When will the Bangkok airport rail link open?

[Snick]

original plan had the new subway line (red - i think), going to Makkasan.
no one has even talked about the new subways for 2+ years !

[Snick]

I've seen some websites that mention a connection to the Subway, but I can't figure out how. And, of course, there is no official webiste for the train.

From Google Earth

Top left is Makkasan, the main entrance is on the right side.
The highway is adjacent to the rail tracks, to the south, the highway access is under the overpass.
the Subway stop is bottom right, to get there you would have to walk to Ratchada/Asoke, then head south under the overpass, cross the highway access ramp.

[Road Runner]

(Snick @ Aug. 22 2010,15:48) I've seen some websites that mention a connection to the Subway, but I can't figure out how. And, of course, there is no official webiste for the train.

I've always understood the access was going to be a bridge/escalator similar to that between Asok (BTS) to Sukhumwit (MRT) - though admittedly it's been based more on rumor than hard facts.
(Do you ever get hard facts in Thailand? )

Know what you mean about the proposed subway - but the contract for the Airport line was signed before the MRT was even halfway finished.

While the tunnelers were still onsite for the MRT it would have been cheap enough to drive a pedestrian tunnel to the Makkasan site and finish it off with ordinary building equipment later.
Tunnelling under is expensive - but in most cities these days it's cheaper than buying rights to go overground.

But this is Bangkok - they can't even manage to integrate the travel tickets which would save a fortune in costs and make it easier for people to use the transport.

RR.

[Steff]

I appreciate every one's effort here but I am lost.

For me I would like to take the Express train from Swampy into BKK and get off at a point where I can easily grab a cab over to Soi 4. Fuck the subway and sky train connections if it means long walks up and down stairs, escalators, traffic. et cetera. In the end if the the Express Train is 150baht and the cab over to Soi 4 is 100 then I am fine. It usually costs me 500baht to take a cab into BKK.

[DrWillie]

(Snick @ Aug. 22 2010,19:52) 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.

Snick, I have been paying 400 baht for taxi from Majestic Suites to airport. Can I get this for 250 baht?

[rxpharm]

The express train stops at Makkasan station where you can take a taxi down to Sukumvit (if that's where your hotel is). The city line train will go on to PhayaThai station where you can cross the road and catch the BTS (Skytrain) as explained by tomscam.

If you are paying 400 - 450 Baht for the taxi (without tip), then you are being scammed. Taking a public metered taxi from the airport to Sukhumvit should run around 250 - 300 Baht, even during rush hour, and that is excluding tollway charges, which is about 70 Baht.

[Road Runner]

(DrWillie @ Aug. 22 2010,22:59) I have been paying 400 baht for taxi from Majestic Suites to airport. Can I get this for 250 baht?

Guessing that the taxi goes along just past Sukhumwit Soi 1 and turns right onto the expressway then 400 including tolls & tip is about right.

The bare taxi fare could be 250 to the airport but that could only be done when there is little traffic and by heading back down Sukhumwit  left into Asoke and then Petchburi Rd/Rama 9.
Chances of managing that are very small except late at night and most taxi drivers don't know the trick to doing a U-turn at the top of Sukhumwit Rd.

RR.

[Snick]

If you take the tolls 400 is about right. (300 is without tolls, but for majestic during rush hour I would use the tollway).

If you took the train I would estimate it would be

Express Train
150 for train (100 till end of 2010)
100-150 for Taxi from Makkasan
total 200-300

Express+skytrain option
150 + 15 + 15 (one stop subway, one stop skytrain)
total 180

Local+skytrain
Take the local airport line, 100-150 Baht + 25 baht skytrain
total 175

so the most you could save is about 120 Baht, and I don't see any of these options being that much faster than taking a taxi even with traffic.

[kahuna]

You neglected to mention the lugging the luggage factor...And the smelly armpits factor...

Now I don't go that way any longer, but for 4 or 5 bucks I sure ain't gonna lug my luggage
up and down stairs and fight BKK crowds simply to save a couple of dollars...

You're on a one or two week holiday guys...Support Isaan...Take a taxi...

[Snick]

(Snick @ Oct. 22 2009,19:39) here is the important part....who cares ?

It costs around 300 Baht to get a taxi to Sukhemvit area, the airlink might be around 100 Baht.
Are you going to carry your luggage around, transfer trains, deal with crowds, etc..  to save 200 Baht ?

I ain't

Sure I did...last year !

[kahuna]

Shit...Now does that mean I gotta treat you to a dim sum lunch...

[Snick]

saturday 1pm

[kahuna]

I try my best to wake up by 1 pm...

[Snick]

I got an answer on the question about a connection from Makkasan to Petchburi Subway station. Their are plans to have a connection by the end of the year, but they don't know what it will be

It might be a walkway, or it might be a tunnel.

And if you believe we will see anything in the next 12 months....I got some nice land to sell you in a beautiful place called Map Ta Phut

[Road Runner]

(Snick @ Aug. 23 2010,06:01) by the end of the year......

But they don't know which year.

RR.