Recent train ride to Penang and back to Thailand

[nofarang]

Since the new Malaysian KTMB ETS high-speed trains started to operate on a complete new electrificated line to the Thai border (January 2016) the International Express No. 35 from Bangkok to Butterworth is affected as well.

The Thai train now ends at the border in Padang Besar, and a new Malaysian train commences to Butterworth under the same number. Stopover time at the border is reduced to less than 1 hour (only 30 minutes when I was there 2 weeks ago). The Malaysian train consists of 3 or 4 modern railcars, fully airconditioned with free seating. As the line is completely electrified now, the train travels very fast and reaches Butterworth 1 hour ahead of schedule at 12 noon (Malaysian time). There are only four stops on the way: Arau, Alor Star, Sungai Petani, Bukit Mertajam. Whole travel time now is roughly 90 minutes, which is half of the former journey when those old and battered Thai carriages were rumbling over the old tracks.

While the fast ride from the Padang border to Butterworth is a pleasant joy, the reverse direction is anything like that. The same commuter-like railcars start as train No. 36 in Butterworth at 14:00 (Malaysian time). But they loose a lot of time during the four stops (official excuse: ahead of schedule). Stopover time in Alor Star alone is nearly 1 hour. The train reaches Padang Besar border before 17:00 (Malaysian time, resp. 16:00 Thai time). So travelling time has doubled on the same route!!! At the border the Thai train will only be ready for boarding at 17:00, and leaves at 17:40. So more unnecessary time to waste.

Bottom line: With the electrification of the line on the Malaysian side and the established fast trains there is no benefit of the massive time gain for the traveller, when travelling from Butterworth to Padang, as it seems that Malaysian and Thai authorities forgot to align and adjust their schedules. So please be prepared!

[hansnl]

Not always electrification makes things better.

As shown here.

If changing trains at the border is a result, forget it,.

A diesel powered train is going direct, that is definitely a better option.

Edited April 30, 2016 by hansnl

[lopburi3]

Changing train is not an issue - that had to be done at times 20 years ago - you process at immigration check-point and board the new train to continue. You have to do that even if it is the same carriage.

[PETERTHEEATER]

Riding the railway 55 years ago Butterworth to Singapore to over twenty four hours with the views consisting of rubber, rubber, rubber..

Driving the old road then with an RAF 3 ton Bedford Truck just over 13 hours.

So things are improving!

[TSF]

Did it a few years ago, Butterworth to BKK. Wasn't a nice journey at all. I got to Butterworth to board the train only to be told that the Butterworth - HatYai section would not be running. But I had booked and paid for a ticket days in advance. Anyway, nobody gave a rat's...train had been cancelled...end of story. Then I learned if I made a made rush to HatYai I could join the train to Bangkok from there. So I made a frantic rush by bus & taxi up to HatYai and got there in time to catch the evening train to BKK. I was tired & hungry and wanted a meal and a cold beer so went to the dining car. Absolutely full with all the Thai male railway staff, sitting at every table drinking Mekong (this was back a few years ago when you could still drink on the trains) So nowhere to sit, nobody interested in serving me a meal or a drink in the dining car. Wasn't at all impressed with the journey. maybe things are different now, but I've never been back on SRT to find out.

[Tom Cahill]

Hi nofarang,
I actually know a lot about this project as I was a contract manager on it "allegedly", according to Balfour Beatty when they flew me over to commence the position. Things change though, so we'll await the Malaysian Police's investigation and the MACC's news, but they're waiting on the news from the Tax Office so until the matter of my not having a work permit or work visa gets sorted out, they'll hold up the investigation indefinitely into the hundreds' of millions of MYR that's financed Georgetown's expat real estate market over the last half decade.
Check out my Scribd account (t0mcahill) and you'll see a lot of it's posted up there.

You have a particularly apt user name for what's happened and's happening in this situation by the way,

Tom