Suvarnabhumi Airport Rail Link Officially Starts Commercial Services

[webfact]

Suvarnabhumi Airport Rail Link officially starts commercial services

BANGKOK: -- Transport Minister Sophon Zarum on Monday morning presided over the inauguration of Bangkok's Airport Rail Link project, providing direct rail service to and from Suvarnabhumi Airport.

The long-awaited opening of the Suvarnabhumi Airport Rail Link commercial services began with special discount fares offered until the end of the year, shortened travel times for inbound and outbound air travellers as well as easing arrivals and departures compared to existing airport transport.

The 28km rail link connects Suvarnabhumi Airport in Samut Prakan province east of Bangkok and the City Air Terminal (CAT) in Bangkok's Makkasan area, where passengers will be able to check in their baggage.

The Airport Rail Link project is owned and will be operated by the State Railway of Thailand (SRT).

Services of both the Express Service and the City Line will be operational on the same tracks at speeds of up to 160km per hour, the train will serve eight stations and can cater up to 50,000 passengers daily.

The Express Service is a 15-minute non-stop journey between the City Terminal and the airport with a fare at Bt150 per trip. During the opening period, the fare charged will be Bt100.

Meanwhile, on City Line commuter trips, with set fares at Bt15-Bt45, take 30 minutes to reach the airport, departing from Phaya Thai, Ratchaprarop, Makkasan, Asoke, Ramkhamhaeng, Hua Mak, Ban Thap Chang, and Lat Krabang stations, and will end at the last stop of Suvarnabhumi.

The promotional fare will be Bt15 for all journeys during this period.

However, the baggage check-in system developed by the SRT and Airports of Thailand (AoT) for Makkasan Station will be ready for full operation by the year end. (MCOT online)

-- TNA 2010-08-23

[CNF55]

So where is the 'Asoke' station?

[jfchandler]

There is NO Asoke station for the airport rail line... though the Makkasan station is not so far/walking distance from the MRT's Petchaburi station.

[Mario2008]

A nice map of the Bangkok Public Transportation system (BTS, Metro Rail link, river and canal boats) can be found here:

http://wikitravel.org/upload/shared//7/75/Bangkok_Transportation.png

[peanut]

Just to remind people that if they have lots of luggage it's better to take the taxi. Unfortunately, there are no down escalators, there is only one lift so you will have to queue.

If you connect to the BTS it's even worse, remember that the BTS stations don't have any down escalators either, or lifts, with very few exceptions. And the up ones are usually only on one side, in a city where crossing the road is highly dangerous or plain impossible.

I really don't understand how come no-one thought of that?? Considering how much this project cost, is it really that expensive to add some escalators?? Not to mention older folks etc.etc.

[Thai at Heart]

From Makhasaan, what is going to be the quickest route into Sukhumvit by taxi? Asoke?

If so, it may be worth it if travelling light, but with any amount of luggage probably a pain.

[webfact]

Airport Link kicks off its official operations today

BANGKOK (NNT) -- The Airport Link has finally kicked off its official operations today at 06.00 hrs, to accommodate passengers traveling to the Suvarnabhumi International Airport.

Transport Minister Sopon Zarum presided over the official opening of the Airport Rail Link this morning. The rail link service, which is expected to serve up to 50,000 commuters and generate one million Baht a day, has been operating on a trial basis since June. It has begun full commercial operations today, operating from 6 am to midnight. The Minister said the Airport Link will ease the traffic and reduce travel time between the inner city and Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Samut Prakan.

The Airport Link consists of two lines, the City Line which stops at all eight stations from Phayathai to Makkasan , and the Express Line which runs non-stop from Makkasan to Suvarnabhumi International Airport. According to Mr Sopon, the non-stop Express Line, which can accommodate up to 150,000 people a day, will run at the speed of 160 kilometers per hour, covering the 28-kilometer route in 15 minutes, whereas the all-stops City Line will cover the same distance in 30 minutes. It can accommodate up to 150,000 people a day.

From the opening day until the end of the year, the SRT is offering passengers discount fares. Passengers who travel on the City line, which operates 24 hours a day, will pay only 15 Baht flat rate, while those who prefer a faster mode of transportation will have to pay 100 Baht for the Express line, operating from 6a.m.- midnight.

The passenger tickets will temporarily be manually operated until the check-in center at the Makkasan stations has been completed. After January 1 of next year, the fares for the City Line will be between 15 and 45 Baht, depending on the station passengers get on, and 150 Baht for the Express Line

-- NNT 2010-08-23

[Samuian]

The Express Service is a 15-minute non-stop journey between the City Terminal and the airport with a fare at Bt150 per trip. During the opening period, the fare charged will be Bt100.

Meanwhile, on City Line commuter trips, with set fares at Bt15-Bt45, take 30 minutes to reach the airport, departing from Phaya Thai, Ratchaprarop, Makkasan, Asoke, Ramkhamhaeng, Hua Mak, Ban Thap Chang, and Lat Krabang stations, and will end at the last stop of Suvarnabhumi.

The promotional fare will be Bt15 for all journeys during this period.

MCOT

Why ....why, why is the "express" airport link so much dearer is this to "promote tourism" and encouraging people to use the BTS?

Ah' yeah, forgot, someone has to pay the bill.....

let's party....

[jfchandler]

Clearly, the current (and perhaps future) arrangements for luggage movement/handling for folks heading TO the airport via the rail line are lacking....

I'd be interested to hear how that same issue goes for folks taking luggage from the airport ONTO the Airport Rail Line.... In other words, how easy is it to get from the international terminal onto the rail line, when you're lugging 3 or 4 50-lbs suitcases???

Likewise, are any of the new facilities handicapped accessible, such as with ramps... Not only do those work for people with disabilities, but it's a whole lot easier to move suitcases on ramps than it is on stairs.

Edited August 23, 2010 by jfchandler

[jfchandler]

So now we're back to the City Line running 24 hours.... Are we ever going to get any clarity on this???

From the opening day until the end of the year, the SRT is offering passengers discount fares. Passengers who travel on the City line, which operates 24 hours a day, will pay only 15 Baht flat rate, while those who prefer a faster mode of transportation will have to pay 100 Baht for the Express line, operating from 6a.m.- midnight.

-- NNT 2010-08-23

[Piengrudee]

Well done.

[sam666]

Kinda pointless imo, theres no lifts on BTS and I bet MRT too, so how in gods name do I carry a 70lbs suitcase up all them stairs in the heat and a laptop bag / backpack????

[Guest]

I have some questions

1. Where is the timetable -"every 30 minutes" is fine but is it on the hour and half hour, or at 9 minutes past the hour? What about the times for the city line?

2. Why stop at midnight - what about all those late night flights?

3. What happened to the operating contract signed by German railways (Deutsche Bahn)?

4. Why no direct links with the BTS & MRT?

[thaimelody]

Kinda pointless imo, theres no lifts on BTS and I bet MRT too, so how in gods name do I carry a 70lbs suitcase up all them stairs in the heat and a laptop bag / backpack????

you take a taxi

[thaimelody]

The transport minister looks so happy ......just say "new buses" and see the smile vanish

[whybother]

Clearly, the current (and perhaps future) arrangements for luggage movement/handling for folks heading TO the airport via the rail line are lacking....

I'd be interested to hear how that same issue goes for folks taking luggage from the airport ONTO the Airport Rail Line.... In other words, how easy is it to get from the international terminal onto the rail line, when you're lugging 3 or 4 50-lbs suitcases???

Likewise, are any of the new facilities handicapped accessible, such as with ramps... Not only do those work for people with disabilities, but it's a whole lot easier to move suitcases on ramps than it is on stairs.

You would even struggle in a taxi with 3 or 4 50lb suitcases!!

Access at the airport is as easy as accessing the taxi rank. Access at the BTS/MRT is the same as always for people with disabilities. The BTS/MRT has never been good when travelling with big bags.

[jfchandler]

Re #3, there eventually will be a walking bridge connection between the Phyathai BTS Station and the Rail Line terminal there... Estimated time of completion unknown...

Re #2, in the various Thai news media accounts posted on TV here today, there have been conflicting accounts... Some say the City Line will run 24 hours... Others say it will run the same hours as the Express Line. I have no idea which is correct....

You gotta remember... BTS is run by one entity, MRT by a different entity, and the ARL by a different entity still, the latter being the State Railway of Thailand... Coordination between them has hardly been a strong suit... Consider that after all these years, there is still not even any common fare pass available between the BTS and MRT....

I have some questions

1. Where is the timetable -"every 30 minutes" is fine but is it on the hour and half hour, or at 9 minutes past the hour? What about the times for the city line?

2. Why stop at midnight - what about all those late night flights?

3. What happened to the operating contract signed by German railways (Deutsche Bahn)?

4. Why no direct links with the BTS & MRT?

[UncleDude]

I have some questions

1. Where is the timetable -"every 30 minutes" is fine but is it on the hour and half hour, or at 9 minutes past the hour? What about the times for the city line?

Guess they will get around to updating their own site in the next few, Hours/Days/Weeks/Months.

http://www.bangkokai...able-route.html

Edited August 23, 2010 by UncleDude

[krading]

As most of my airport runs are from Mo Chit I think I'll stick with the taxis.

เปิดเมตรดีกว่าครับ

[sammybkk1]

Whats the official website for airport link ?

[rheinwiese]

Kinda pointless imo, theres no lifts on BTS and I bet MRT too, so how in gods name do I carry a 70lbs suitcase up all them stairs in the heat and a laptop bag / backpack????

Not to mention squeezing yourself and your bags in a packed BTS or MRT.

[lomatopo]

Re #3, there eventually will be a walking bridge connection between the Phyathai BTS Station and the Rail Line terminal there... Estimated time of completion unknown...

The connection between the mezzanine level of the BTS station at Phaya Thai and the SARL/City Line station is complete. I used it today. The BTS basically constructed a new ticketing lobby there. Very nice, working fine.

Re: timetables, I expect the system to work like the MRT and BTS with train intervals being the main determinant rather than a fixed schedule. The system is controlled by a signalling system, and loading/unloading times vary so sticking to a fixed timetable might be challenging? Also, there is only one overtaking (Express passing City Line) point, Lat Krabang, so this further complicates scheduling. This could change in the future. According to previously published information from SRT:

1. The Express Line departs very 15 mins and and the journey time is 15 mins.

2. The City Line departs every every 20 mins and the journey time is 28 - 30 mins.

Monitors in all stations tell you when a train will arrive, and in the terminus stations, when it will depart (in seconds!). Today a City Line train arrived at Suvarnabhumi station, then departed 10 minutes later.

The fact that the BTS and MRT are not luggage friendly should not come as a surprise.

The train systems here (BTS, MRT, SARL) conduct track safety testing and inspection during the hours 00:00 - 06:00, so 24/7 operation is not feasible.

It seems like a really nice addition to the Bangkok transportation scheme, and the City Line service will be a huge success.

My brief trip report from today:

The connecting bridge at Phaya Thai is open and functioning; the BTS gates and ticketing booths are in place.

The ticket machines for SARL do not appear to be working at Phaya Thai anyway; you pay 15 baht and get a paper ticket which no one ever asks for or collects.

Express Line trains overtake City Line trains at Lat Krabang station only.

City Line trains stopped at all stations today, although there were some minor problems with a few trains: taken out of service, passengers mis-directed, etc. (I saw quite a few passengers bound for the airport on the wrong platform.)

Makasan station is very nice. No taxis in sight. The walk to the Petchaburi MRT station is not too bad, much better than I thought it would be. Maybe 10 - 15 minutes all in from exiting the train to the MRT station entrance.

Both Express (3-car, blue stripes) and Express (4-car, one for baggage, red striped) were running today.

I'd say the City Line trains run at ~ 125 kph (estimated by auto traffic on the adjacent highway). The trains are incredibly smooth (accelerating and decelerating) and quiet.

[jfchandler]

Thanks for the update on the bridge connection at Phyathai BTS station... Appreciate the update.

Re the hours of operation, there have been multiple Thai media accounts posted here today re the hours of operation, quite a few of them saying the City Line will run 24 hours...

That sounds unlikely to me, especially given that BTS and MRT only run 6 am to midnight, normally... But you wonder, where are those Thai media outlets getting that kind of info from...

It would be nice to get a definitive answer on that question...both for the Express and City Lines.

The connection between the mezzanine level of the BTS station at Phaya Thai and the SARL/City Line station is complete. I used it today. The BTS basically constructed a new ticketing lobby there. Very nice, working fine.

The train systems here (BTS, MRT, SARL) conduct track safety testing and inspection during the hours 00:00 - 06:00, so 24/7 operation is not feasible.

[wasabi]

Does your luggage ride on a separate train?

[thailien8]

In July, when the trial runs were free, I rode the Airport Express train from Phaya Thai station to the airport. No stops, fast, convenient; I thought that's how it's gonna be. Well, no. Today, the first day of full train operation, I paid 15 baht at the airport to ride the City Line, rather than 100 baht to ride the Express train, and I'm glad I did. The City Line took me all the way to Phaya Thai terminal station, from where it's an easy walk to the Skytrain station. Had I paid 100 baht for the "fast" train, I would have had to transfer to the City Line at Makkasan station, costing an extra 15 baht and more waiting time, in order to reach the Skytrain.

I think City Line will do quite well; I fear for the viability of Express Line, as it fails to reach Skytrain. Seems the Express service was better when it was free, before today's official opening.

[jfchandler]

Are you kidding??? You pay the 100 baht Express fare and the airport, and then if you want to go all the way to Phyathai, they're going to charge you an extra 15 baht to transfer to the City Line at Makkasan??? That's a pretty raw deal... considering the entire City Line fare if 15 baht now...and later to rise a bit after the promo period is finished...

In July, when the trial runs were free, I rode the Airport Express train from Phaya Thai station to the airport. No stops, fast, convenient; I thought that's how it's gonna be. Well, no. Today, the first day of full train operation, I paid 15 baht at the airport to ride the City Line, rather than 100 baht to ride the Express train, and I'm glad I did. The City Line took me all the way to Phaya Thai terminal station, from where it's an easy walk to the Skytrain station. Had I paid 100 baht for the "fast" train, I would have had to transfer to the City Line at Makkasan station, costing an extra 15 baht and more waiting time, in order to reach the Skytrain.

[mrtoad]

Kinda pointless imo, theres no lifts on BTS and I bet MRT too, so how in gods name do I carry a 70lbs suitcase up all them stairs in the heat and a laptop bag / backpack????

You can't.

[hyperdimension]

Makasan station is very nice. No taxis in sight. The walk to the Petchaburi MRT station is not too bad, much better than I thought it would be. Maybe 10 - 15 minutes all in from exiting the train to the MRT station entrance.

What distance would that 10 to 15 minute walk cover? 500m? It sounds like a long time to be hauling luggage.

Is there a correctly scaled route map available online?

Edited August 24, 2010 by hyperdimension

[thailien8]

Are you kidding??? You pay the 100 baht Express fare and the airport, and then if you want to go all the way to Phyathai, they're going to charge you an extra 15 baht to transfer to the City Line at Makkasan??? That's a pretty raw deal... considering the entire City Line fare if 15 baht now...and later to rise a bit after the promo period is finished...

In July, when the trial runs were free, I rode the Airport Express Train from Phaya Thai station to the airport. No stops, fast, convenient; I thought that's how it's gonna be. Well, no.

Today, the first day of full train operation, I paid 15 baht at the airport to ride the City Line, rather than 100 baht to ride the Express Train, and I'm glad I did. The City Line took me all the way to Phaya Thai terminal station, from where it's an easy walk to the Skytrain station. Had I paid 100 baht for the "fast" train, I would have had to transfer to the City Line at Makkasan station, costing an extra 15 baht and more waiting time, in order to reach the Skytrain.

Not kidding, and annoyed as well; but not surprised. TIT, after all. Why the Express Line stops at Makkasan station is a mystery to me. Could this be a concession to the taxi mafia? We rail addicts must change trains, and pay twice, to reach our beloved Skytrain from the airport, if we are so foolish as to take the Express Train. But, TIT again, this is no problem. Just pay the lower price to take the slightly slower City Line Train, and you will be a two-minute walk, above the traffic, from Skytrain's Phaya Thai station.

[whybother]

Not kidding, and annoyed as well; but not surprised. TIT, after all. Why the Express Line stops at Makkasan station is a mystery to me. Could this be a concession to the taxi mafia? We rail addicts must change trains, and pay twice, to reach our beloved Skytrain from the airport, if we are so foolish as to take the Express Train. But, TIT again, this is no problem. Just pay the lower price to take the slightly slower City Line Train, and you will be a two-minute walk, above the traffic, from Skytrain's Phaya Thai station.

The express runs from Makkasan station because it is set up as an airport check in. Check in there and you don't need to check in at the airport.