MRT board chooses BEM to operate Taopoon-Bang Sue extension

[rooster59]

MRT board chooses BEM to operate Taopoon-Bang Sue extension

 

The board of Metropolitan Rapid Transit (MRT) has approved the use of a special method to hire Bangkok Expressway and Metro Public Company (BEM) to operate the one-kilometre long Taopoon-Bang Sue extension connecting Blue Line with the Purple Line from Taopoon to Bang Yai.

 

MRT governor Pirayuth Singpattanakul, however, said the board instructed authorities concerned to bargain with BEM to bring down the cost of system installation for the extension to 678 million baht from 693 million baht and to reduce the operating cost to 52 million baht per annum.

 

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/mrt-board-chooses-bem-operate-taopoon-bang-sue-extension/

 

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2017-01-07

 

[robblok]

Can anyone explain to me if the ones that are going to operate the extension are the same who are already operating the purple line (that would make sense and be more convenient... but given that that is Thailand I like to confirm). Else you keep paying and switching. 

[SaintLouisBlues]

Just now, robblok said:

Can anyone explain to me if the ones that are going to operate the extension are the same who are already operating the purple line (that would make sense and be more convenient... but given that that is Thailand I like to confirm). Else you keep paying and switching. 

When the new Spider Card is introduced (possibly in my lifetime) it will all be seamless

[robblok]

10 minutes ago, SaintLouisBlues said:

When the new Spider Card is introduced (possibly in my lifetime) it will all be seamless

Lets hope so... I live near the purple line, I still don't use it because of the missing extension and my bike is still a lot faster (not sure about the car)

[newcomer71]

52 minutes ago, SaintLouisBlues said:

When the new Spider Card is introduced (possibly in my lifetime) it will all be seamless

 

Greediness and disregard for the public is what really matters here, so maybe the long publicized spider card won't ever see the light... sadly.

[SaintLouisBlues]

12 minutes ago, newcomer71 said:

Greediness and disregard for the public is what really matters here, so maybe the long publicized spider card won't ever see the light... sadly.

I've got the "senior" card for both the MRT and the Airport Link line and they're the ones I use most often. However if you look at the length of time it took some First World cities - Sydney, for example - to iron out the interchange problems when moving between modes of transport and fare structures I'm not surprised  (when you factor in general Thai incompetence and corruption) at how long the Spider Card is taking

[Estrada]

1 hour ago, robblok said:

Can anyone explain to me if the ones that are going to operate the extension are the same who are already operating the purple line (that would make sense and be more convenient... but given that that is Thailand I like to confirm). Else you keep paying and switching. 

The Purple Line and Blue Line to Tao Pun are operated by the same operator, Bangkok Expressway and Metro Public Company Limited (BEM). Hopefully they will be able to allow a per distance charge, if the interchange allows one to change lines without exiting one station and entering the other through the barriers. The new electronic stored value card is due out in April this year and will be useable on the BTS and other modes of transport.

Edited January 7, 2017 by Estrada

[ignis]

 Purple Line and Blue Line  the biggest problem is the very long walk.... being disabled and difficult walking take me 1 hour and a lot of pain getting off the Free bus to the Blue line...

 

Question I have is it easier to get a Taxi from the Purple Line to Mo Chit ? time and cost ? if anyone has done this.... have to go to the Red Cross Hospital again on 23rd

Thanks

[robblok]

37 minutes ago, Estrada said:

The Purple Line and Blue Line to Tao Pun are operated by the same operator, Bangkok Expressway and Metro Public Company Limited (BEM). Hopefully they will be able to allow a per distance charge, if the interchange allows one to change lines without exiting one station and entering the other through the barriers. The new electronic stored value card is due out in April this year and will be useable on the BTS and other modes of transport.

I was actually asking if the 1 station extension would be added to the purple line or that it would be totally separate. (separate paying and changing for that one station). It would be perfect if the blue and purple line connect in the same station but wont hold my breath for that one. 

Edited January 7, 2017 by robblok

[SABloke]

This might be an off the wall crazy idea, but imagine if the blue line was connected directly to the new line. This would negate the need to run ANOTHER service just to link Taopoon and Bangsue and so the blue line would start at Taopoon and run to Hua Lamphong.

[SABloke]

 Purple Line and Blue Line  the biggest problem is the very long walk.... being disabled and difficult walking take me 1 hour and a lot of pain getting off the Free bus to the Blue line...
 
Question I have is it easier to get a Taxi from the Purple Line to Mo Chit ? time and cost ? if anyone has done this.... have to go to the Red Cross Hospital again on 23rd
Thanks

It is easier to get a taxi there from Taopoon. 50 - 60 Baht and takes under 15min (during peak times it will be slower obviously)

[Ricardo]

" MRT governor Pirayuth Singpattanakul, however, said the board instructed authorities concerned to bargain with BEM to bring down the cost of system installation for the extension to 678 million baht from 693 million baht and to reduce the operating cost to 52 million baht per annum. "

 

So helpful, to show one's cards & objectives, before the negotiation even starts!

 

Amazing Thailand !

[Revolutionary]

So I am still not clear on this. Will the blue line still terminate at Bang Sue and you have to change trains for one station to the purple line??? Or will the blue line now terminate at the purple line junction ???

[SABloke]

So I am still not clear on this. Will the blue line still terminate at Bang Sue and you have to change trains for one station to the purple line??? Or will the blue line now terminate at the purple line junction ???

This is what I want to know. The track from Taopoon goes underground at SCG and enters the Bang Sue junction area. I always assumed that it connected directly to the blue line (convenient and logical) due to the angle of approach and how the blue line runs. Now, however, it seems that this may not be the case i.e. 1st Train to Taopoon, 2nd Train to Bang Sue, 3rd Train to...

[Estrada]

On ‎1‎/‎7‎/‎2017 at 10:13 AM, robblok said:

I was actually asking if the 1 station extension would be added to the purple line or that it would be totally separate. (separate paying and changing for that one station). It would be perfect if the blue and purple line connect in the same station but wont hold my breath for that one. 

It connects in the same station in a crossways direction. It is totally separate with a short walk up or down escalators, similar to the interchange at Asoke Station (BTS) and Asoke Stn. (MRT). The MRT-Plus card can be used on both the Purple line and Blue Line. I am not sure whether the distance charge is per station and allows travel through Tao Pun Interchange without having to pay the basic charge for entering the station. Certainly this should happen in the future but as far as I know it will only allow 5-15mins to change trains from Purple to Blue Line and vice versa.

[robblok]

7 minutes ago, Estrada said:

It connects in the same station in a crossways direction. It is totally separate with a short walk up or down escalators, similar to the interchange at Asoke Station (BTS) and Asoke Stn. (MRT). The MRT-Plus card can be used on both the Purple line and Blue Line. I am not sure whether the distance charge is per station and allows travel through Tao Pun Interchange without having to pay the basic charge for entering the station. Certainly this should happen in the future but as far as I know it will only allow 5-15mins to change trains from Purple to Blue Line and vice versa.

Thanks for the explanation and a short walk is never a problem. I hope they will get this done this year I might actually use it then sometimes. 

[Estrada]

34 minutes ago, robblok said:

Thanks for the explanation and a short walk is never a problem. I hope they will get this done this year I might actually use it then sometimes. 

I found the model of Tao Pun Interchange Station in my archives. Taopoon is an elevated interchange station with the Blue Line station below and the Purple line station above it. The blue is being extended 1.2 km to Taopoon station where trains will terminate until the full Blue Line extension is completed, trains will no longer terminate at Bang Sue. The Blue Line goes from underground to grade about 500m after Bang Sue just beyond Techa Wanit rd (Rama 5).

[Crossy]

The Missing Link is supposed to be open by August.

 

Through ticketing from Purple to Blue for stored value and token passengers. Your existing Blue Line or Purple Line cards will already work on both lines and in the Purple Line parking. Transfer at Tao Poon is easy, escalators in both directions and no gates to pass through.

 

Believe nothing of what you hear about Mangmoom. There is no budget, no commercial agreements, no operating company and no contracts in place to implement it. Despite all the Article 44 ranting at the absolute soonest it is 1 year away if they let contracts today.