Purple Line route is now ready

[webfact]

Purple Line route is now ready

BANGKOK: -- The newly completed purple sky train line is now ready for testing as early as December this year.

Latest update of the Purple Line was revealed after the minister of Transport yesterday inaugurated the purple sky train terminus which covers a total of 150 rais located in Klong Bang Pai.

The Purple Line is the latest addition to the sky train network for the capital and spans a total of 23 kilometres.

The trial run of the newly completed line will be conducted from November 2015 to March next year where members of the public are invited to commute free of charge during this period.

The new line is expected to be fully operational for commercial use as of 12 August 2016.

This line which extends from Bang Yai to Tao Poon will start at 16 Baht with a 2 Baht increment throughout the line; not exceeding 40 Baht for the entire line.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/purple-line-route-is-now-ready

-- Thai PBS 2015-11-05

[robblok]

Now ready but going to be in real use august 2016.

This one is next to my home so i will be using it.

[Crossy]

Yup, and I'm the Queen of Sheba.

[ExpatOilWorker]

Yup, and I'm the Queen of Sheba.

That explains a lot.

[lee b]

Well when it is finally ready, at least people who have to travel in that direction wont have to be stuck in the horrific traffic of BKK!

[scorecard]

A map showing the route and how it fits into the greater Bangkok picture would be nice.

[DLang]

Every report of these BTS/MRT/SRT lines is the same.

Never one map to show it.

[DLang]

This line which extends from Bang Yai to Tao Poon

I take it that is 'Tao Pun' on this map.

https://celina2609.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/wpid-railmapmq6.jpg

[Thian]

Is now ready? And then it will start running next year August

Yesterday i got a free shower while driving under that line, and it didn't rain here for many days.

But when it's raining there are many waterfalls coming from the bts, very dangerous for motorbikes.

So they have to test it 4-5 months and even then it still takes 6 !! months before it's operational?

Amazing Thailand.

Also i don't believe it's ready yet, yesterday i saw a truck driving on that line who pulled 3 huge rolls of cable.

Edited November 5, 2015 by Thian

[DLang]

^ The problem is that you're a farang.

You think too much.

Stop thinking and the problem's solved.

[ThaiKneeTim]

All these different systems are fine, but are we likely to see a single prepaid card valid across systems in the near future?

Such as the Transport for London 'Oyster Card' or the Singapore 'ezlink card'.

Although I'm not too keen on contactless payments it would still be better than queuing for a ticket machine and fumbling for the loose change.

There is a growing trend for mobile phone NFC payment too, anything that makes it easier for the occasional visitor would be welcome.

[ignis]

Is now ready? And then it will start running next year August

Yesterday i got a free shower while driving under that line, and it didn't rain here for many days.

But when it's raining there are many waterfalls coming from the bts, very dangerous for motorbikes.

So they have to test it 4-5 months and even then it still takes 6 !! months before it's operational?

Amazing Thailand.

Also i don't believe it's ready yet, yesterday i saw a truck driving on that line who pulled 3 huge rolls of cable.

It maybe now ready, just the little matter if there is a breakdown or fault, Bang Yai the repair center is not ready, many months November 2011 and some of 2012 the building site was under water so it is 6+ months behind..

[Bangkok Barry]

Now ready but going to be in real use august 2016.

This one is next to my home so i will be using it.

Got to wait until the Queen's birthday. That's the Thai way. Same has happened before, lines opening on that day or the King's birthday.

[Mister Fixit]

This line which extends from Bang Yai to Tao Poon

I take it that is 'Tao Pun' on this map.

https://celina2609.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/wpid-railmapmq6.jpg

It is.

The line will be very popular, but unfortunately as I live at Khae Rai, the broad curve of the line at Hhae Rai junction means that my nearest station will be at either Nonthaburi City Hall about a mile away (where there is no sign of a car or motorbike Park) or near Big C Tiwanon, even further away. The map calls that station 'Rewadi', but soi Rewadi is at least 1 km further north.

Edited November 5, 2015 by Mister Fixit

[Remi080]

Guy's, did you all ever realized that 95% of comments here are negative, witch make me sad sometimes.

I thank god i work for BMCL and i feel proud to work at MRT so i defend negative comments against this topic. As i work close to this project, you should pay some respect to the people who made this all happen. Oke Thailand might be behind scedule with infra structure, but we all workin on it. Working... , Meens Do something. Not sit on your lazy a$$ all day and write something to complain on every breaking news flash topic.

Try to be possitive, specialy you.. farangs, not create a border between foreign and thai, good and bad. If its that bad here, why not go back where you came from. A lot of working foreign and thai people who are member here would apreciate your possitive comments so much more.

Ps.

For those who can write thai, there are detailed maps and routes of all lines.

For those who can not write thai, ask someone to find it for you.

And no ,these maps are not available at the stations because you got these on the wall's, witch saves paper and rubbish.

Traject cards are already in use in stead buy card at machine every time. As well for underground trajects.

Come one guy's, get off your bud and explore. So much better than stuck in horrific traffic. Be possitive!!!

[FireMedic]

I'm excited as all get out for this! I live in Pak Kret and the new office will be in Asoke.....So I can get on up here, change over and I'll be there in no time. Way better than the 2 hour traffic jam.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Not sure it's entirely up to date, but there's a stations list and map in English on the following website:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MRT_Purple_Line

With the following description:

Construction is divided into three separate contracts.

The first covers Bang Sue - Tao Pun - Phra Nangklao Bridge, with a length of 12 km, comprising nine stations. This contract also includes construction of a 1.2 km extension of the MRT Blue Line from Bang Sue to Tao Pun where the Blue Line and the Purple Line will interchange.

The second contract covers the Phra Nangklao Bridge (including a new bridge) - Bang Yai District - Khlong Bang Phai terminus, with a length of 11 km. and comprising seven stations.

The third contract is for the construction of a train depot at the Bang Yai terminus and four park and ride buildings at Khlong Bang Phai, Bang Yai Intersection, Tha It, and the Nonthaburi Intersection station.

also, there's a bunch of photos of the trains and facilities from some kind of ceremony they had the other day:

http://2bangkokforum.com/showthread.php?3273-Purple-Line-under-construction/page22&s=fb60da8afa409b211b0d98825e830281

Don't know if this is true or not, but there's also a post by the moderator of the abovementioned site a month or so back indicating the direct link between the Blue line and the Purple line may not be completed for some months down the road because of delays

It is likely that Bang Sue - Tao Poon will be opened 7 months after opening of purple line due to the NESDB's insistence to call a bidding even 1 km section due to their bureaucratic nature

Edited November 5, 2015 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[Crossy]

All these different systems are fine, but are we likely to see a single prepaid card valid across systems in the near future?

Such as the Transport for London 'Oyster Card' or the Singapore 'ezlink card'.

It's called "Mangmoom" (Spider) and it's coming "soon".

https://www.facebook.com/ThaiCommonTicket-1613634198892810/?ref=ts&fref=ts

[CaptHaddock]

Anyone know the length of the combined BTS/MRT system now and with the Purple Line?

[bkksteve123]

So this will be under the MRT card?

I can't see the point of testing it for 8 months. If it's ready, it's ready, no point in delaying. Sure, test it and make sure it works, but that doesn't take 8 months.

You'd think those greedy developers would understand the missed baht and the time value of money.

[DLang]

I'm excited as all get out for this! I live in Pak Kret and the new office will be in Asoke.....So I can get on up here, change over and I'll be there in no time. Way better than the 2 hour traffic jam.

In fairness, Northern BKK is going to be massively benefited by the transport lines being built.

The elevated railway going along Viphawadee from Bang Sue to Thammasat and beyond is going to be fantastic. To add to that they are building a big massive wide road going along under it.

To add to the the Green (?) BTS line that they're just starting that will go from Morchit to Lam Luk Kha, up along Phahonyothin.

Fantastic.

Just need to wait 5 years or so for them to finish.

[Lakegeneve]

Every report of these BTS/MRT/SRT lines is the same.

Never one map to show it.

Don't expect accurate maps in the Thai press but these articles are primarily written for Thais..........this post should help you. From http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/406991-the-new-skytrain/page-13 (you can also the the future system map in the previous page)

Purple Line update:

The Taopoon interchange station construction is coming along nicely (pics credits to Khun Chainarai on SSC).

(You can view Crossy's pics of the platform level from last Dec, #274, pg11)

Street level looking south (junction of Phracharat rd)

Blue Line station (W-E) is lower level, Purple line(N-S) station is upper level

And here is a video of other stations along the line, including Klong Bang Phai Station at the other end of the line where the Depot is also located

You can read back to the posts on the previous page regarding when the Purple Line may open.

[Lakegeneve]

Anyone know the length of the combined BTS/MRT system now and with the Purple Line?

The Purple lIne is 23km

BTS Light Green line - (22.25 km)

BTS Dark Green line - (14.5 km)

MRT Blue line - (20.8 km)

SRT Airport Rail Link - (28 km)

Thus the total should be around 108.6km

[Lakegeneve]

Guy's, did you all ever realized that 95% of comments here are negative, witch make me sad sometimes.

I thank god i work for BMCL and i feel proud to work at MRT so i defend negative comments against this topic. As i work close to this project, you should pay some respect to the people who made this all happen. Oke Thailand might be behind scedule with infra structure, but we all workin on it. Working... , Meens Do something. Not sit on your lazy <deleted> all day and write something to complain on every breaking news flash topic.

Try to be possitive, specialy you.. farangs, not create a border between foreign and thai, good and bad. If its that bad here, why not go back where you came from. A lot of working foreign and thai people who are member here would apreciate your possitive comments so much more.

Ps.

For those who can write thai, there are detailed maps and routes of all lines.

For those who can not write thai, ask someone to find it for you.

And no ,these maps are not available at the stations because you got these on the wall's, witch saves paper and rubbish.

Traject cards are already in use in stead buy card at machine every time. As well for underground trajects.

Come one guy's, get off your bud and explore. So much better than stuck in horrific traffic. Be possitive!!!

Firstly, thank you for posting on here as a BMCL employee. It is good to hear from those that work within the operators. Generally the BMCL does a good job of operating the MRT (we will leave aside the major accident of mid Jan 2005 at TCC where 180 people were injured including 24 seriously due to BMCL staff turning off the ABS of a faulty train which then ran from the depot back down the line to TCC).

Also, I agree to an extent that there is much negativity but as often on Thai VIsa is it usually ignorant and misinformed negative comments rather than good critical analysis of the problems.

Lastly, here is some analysis on point regarding the BMCL.

1) Purple Line

It has to be acknowledged that the Purple Line will open late partially due to the fact that the BMCL did not order the rolling stock early enough after receiving the contract to operate the line. The Purple Line was originally scheduled to open in early 2014 granted that this would have been later as all metro projects have opened late. Also, the floods of 2011 added an extra few months - though somehow these few months became a year! Not an issue for the BMCL as much as the contractors (one of which is essentially the parent company of the BMCL) and the MRTA.

The delay in the BMCL signing their rolling stock contract probably added 6-9 months delay. As we can see the civil works are complete and E&S is most nearly done. The reason why the line cannot open until mid 2016 is ostensibly due to the fact that the bulk of the rolling stock will not arrive until Jan-Mar next year. Then there will be a testing period for the line and new stock.

2) Blue LIne

Similarly with the MRT line, the BMCL has deferred from 2007 the purchase of new rolling stock due to debt issues at the time. However, since reorganizing its debt and improving its cash flow from 20111 the BMCL still has not placed an order for new rolling stock on the MRT leading to severe overcrowding in the last few years during peak times. This also has the consequence of compromising pax safety in high load periods.

Essentially, the BMCL put profit before pax comfort and safety. This is what the MD of BMCL said at the time

Managing director Sombat Kitjalaksana told the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) yesterday that BMCL would delay the purchase of the five train carriers, because of the ongoing political uncertainty and lower consumer confidence. In a January 5 filing with the SET, BMCL said it spent Bt2.95 billion of its increased capital before the end of last year, in line with its planned purpose. However, that left Bt1.7 billion remaining, and the prospectus for the issue said it would be used for the purchase of five train carriers.

Sombat yesterday said although the negative economic factors were temporary and that there was a tendency towards a resolution, there would still be an effect on assumptions of the country's economic performance, including that of the mass-transit rail systems. "As a result, the estimate that we will reach 403,836 passenger trips a day in 2010 might not be realised," he said. Sombat said the company was currently selling fewer than 200,000 passenger trips a day, resulting in a deficit in passenger revenues to operating and interest costs.

"If BMCL proceeds to purchase the train carriers by following its business plan while the number of passengers remains the same, the company will be forced to borrow to maintain its liquidity," he said. He added that BMCL would then be saddled with interest payments, as well as maintenance costs for the new train carriers. The delays in purchasing the new carriers will not affect BMCL's future income, because its existing train carriers are sufficient for maintaining the company's standard of service and its competitive edge.

The Nation 27 Feb 2007

Still the BMCL has bid for both the Purple Line and Blue LIne (which technically they didn't bid for as there was no tender) BEFORE purchasing extra rolling stock for the MRT line.

I said for years that the private concessionaire model and framework that operates in BKK is flawed as you end up with different private operators, usually highly indebted, operating services without integration. They end up not being able to purchase rolling stock in time to meet the growing demands of extra pax due to insufficient liquidity. This has happened with the BTS, MRT and ARL.