BRT Starts Service

[PigDogg]

[bazza]

Is there an english version !!!! still a bit of a waist of time would have to still get a taxi from the nearest stop to the dawin hotel as an example and the taxi from airport is only 500 baht no contest

[Bumpa STIKKA]

I agree... waste of time for tourists.

It's great for the staff who work at the airport, though!

[azza33]

I agree - taxi all the way

[rxpharm]

It's not meant to facilitate transport to the airport. It is a rapid bus service that will facilitate feeding districts more effectively into the BTS and MRT systems. Areas such as Sathorn, Silom, Surawong, etc. Dedicated bus lanes will enable the bus to make its way through traffic faster.

The aim of this system is to encourage more people to use the BTS and MRT mass transit systems in areas where it was difficult for them to get to the BTS and MRT stations.

I hope it is successful at reducing the traffic in Bangkok!

[SamplerDoc]

(rxpharm @ Jun. 05 2010,09:00) I hope it is successful at reducing the traffic in Bangkok!

Not in Our Life Times

[Bumpa STIKKA]

Tourists in taxis isn't the cause of the traffic problem in Bangkok and it's outlying areas.

There are simply too many taxis clogging up the roads... but thankfully there's always one when I need one.

These 'bus only' routes... who honestly believes that only buses will use them?

[ezflip]

Case in point. I read an article yesterday stating that the BRT was running late everywhere because the reserved lanes were clogged by what? You guessed it...motorbikes. TiT

[rxpharm]

There will be more money for the BIBs when they are directed to ticket any drivers or motorcyclists in the bus only lanes.

Anyway, at least they are attempting something - without some sort of system going the traffic problems can only get worse.

Here's a photo of traffic in front of Pantip Plaza - and of course it's worse on Sukhumvit Road.

[ezflip]

Funny that I count 29 taxis in that photo. BS is right. Just too many taxis.

[bazza]

I know this a bit off topic but now the central world plaza has been burnt down where are the other decent shopping malls on the bts route . I loved the the cwp a brilliant place to shop eat and watch movies.

Brian

[rxpharm]

Siam Paragon wasn't damaged and is open, also the Emporium is open - around Sukumvit Soi 33, which are on the BTS line.

[jadeite]

(bazza @ Jun. 10 2010,03:50) now the central world plaza has been burnt down where are the other decent shopping malls on the bts route

Central world was never on the train route. Even though both lines passed right by its doors there was no station nearby. It was a long walk through baking hot temperatures and taking a shortcut all the way through gaysorn mall. If coming from the silom line it didn't make sense to go all the way to chitlom to save a little walking so that meant an even longer walk from ratchadamri to get there. Central world was always dead so no big loss to the general public, though that's why I liked it. There are countless shopping malls truly along the train stations where you basically walk off the train and right into a mall. Besides ones mentioned you have Siam square, MBK, Central, even Tesco etc.

[Road Runner]

I agree with Jadeite's comments about getting to/from Central World but it did have some shops that were different to all the other centres in the area.

Never rated the two department stores there  -  Zen and whatever the other one was.
The bit they added on the front near the BTS line was also good  -  did that survive the fire?


As Rxpharm says the Emporium is worth a visit and has a good food hall and has a really good movie theatre on top.

Siam Paragon is worth a browse and has some nice eateries, but I would normally shop next door in the Siam Discovery Centre or across the road in MBK.
I prefer the movie theatres in both of them to the Siam Paragon ones also.

RR.

[bazza]

Well just got back from LOS went to MBK what a shit hole compared to CWP have been told it will take a year to re open used to take a taxi to CWP from The Dawin Hotel so the walk was an issue for me.