option....But keep taxi fares low, we like it that way...

[aripengu]

Airport Link is fine, maybe not perfect but in my opinion much better than dealing with the taxi mafia.

Maybe some invisible powers are interested in it's failure. =Khao Sod Matichon Group

[ALFREDO]

Why is it possible, that the Rail-Airportconnection in Sinapore is so convinient and cheap?

[Nisa]

Why is it possible, that the Rail-Airportconnection in Sinapore is so convinient and cheap?

I don't think anyone has ever referred to this link as a success and the vast majority of folks still prefer to take a taxi or bus to the airport. In fact, the line is actually scene as being unneeded as much as the Bangkok line.

Regardless you are talking about two completely different places laid out completely different as well as Bangkok offering much much cheaper alternative methods of travel, not to mention the greater percentage of business travelers (not much luggage) using the airport in Singapore vs. Bangkok.

[Nisa]

Airport Link is fine, maybe not perfect but in my opinion much better than dealing with the taxi mafia.

Why the negative comments about the Taxis? Have you really ever felt like you were dealing with the mafia in going to or from the airport to downtown? At about $6 to get from downtown to the airport, I'm confused how this is a negative thing .... especially considering they use natural gas, are generally clean, relatively new vehicles and air conditioned .... and it is completely up to the passenger to choose if they want to go with a particular tax driver or vehicle. Yes, "the airport" charges 50 baht for using a taxi on arrival and if you choose to take the highways you will encounter tolls but again, not sure how this would in anyway make one feel like they are dealing with the mafia. I know a number of taxi drivers in Bangkok and not one is part of the mafia but are simply hard working people who pay a lot of fees to be able to operate/drive a taxi.

[Gonsalviz]

Was the article paid for by the TAXI mafia? Makes me wonder.

I'd take the Airport Rai Link anytime. Hate it when I have to argue with taxi drivers who try to scam me. You don't get that with the ARL.

No traffic jams on the ARL. Once the train starts moving from Makasan Station - you are almost sure that you will get to Swampy in less than 1/2 hour. With a taxi, you never know when you'll get there. Just adds to a travellers anxiety - which I don't need.

So you can diss the ARL all you want but it's still a great way of travelling between Swampy and downtown Bkk.

I have none of those problems with taxis. Perhaps it is because of the points I travel to and from but I think not because it can be Nana, Lat Phrao, Bang Na and Bang Bon. Sometimes even up to Bang Pa In.

It is by far easier to throw my BIG bags in the boot an retrieve them when I get to where I am going. Granted, my wife meets me at the airport and drops me off there but I travel in taxis on my own too.

Several years back, I had problems with them. Before they wanted to use meters. Now that they use meters and I pay the tolls, I have no problems.

By far the best way to get to and from Swampy.

Edited September 10, 2011 by Gonsalviz

[Gonsalviz]

Why is it possible, that the Rail-Airportconnection in Sinapore is so convinient and cheap?

Singapore has been in the public transport system for decades. Every train stop has a bus and taxi stop. I was there before the airport link so I don't know about it but cannot think it would be different than what they had when I was there.

[bifftastic]

I've used both the Rail Link and the taxis. I was meeting some friends at the airport who came over for my wedding and I left my hotel near surasak BTS, jumped on a motorsai taxi, BTS to Phaya Thai and on to the link. I was there in 40 minutes, no problem. On the way back, we took a taxi, because there were four of us with suitcases.

Turns out this was the one and only time I had any kind of problem with a taxi driver in Bangkok, he was just a complete idiot! still, he got us where we were going and didn't overcharge us (used the meter).

So, I reckon it s depends on where you're going, how many there are of you and what you're carrying.

Taxis are fine, the link is fine too. When I'm on my own I jump on the train, I also used it with my wife and daughters when we had a one night stop over before we went down south for the honeymoon. It's cheap, it runs and goes where it's supposed to go.

Nothing wrong with it in my opinion.

Maybe because I live in London and I'm used to dirty smelly crappy trains full of idiots, my opinion is somewhat warped

Edited September 10, 2011 by bifftastic

[Katmanpu]

I used the Aiport Link express train from Makkasan last month to catch a flight to Chaing Mai. It was a midday flight so I took a meter taxi from Sukhumwit Soi 27 for about 40b and then my ARL express ticket was about 100 (can't recall exact amount). There were up escalators that were not so well signed but with just a little looking it was not too hard to locate them. The trip took about 20 minutes, I passed up a traffic jam and got to the airport in about half the normal travel time. My cost was also about half.

For more than one traveller it is clearly more economical to take a taxi to swampy but after this experience, I will do it again when travelling solo during the day (for flights after midnight and before 6 am there is no ARL service). The comments about deteriorating trains I think are grossly overexagerated, I found mine to be quite clean and well maintained.

As to the comment about no down escalators at stations I only experienced Makkasan and I thought there were both up and down ones there. At the swampy end I had no problem navigating with a roller bag from the terminal into the airport after a short escalator trip.

I think it is a good start for airport mass transit and when the extension from On Nut is completed things will be even better. As to the local service and the other stations only time will tell. People on Thai Visa complain about horrendous crowds on the Sukhumwit BTS line but when I lived in BKK in the early 198's traffic was a bigger nightmare and a trip from Sukhumwit Soi 22 to the area around the river near the Oriental took 2-3 hours midday. So I am happy to put up with a little overcrowding and get there in 20 ish minutes from Asoke or Phom Phong stations.

Transit not perfect but much improved. The trend is better, perfection can never been achieved but things are clearly better.

I think the flamers love the sounds of their own voice...

[rametindallas]

This article was just a long whine with no supporting evidence, the sort of thing that can be typed out in a bar after canvassing a few opinions.

I agree with those who see safety as a big issue with taxis. I have NEVER felt safe in a BKK taxi. And I really don't see what all the fuss is about re finding and ascending to Makassan.

No problem either with baggage. Plenty of elevators at both ends. Just ask if you are not sure about ways to go...signage could be better, but plenty of workers who are pleased to help.

As for lugging luggage on the underground, has anyone ever tried the London Underground or Paris Metro? Loads of places where you have no escalators or elevators, and you have to become an Olympic weight lifter to get your crap up the steps. I would say that the Airport Link is the single most civilised piece of architecture in all of Bkk.

you forgot your '/sarcasm' tag

[Bakseedaa]

You can dress up pig and put lipstick on it but it is still a pig!

God.....someone knows my wife..!