Officials mull extending Airport Rail Link to Don Mueang Airport

[webfact]

Officials mull extending Airport Rail Link to Don Mueang Airport
By Coconuts Bangkok


Photo: My Train Pix

BANGKOK: -- Imagine if you didn't have to sit in a taxi for an hour or transfer between several modes of public transportation when trying to catch a connecting flight at the other of Bangkok’s two airports.

The Ministry of Transport is considering extending the Airport Rail Link from its terminal station in Phaya Thai all the way to Don Mueang International Airport, Peerapol Thawornsupachareon, deputy secretary-general, said this week.

This is a big move. The original plan was to extend the Airport Rail link to Bangsue so that commuters could connect with the (not yet built) SRT Red Line, the commuter rail system which, according to the current plans, could take them to Don Mueang on it’s way to Rangsit, according to Prachachart.

Full story: http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2016/06/03/officials-mull-extending-airport-rail-link-don-mueang-airport


-- Coconuts Bangkok 2016-06-03

[mtls2005]

I'm not sure how many people make same-day connections into/out-of DMK and BKK?

And any public transport is a blessing, as it will probably be used more by commuters than tourists.

But they do have free, direct motor-coach service between the two airports, with 32 daily trips in each directions, with 20 min to 60 min intervals, from 05:00 - midnight.

[jaltsc]

"The Ministry of Transport is considering extending the Airport Rail Link..."

When they have definite plans, it takes a lifetime if at all to happen.

"Considering"....No way. Never gonna happen

[Bluespunk]

Officials mull extending Airport Rail Link to Don Mueang Airport

Please, please, please, make it happen.

[BigBadGeordie]

OP. " Imagine if you didn't......".

Sorry but I do not have that vivid an imagination, I doubt if even Walt Disneys "Imagineers" could even envisage such a far fetched tale.

Edited June 3, 2016 by BigBadGeordie

[scorecard]

I'm not sure how many people make same-day connections into/out-of DMK and BKK?

And any public transport is a blessing, as it will probably be used more by commuters than tourists.

But they do have free, direct motor-coach service between the two airports, with 32 daily trips in each directions, with 20 min to 60 min intervals, from 05:00 - midnight.

Correct of course about the free bus services. I took it from DM to Swampy 2 weeks ago, left DM at approx 2:00 pm. Took 1 hr 40 minutes.

Traffic on that day was horrendous so not sure what the average trip time is.

Hopefully a train as suggested here would take no more than 35 minutes total, I guess.

[Redline]

I'm not sure how many people make same-day connections into/out-of DMK and BKK?

And any public transport is a blessing, as it will probably be used more by commuters than tourists.

But they do have free, direct motor-coach service between the two airports, with 32 daily trips in each directions, with 20 min to 60 min intervals, from 05:00 - midnight.

I would say hundreds of people a day have connections as all local flights, except Bangkok Air, are at Don Mueang. It takes 45 min to 2 hours on the road, so a direct train would be a god send. Unfortunately, the chances are slim.

[bark]

As the Toy train said as it climbed the hill " I think I can, I think I can " .

Then it slipped on a banana peel, and slide back down the hill.

[ratcatcher]

"The Ministry of Transport is considering extending the Airport Rail Link..."

When they have definite plans, it takes a lifetime if at all to happen.

"Considering"....No way. Never gonna happen

No, they aren't considering. They are mulling, which in this country means one stage up from contemplating, which is one step up from envisaging.

Considering means a much larger standing committee and working groups to begin the ruminating and speculating.

Only then can they begin activating their plans, TIT.

[harrry]

I'm not sure how many people make same-day connections into/out-of DMK and BKK?

And any public transport is a blessing, as it will probably be used more by commuters than tourists.

But they do have free, direct motor-coach service between the two airports, with 32 daily trips in each directions, with 20 min to 60 min intervals, from 05:00 - midnight.

None of which are wheelchair accessible.

[Mickmouse1]

So bloody slow..That is long over due. .Should have been done long before Suvarnbhumi was built.Where all the billions generated from Don muang have gone???

[Travel2003]

Never say never.

Probably quite a few foreigners, if we go years back, who never even imagined a skytrain, or subway, or even a airport link being finished.

So, strange (and good) things do happens sometimes.

[Khun Paul]

A logical thought for once, probably never happen then .

[phoenixdoglover]

Before Deming invented the quality management cycle, Plan-Do-Check-Act, the Thai government developed their own foolproof system.

The cycle is now well known, and applied widely throughout Thailand.

The critical phases are:

1. Mull

2. Aim

3. Consider

4. Plan

This cycle ensures that plans are made with consideration of all inputs, and that all changes in conditions that may have occurred during the extensive planning process are incorporated in yet further stages of planning. Actual implementation of plans is considered in a risk management framework, wherein the probability of risk is assigned a value of 1.0 and the impact is assigned an initial value of infinity.

The Mull-Aim-Consider-Plan cycle has come under some criticism in recent years, and competing approaches have been adopted by some forward looking Thai agencies. The most popular new approaches are:

- Lather-Rinse-Repeat

- If-At-First-You-Don't-Succeed

- The 20 Year Strategy

Edited June 3, 2016 by phoenixdoglover

[bokningar]

All they have to do is to extend the short bit from Phaya thai (no longer than from Victory monument to Phaya thai) to the new stretch from Don Muang or am I missing some thing?

The last 2 times I passed it looks like they are making fast progress near Don Muang at least.

[Cuchulainn]

This should have been "mulled" when Suvarnabhumi was being built.

[WhizBang]

How many years ago since Suvarnabhumi was completed?

How many years later to get the Airport Rail Link built?

And now, how many years after the ARL was built is this being 'mulled'?

Why was the link to Don Muang not done at the same time?

[bokningar]

How many years ago since Suvarnabhumi was completed?

How many years later to get the Airport Rail Link built?

And now, how many years after the ARL was built is this being 'mulled'?

Why was the link to Don Muang not done at the same time?

2006 open to traffic and Airport Rail Link completed 2010 quite delayed when it opened.

Don Muang was shut down when Suvarnabhumi opened. So I guess no point in completing the sky train there. That was a very very much delayed project, that now is being completed.

[bokningar]

How many years ago since Suvarnabhumi was completed?

How many years later to get the Airport Rail Link built?

And now, how many years after the ARL was built is this being 'mulled'?

Why was the link to Don Muang not done at the same time?

2006 open to traffic and Airport Rail Link completed 2010 quite delayed when it opened.

Don Muang was shut down when Suvarnabhumi opened. So I guess no point in completing the sky train there. That was a very very much delayed project, that now is being completed.

My memory is not good enough to go back to early 90:s so read this about the skytrain to DMA

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

[gandalf12]

Would be great if it did. I hope it goes ahead but am not holding my breath

[taony]

In 45 years something will be a reality.

[Brer Fox]

I would love to be a Thai "official" who can mull. I think Thai mulling officials are on a winner for their mulling. Even if there is never an outcome of the mull.

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

A typical case of Thai lack of logic, common sense and forethought.

It would be FAR SIMPLER to extend the Dark Green line that links to Paya Thai via Chatuchak (that is now under construction now) to Don Muang airport as it passes behind it on it's way to Sapan Mai, Kukhot and beyond...

But who am I to suggest such a good idea, just another stupid farang.

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

All they have to do is to extend the short bit from Phaya thai (no longer than from Victory monument to Phaya thai) to the new stretch from Don Muang or am I missing some thing?

The last 2 times I passed it looks like they are making fast progress near Don Muang at least.

Do you mean extend the Dark Green line that links to Paya Thai (via Chatuchak - Bearing Line) to Don Muang airport as it passes behind it on its way to Sapan Mai, Kukhot and beyond (that is under construction right now).

[Ricardo]

I'm not sure how many people make same-day connections into/out-of DMK and BKK?

And any public transport is a blessing, as it will probably be used more by commuters than tourists.

But they do have free, direct motor-coach service between the two airports, with 32 daily trips in each directions, with 20 min to 60 min intervals, from 05:00 - midnight.

The convenient bus is only free, if you can show an onward-ticket from the airport you're trying to get to, not both ways. You can't pay (say) B50 and just get on, if you don't have a ticket to show them, unfortunately (and why not ?).

So if you've flown on an LCC down to DMK, and need to get to Swampy to catch the Bell Bus to Pattaya, you can't use it.

Of course running regular minibuses, or even full-size ones when demand had built up, between Pattaya and DMK would upset too many vested-interests (aka taxi-drivers), better to build a very expensive railway-line as mulled, more brown-envelopes too !

And as to numbers, traveling daily between DMK & BKK, well it has to be thousands IMO, especially as traffic at DMK continues to soar !

[kennw]

Of course had there been proper foresight and planning such that the airport link and BTS stytems were integrated as a common system the job would have been almost done since the BTS line past Don Muang is almost complete. WAIT what am I saying ! Foresight, planning how stupid of me.

[mtls2005]

The SRT Dark Red Line (Bang Sue to Rangsit) is well under construction, and there will be a station at Don Mueang Airport.

Of course this will not be make for an easy transition between the two airports, requiring connections at Makassan/Petchaburi (SARL/MRT) and Bang Sue. This would not be the most luggage friendly of trips, and might require up to three separate tickets.

Wedging some sort of express train line between Phaya Thai and DMK would prove challenging.

It would be nice to see the numbers on passengers who have same day connections at DMK and BKK (almost all tickets would have to be issued separately). Based on my completely random and ridiculously small sample observing the DMK-BKK bus, I'd say these numbers are not enough to justify a dedicate rail link. It seems like many people use DMK, and LCCs for point to point travel, planning stay-overs in Bangkok at the beginning/end of an international arrivals. If same day connections truly number in the thousands (each day) then perhaps a direct, point to point high speed line could be justified?