When will the Bangkok airport rail link open?

[rxpharm]

This is a map of the route:

[PigDogg]

Guess the feasiblity depends on how easy it is to transfer between the airport link, subway, and skytrain.

[Road Runner]

Makkasan is at the top of Asoke close to Phetchaburi shown on the MRT (blue) line so you can interchange between the two lines.
I think the link is similar to that between the MRT and BTS at Sukhumwit/Asok - ie. a walkway and escalator.

Unfortunately I doubt the ticketing sytems will be combined but hopefully I will be proved wrong.

Also the 100 Baht fare mentioned from the airport will later rise to 150 Baht.
Shorter trips are shown as being from 15-45 baht with no mention of season/concession tickets.

Perhaps the opening of the service will at least help to reduce the taxi scams  -  but then again I seriously doubt it.

RR.

[Steff]

In theory it looks great.

They opened a terrific rail connection in Vancouver from the airport to various stops downtown. You literally exit the baggage area into an elevator, go one floor up, exit, walk 20 meters onto a train platform and grab a direct line to downtown that runs every 10 minutes. Also very cheap. Something like $6.00 compared to a $40.00 cab ride.

We anxiously await the first reports back on the Swampy-BKK service. Hopefully it will be TIT-less and work well.

[tomscam]

I used the Airport Link when I arrived in BKK in June. They were in the testing phase I believe and I rode for free. I didn't even know it was open but was informed by a person at the Information booth when I was walking towards the taxis.

It was early morning so I had plenty of time to burn before check-in and decided to give it a go. For guys who wish to use this service, the station is located at the bottom level at Suvarnabhumi Airport (I think it's level 1).

I got off at Phaya Thai Station, which is the last station on the line, and walked across the road & jumped on a train at Phaya Thai BTS Station, which is on the Sukhumvit line. Very simple however during the morning I did have to contend with the peak hour rush on the BTS.

[mardhi]

(Road Runner @ Aug. 18 2010,01:10) Unfortunately I doubt the ticketing sytems will be combined but hopefully I will be proved wrong.

A slight aside but somewhat relevant. The BTS which is shown on that map above includes the new stations after On Nut. Seemingly these stations and track have been ready for ages. Just one problem. Nobody budgeted to replace ALL the mechanical ticket machines system wide that the BTS uses.


Apparently they cannot be re-zoned to price a longer journey than they were originally designed for.

The solution until the next financial year is that the new stations and track stay unused.

So to allow for interchanging maybe in the future plans - as Snick says, April - just dont know what year.......

Cheers
Mardhi

[Snick]

I heard a different story as to why they remain unopened.
The official in charge of ordering the signaling equipment is due to retire, and didn't want to make any decision since even the slightest irregularity can lead to a criminal conviction.

No idea if its true, but thats Thailand these days.

[Ivor Biggun]

(Steff @ Aug. 18 2010,01:20) Does anyone know where you get it at Swampy and what are the stops in BKK?

I saw the signs last time I was there. Go down to the ground floor as if you were headed for the Pattaya busses (exit 7/8?) pick up the signs and follow them. There is an express train and one that makes other stops on the way. Fare is B150 I believe. I'll have a look while Im waiting for the bus on Tues and update later in the week.

[Steff]

Merci beaucoup mon ami.

[Ivor Biggun]

Just for you Steff ( so long as you stop speaking Franglais!)

BANGKOK -- After long delays in construction and several test runs, Suvarnabhumi airport's Airport Link begins commercial services Monday with special discount fares offered until the end of 2010, shortening travel times for inbound and outbound air travellers as well as easing arrivals and departures compared to existing airport transport.

From Monday onward, arriving and departing passengers as well as relatives or friends seeing them off from Suvarnabhumi International Airport, in Bangkok's adjacent province of Samut Prakan, will save significant time in travelling as the Airport Rail Link project, linking the airport and the Makkasan and Phaya Thai areas in downtown Bangkok, commences operations.

To ensure smooth operations, State Railways of Thailand (SRT) Governor, Yutthana Thapcharoen, inspected trains and other facilities whose construction began in mid-2005, for he wanted to make sure that nothing goes wrong.

The 28km rail link connects Suvarnabhumi Airport in the eastern flank of the capital and the City Air Terminal in Bangkok's Makkasan area, where passengers are able to check in their baggage.

With the speed capacity of 160km per hour, the train will serve eight stations and can cater up to 50,000 passengers daily.

City Line commuter trips, with set fares at Bt30, take 30 minutes to reach the airport and will operate 24 hours from Phaya Thai station. Trains pass through six stations.

The Express Service operates 19 hours daily from 6am to 1am and provides a non-stop journey between the City Terminal and the airport with the promotional fare set at Bt100.

SRT plans to establish a subsidiary firm to administer the Airport Link and will seek Cabinet approval through the Transport Ministry by raising registered capital to Bt2 billion from Bt500 million. (MCOT online news)

[Snick]

150 Baht by rail vs 250 Baht Taxi Ride

I'm so not there.


ps. The 150 Baht takes you to the middle of nowhere, only thing close is the Petchburi subway station - but I've heard no mention of any connection.

[rxpharm]

(tomscam @ Aug. 17 2010,21:38) I used the Airport Link when I arrived in BKK in June. They were in the testing phase I believe and I rode for free. I didn't even know it was open but was informed by a person at the Information booth when I was walking towards the taxis.

It was early morning so I had plenty of time to burn before check-in and decided to give it a go. For guys who wish to use this service, the station is located at the bottom level at Suvarnabhumi Airport (I think it's level 1).

I got off at Phaya Thai Station, which is the last station on the line, and walked across the road & jumped on a train at Phaya Thai BTS Station, which is on the Sukhumvit line. Very simple however during the morning I did have to contend with the peak hour rush on the BTS.

Snick you are right and thanks to tomscam sharing about what his experience was. Sounds like it will only work if you have light luggage - ie: carry on size bags. There other place for a possible transfer as you mentioned would be the Phetchaburi MRT station, but then you need to get to Asoke to connect to the BTS line if your hotel is on Sukhumvit.

It is really best suited for those working at the airport. However I could see it being faster than a taxi if you arrive during the traffic rush hour and have light luggage.

[Road Runner]

(Ivor Biggun @ Aug. 22 2010,13:16) SRT plans to establish a subsidiary firm to administer the Airport Link

So there looks little hope of a standard ticket system for all the lines.      

When will they learn?       TIT    

Thanks Ivor good bit of info.


And to add my two pennies  -  it appears they don't have planning permission for a pedestrian link from Makkasan on the Airport Line to Petchburi on the MRT.
So I guess at the moment you have to go down to street level to negotiate the obstacles and risk getting run over.

RR.

[Snick]

(Road Runner @ Aug. 22 2010,20:28)

(Ivor Biggun @ Aug. 22 2010,13:16) SRT plans to establish a subsidiary firm to administer the Airport Link

So there looks little hope of a standard ticket system for all the lines.      

When will they learn?       TIT    

Thanks Ivor good bit of info.      


And to add my two pennies  -  it appears they don't have planning permission for a pedestrian link from Makkasan on the Airport Line to Petchburi on the MRT.
So I guess at the moment you have to go down to street level to negotiate the obstacles and risk getting run over.

RR.

Thats pretty much impossible, since there is a highway access ramp between the two

[Road Runner]

Don't follow you Snick?

Makkasan has a taxi access - saw them building that - but Petchburi MRT is pedestrian only.
Or do you mean the access ramp prevents people from getting down to road level?

The crazy part is this line has been planned for years - when they built the MRT they should have built pedestrian access tunnels to the Makkasan site ready for later.

RR.