Bangkok Subway Begins Passenger Runs!

[george]

Bangkok Subway begins passenger runs!

LINK SUGGESTION:

Full coverage at Bangkok Subway

(Thanks to the good people at 2bangkok.com for providing the link!)

Discuss:

What do you think of this elegant Subway?

Will it improve the traffic situation in Bangkok?

[george]

High hopes for long-awaited Bangkok metro

The US$2.5b system is due to open in June after a year of delays

BANGKOK: -- Thailand's teeming capital may be about to jettison its reputation as one of the most gridlocked cities on earth, as its long-awaited subway system begins trials this week.

The inaugural subway line, a US$2.5-billion system with 18 stations stretching 20 km from the northern suburbs to the edge of bustling Chinatown, goes on public trial for six days from tomorrow. It is due to open for business in June after nearly a year of delays. When all the lines are completed - expected to be by the end of the decade - the combined subway and above-ground system will stretch for 111 km at a total cost of about US$7.5 billion.

Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) governor Prapat Chongsanguan said: 'The first line has the capacity to take up to 80,000 people in each direction every hour, but to start with we are expecting about 50,000 . . . It won't cure the traffic immediately but it's a good start. But this is only the first stage of a much larger system that should be in place within the next six years and will hopefully really alleviate the bad traffic here.'

The subway is not Bangkok's first attempt at constructing a mass transport system. The skeleton of the failed Hopewell above-ground project - dubbed 'Hopeless' by cynics - stands crumbling all the way to the airport.

The slick Skytrain network, which opened in 1998 to connect the city's business, entertainment and tourist districts, is clean and comfortable but it does not extend to the suburbs and is too expensive for most Bangkok residents.

Tickets on the new subway system will cost from 14 to 36 baht (60 Singapore cents to S$1.54), but the BMTA is in negotiations with the Bangkok Metro and Skytrain operators in a bid to unite the two systems into an integrated and affordable transport system.

'The (subway) system as it stands right now is too expensive for average people and we want to buy back the operating concessions and subsidise the tickets so low-income people can also use it,' said Mr Prapat.

'Ultimately we would like to even integrate the canal boats and buses with the (Skytrain) and subway on one ticket, allowing unlimited travel for up to three hours at a cost of about 20 baht,' he said.

Bangkok Metro, contracted to run the subway system for 25 years, has indicated it might be interested in selling its stake to the government. The government funded 80 per cent of the project, which was built by two separate multinational consortiums.

- AFP 2004-04-13

[NedKelly]

Read an article in the Bangkok Post yesterday about the advertising rights for the subway. it seems everything was all in place with one company which had sold almost 80% of the space already and then another company muscled in and caused the BMA to revisit the advertising contracts. Guess who owns the other advertising company that muscled in.........? Yep you were right, son of Toxin !

[MekhongKurt]

You're right, George -- it is nice of the folks at 2Bangkok.com to have let you know about the AFP story. I read it immediately, with great interest.

Much as I've criticized successive governments, I applaud all of them involved in sheparding first the Skytrain and now the subway into operation!

[george]

New subway system opens to public today

BANGKOK: -- Officials in charge of the subway train are confident of safety measures, as a new chapter in Thai transport begins today when passengers will travel underground for the first time for 20 kilometres from Hua Lamphong to Bang Sue.

Concessionaire Bangkok Metro Company Ltd, which will provide the service for 25 years for the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand, yesterday said it expected 24,000 free riders a day during the test run till Sunday.

The free rides are part of a plan to let users get familiar with the new system and for operators to test its readiness before the official opening, expected in July or August to celebrate the 72nd birthday of Her Majesty the Queen.

Executives at the two agencies said all safety measures had been put in place to prevent unexpected incidents from fires to flooding, earthquake, blackouts and even terrorist acts. ``We have prepared for 50 scenarios, including those linked with terrorism,'' said MRTA Governor Prapat Chongsanguan, without giving details.

Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit said all preparations were ready for riders in Bangkok. ``In the event of any untoward incident, passengers will be evacuated out of the tunnel to ground level within six minutes'', Mr Suriya said.

The subway system was designed and built in line with the National Fire Protection Association 130, the standard set by the United States, which calls for careful selection of materials to ensure that fires will do no harm to commuters for the first few hours.

The materials used in all 18 stations and carriages can resist fire long enough to move passengers to safe places on the ground, they said, adding all stations and the lines had been equipped with fire extinguishers, water pipelines as well as water reserved in tanks to fight flames.

The system also makes sure flooding will not be a disturbing factor because the stations on the ground are built 2.7 metres above the highest flooding level in Bangkok, with stop logs as barriers to block water flowing into the station in case of emergency.

The tunnel also absorbs earthquakes and its aftershocks and the system can also run despite electricity problems, with two sources of electricity from Ratchada and Bang Kapi power stations supplying the system in addition to its own electricity generator for emergency use.

All areas underground will be monitored by closed-circuit television. ``Officials in charge of security can see everywhere underground from their control room,'' said Mr Prapat.

In any incident, passengers stuck in the train can get out of the tunnel through stations and also eight emergency exits built between any two stations within a distance of more than one kilometre.

Officials picked to work underground have been carefully selected, including those operating the trains and control stations, to ensure they can work under pressure in the underground environment for up to eight hours a shift, said Sompodh Sripoom, the BMCL operations director.

--Bangkok Post 2004-04-13

[Guest chingy]

can someone take down the skytrain its ruin the city image, i need space to breath

[BKKdreaming]

what are going to be the normal operating hours ?

[Up2U]

Have no info on opening hours yet - Hong Kong is five in the morning to one in the morning - moving over two million passengers every day.

The Siemens rolling stock is delayed, still. So don't expect the frequency of trains to be up to design-levels this year.

Other than that - good luck to the operators, this will be a good thing for Bangkok. (But leave the Sky-Train in place as well, all means of publu\ic transport are needed)

[Guest chingy]

i will do alots of park and ride

[Wisdom]

congratulations !

well done for Bkk city and plan more subway in the parts od BKK also.

[Basher]

I wonder if the cops are planning to do urine tests on the drivers?

Bet that would be interesting results, Yaa baa, Red Bull and Mekong, if the coach drivers are anything to go by!

Bash

That is of course if these trains have drivers, are they computer controlled? in that case test the programmers!! lol

B

[john b good]

All very good stuff and yes the trains do have drivers.

[possom]

openings hours 5 am - midnight apparently , but then who really knows ,cant beleive everything they say !! TIT

[eric1000]

IT DONT GO TO THE NEW AIRPORT DOES IT ?

[elephantspike]

IT DONT GO TO THE NEW AIRPORT DOES IT ?

Not yet, but I think one of the planned future lines will. It's a great improvement for now that it goes to Hualampong. Up untill now, The best public transport option to connect to the State Railway Thailand was to take the river taxi, which stopped several blocks away.

[stumonster]

a map of the route

http://www.bangkokbob.net/subway.htm

[john b good]

Thanks for the map

[solero]

So just how integrated is it...can I get off a train from C-Mai say at hualampong,get on the subway and then skytrain to Siam square where I like to stay without sitting in a traffic jam?

[farangene]

hualampong,get on the subway and then skytrain to Siam square where I like to stay without sitting in a traffic jam?

I think you will have to change from subway to skytrain at the Asoke/Sukhumvit station.

Unfortunately, you will have to buy a second ticket from the skytrain (they are owned/run separately) for their portion of the ride. Also, there is no direct interface between the skytrain/subway so you will have come to the street surface level and climb up the stairs/take escalator to the skytrain. Poor planning but TIT!

[ASIC]

The absolutely worst planning is at Jatujak. The escalator leading down from the skytrain exactly does NOT lead into the excalator down to the subway. Everyone has to snail their wait around a sharp bend. It's completely braindead.

Go see for yourself.

[otherstuff1957]

I think that this subway is a great step in the right direction. Travelling around BKK by Skytrain or ferryboat (Klong Saen Seb & Chao Phraya) is much faster & easier than trying to get around on these horribly congested streets.

One thing that puzzles me though - the article keeps on mentioning that the Subway and the Skytrain are too expensive for most people in BKK. Are these the same people who are buying new cars in record numbers? You mean that they can afford new cars but not a Subway ticket?

[pokie]

Will this work.... ariving at Don Maung walk to airport train station,go to Bansue,

subway to Sukhumvit ?

[Highwayman]

Phahon Yothin or Lat Phrao would both be closer than Bang Sue.

[NedKelly]

Whats the difference between the Skytrain and the Subway ?

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The view !

[ASIC]

Discuss:

What do you think of this elegant Subway?

Elegant? Went there today. Really disappointing. Looks like a men's toilet inside with all those tiles. The ticket dispenser was out of order and the only route-map was at the exit. I ended up taking the bus home.

ASIC

N.B. The a**hole with the famous father had not installed any advertising yet either.

[350torana]

Can't help but make comparisions to MRT in Singapore. Call me selfish but don't see a Bang Kapi MRT station. My point is that Bkk , like any big city, has alot of residences living in suburbs , most Thais come from outlying suburbs into the city to work. They will still drive thier cars into work. Hopefully, in the near future the line will be expanded otherwise there is no point other than political ones