At last - the Purple Line train in Bangkok is up and running

 

Image: Sanook News

 

BANGKOK:-- HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sinindthorn officially opened the Purple Line train in Bangkok on Saturday. 

 

Her Royal Highness first went to the Tao Poon station then travelled on the line to the repair yard of Bang Phai at the Bang Bua Thong, Nonthaburi, end of the line.

 

There she flicked a switch at 3.19 pm that officially got the service fully operational.

 

The line is 20 kilometers long and has a total of 16 stations. For now the connection at Tao Poon to the MRT (underground) station at Bang Seu will be made by using a free shuttle bus service. 

 

In time the plan is that the two lines will connect. There is also an over ground train that will shuttle, for 15 baht, between Bang Seu and Bang Son stations making connections easier to the main routes servicing central Bangkok.

 

The Purple Line will run from 5.30 am to midnight Monday to Friday and 6 am to midnight on weekends and public holidays.

 

Source: Sanook News

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2016-08-07

I really don't understand why they don't let the BTS run a few hours later. It would help a lot of people. But maybe they did a study and found out that its just not cost effective.

I'll check that out next week. What are the main stations of interest along that way? Food, mall or popularity wise?

 Central Westgate (and 'soon' IKEA) at Talad Bang Yai (PP02) is probably the only place worth looking at.

Any updates on when the Blue Line extension will be completed?

 

What will that connection ultimately be like? under/over, adjacent?

 

Will you need another type of ticket for the Purple Line? Or can you use an existing MRT stored value/ride card?

Is the line free to ride for a limited time?

http://www.mrta-purpleline.com/main?lang=en

may help anybody

30 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

Any updates on when the Blue Line extension will be completed?

 

What will that connection ultimately be like? under/over, adjacent?

 

Will you need another type of ticket for the Purple Line? Or can you use an existing MRT stored value/ride card?

 

Early next year if the BEM operating contract gets sorted, otherwise ...

 

Walk down from the Purple Line platform at Tao Poon and get on the Blue Line, no need to exit.

 

Same ticket, currently if you have stored value cards they work on both Purple and MRT (and there's a 14 Baht transfer discount if you use both lines via the free shuttle bus). Once the Missing Link is completed single-ride travellers will be able to buy through tickets too Note that you need the 'new' type of MRT card, ask at an MRT ticket office, they will exchange old cards for free if you have > 100 Baht on the card.

 

 

11 minutes ago, after8 said:

http://www.mrta-purpleline.com/main?lang=en

may help anybody

 

Trust someone to dig that up again, I'm in at least one of the photos (spot the fat farang)

29 minutes ago, JJGreen said:

Is the line free to ride for a limited time?

 

It was last month, but only a limited timetable. Full fare now.

 

 

It was last month, but only a limited timetable. Full fare now.

 

Thanks for your helpful answers here Crossy

If you have an MRT card that looks like this:-

 

 

You are good to ride the Purple Line, you can also use it to access and pay for the Purple Line parking

 

One important note, if you've not added value in the last month or so you need to visit an MRT ticket office to have the security keys updated, easiest way is just to add 100 Baht, everything is automatic. If you get to the Purple Line with the old keys it won't let you in and the PL ticket office can't do the upgrade for you

 

i saw the photo on the newspaper of the princess riding the purple line, oh and it looked like she was accompanied by about half a dozen military officials

If you have an MRT card that looks like this:-

 



 

You are good to ride the Purple Line, you can also use it to access and pay for the Purple Line parking [emoji4]

 

One important note, if you've not added value in the last month or so you need to visit an MRT ticket office to have the security keys updated, easiest way is just to add 100 Baht, everything is automatic. If you get to the Purple Line with the old keys it won't let you in and the PL ticket office can't do the upgrade for you [emoji20]

 

Do u know when the spider card will be introduced?

3 hours ago, robblok said:

I really don't understand why they don't let the BTS run a few hours later. It would help a lot of people. But maybe they did a study and found out that its just not cost effective.

Agree there, it might give an alternative way home for people who like to go out and visit restaurants and bars on a Friday and Saturday evening.

 

The cost effectiveness should have been included in the negotiations; it will either be a government project or a private project where the company guarantees to keep running till like 2AM. If they don't want that then no license to operate.

54 minutes ago, JJGreen said:

Do u know when the spider card will be introduced?

 

 

I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you

1 hour ago, after8 said:

http://www.mrta-purpleline.com/main?lang=en

may help anybody

 

Could they really not have posted any better image of the map? http://www.mrta-purpleline.com/mrtaview/15

Purple Line cards look like this, they also work on the MRT

 

 

I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you [emoji20]

My special forces training will keep me alive. empty bottle of chang and a beer towel is all i need.

Looking forward to the card...one care rules all...im guessing top ups can be done at mrt and bts stations?

On the map the purple line ends at Tao Poon.... is it connected to the blue line from there to Bang Sue?  

3 hours ago, JJGreen said:

I'll check that out next week. What are the main stations of interest along that way? Food, mall or popularity wise?

it pretty much goes no-where and is only useful if you live out there in no-where and wanna come into town.. I will not be riding this thing 'for fun' that's for sure

23 minutes ago, yooyoo said:

On the map the purple line ends at Tao Poon.... is it connected to the blue line from there to Bang Sue?  

 

Currently there's a free bus

 

Missing Link to open sometime.

3 hours ago, pkspeaker said:

it pretty much goes no-where and is only useful if you live out there in no-where and wanna come into town.. I will not be riding this thing 'for fun' that's for sure

Built specially for me, then, personally. I think there's some kind of park and ride facility at BangYai, so that's gonna be useful. Bit of a drawback it all closes down so early though.

What time would you like it to close?

 

I'm sure that with a decent business case BEM / MRTA would consider extending the business hours.

 

Yes, there are 4 Park-n-Ride locations, PP01, PP03, PP06 and PP09 all offer discounted parking (sorry, not free) to users who also travel on the Purple Line.

Is there also a riverboat now under the pra nang klao bridge? They were going to build a pier and change the whole riverboat route.

13 hours ago, Crossy said:

 Central Westgate (and 'soon' IKEA) at Talad Bang Yai (PP02) is probably the only place worth looking at.

Any idea when IKEA will be finished ? 

 

I love Central Westgate finally a nice shopping center near my home. 

 

Ah so no free parking.. that explains why Westgate now has new parking tickets that measure time. If they stayed free for all time they might get filled with people parking there just to get on the bts (to safe money paying parking elsewhere)

11 hours ago, Bob12345 said:

Agree there, it might give an alternative way home for people who like to go out and visit restaurants and bars on a Friday and Saturday evening.

 

The cost effectiveness should have been included in the negotiations; it will either be a government project or a private project where the company guarantees to keep running till like 2AM. If they don't want that then no license to operate.

 

There are these things called "taxis". You might have heard of them. They are incredibly cheap in Bangkok! If you can't afford a taxi home after a late night out, you can't afford a night out. Stay at home and watch TV.

2 hours ago, robblok said:

Any idea when IKEA will be finished ? 

 

I love Central Westgate finally a nice shopping center near my home. 

 

Ah so no free parking.. that explains why Westgate now has new parking tickets that measure time. If they stayed free for all time they might get filled with people parking there just to get on the bts (to safe money paying parking elsewhere)

 

IKEA changed their plan and will not open in Bang Yai, that's what my wife told me 5 months ago.

 

They will open a shop in...i forgot the name....but still in BKK...far away from Westgate though.

 

All malls at the skytrain have parkingtickets where you pay after some hours. You also have to buy something and show the receipt.

9 hours ago, Thian said:

Is there also a riverboat now under the pra nang klao bridge? They were going to build a pier and change the whole riverboat route.

 

Another "soon" I'm afraid.

 

3 hours ago, Thian said:

IKEA changed their plan and will not open in Bang Yai, that's what my wife told me 5 months ago.

 

There is major construction and loads of IKEA signs next to Westgate, or perhaps someone forgot to tell the contractor (not unknown mind).