Just HOW are folk going to get to the new rail station?

[Sabai Jai]

You can walk along the platform of the old Station and there is a (by Thai standards) fairly easily negotiable crossing with concrete slabs between the tracks. It is by the portacabins to the South of the Cafe.

[Big Boy]

Yes, I am sure they have done their best, but I thought one of the drivers in all of this was safety. People having to cross unmonitored railway tracks, especially with disability aids is not an enhancement to safety. As far as I'm concerned its a big FAIL. What is the big driver to get it open before it is completely finished? Is somebody trying to gain Brownie points/big bonus by achieving an early deadline?

[Edit] In my time living here people have died walking (running?) across level crossings in Hua Hin, which are designed for foot traffic. TIT and memories are short.

[PeteC]

I think the first express double track train Bangkok > to the Southern terminus is scheduled for the 15th. Article somewhere about it.

[Big Boy]

Yes first train due about 10:30am, so it'll probably arrive by 2pm

[Chazz14]

Worth knowing - (copied from Hua Hin Today (on FB):

"There are some changes to parcel services at the moment. The station imposes restrictions on parcel sizes, limiting them to small items not exceeding 2 kilograms. Motorcycles cannot be sent from the new Hua Hin Train Station; passengers can use Suan Son Pradipat Station or other nearby stations for such needs."

The weight restriction appears to effectively excludes most shoppers and all tourists/travellers from using the new facilities! (No doubt a U-turn follows shortly - TIT)...

[Big Boy]

I don't know any tourists/travellers who use the parcel service. I'm sure there may be one or 2, but I can't see it being a huge problem.

[Anders]

Trabvelling times seems to be quite a bit longer than the 2.5 hours that has been discussed widely. 3.5- 4 hour 40 minutes as suggested in this time table. Too long to be competitive. https://www.huahintoday.com/hua-hin-new ... d-bangkok/

[pitsch]

There is no train to Apiwat between 4:47 and 14:31, which isn't great for a trip to Bangkok.

[Big Boy]

Yes, that is the problem I hoped would be solved with the 2nd track - a more balanced arrivals/departure timetable throughout the day. However, it's basically the same timetable, just a bit quicker, maybe.

I've often considered travelling by train to watch football, but times are never suitable.

It's early days yet, maybe things will be balanced out in Thai time.

[PeteC]

Railway station wheelchair crossing rejected

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... g-rejected. (Photos)

Concerns have arisen about the design of a pedestrian and wheelchair crossing on the tracks at the Wang Pong train station in Pran Buri district of Prachuap Kiri Khan.

The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has been told to stop work on a hydraulic lift that it planned to install for wheelchair users at a train station because the design raises safety concerns.......

Note: Such design to be stopped/cancelled at all stations on the southern double track line. Tunnels and/or overhead walkways to be designed and built. It will be a long time until those are completed.

[Big Boy]

Yes, I saw that yesterday, and just threw my hands up in despair.

They've spent all of this money, with safety as one of their goals. but what safety? I would never attempt to take my wife to the shiny new jewel in their crown, Hua Hin Station.

Then I look at their latest offerings - the 2 road bridges at Khao Tao. Has anybody considered how passengers cross the tracks? They've left a 2' gap in the wall on both sides. People have to cross the road where cars are doing a famous Thai 90 degree turn. Squeeze through the gap (no chance for a wheel chair), clamber through the mud, and across 2 mainline railway tracks, more mud and then through another inadequate gap in the wall and another dangerous road crossing. Totally ludicrous - what qualifications do these clowns have?

[PeteC]

It's the same BS that happens all the time. The responsible Gov safety agency should have been involved with all of this long ago and most of these problems would not have happened, hopefully?

[KanDoo]

responsible Gov safety agency

Is there even such of a thing in this country?

[usual suspect]

As B.B.has just mentioned, wheelchair access has been forgotten about almost, & say you get off the train in the dark..Where are the taxis/songtaews? Parked under the tree opposite the old station buildings, so you have to push/propell the wheelchair, or carry/drag your heavy luggage all that way along an uneven surface ..it's a shambles, and IMO the station is a work of art design-wise, but surrounded by the scuffiest, dirtiest, unkept section of Hua Hin..(closely followed by the area down near the fishing pier) To which no-one on this project seems to have taken any notice of those bull sh** artist impressions we have all seen..Rany over/nuff said.

[Dannie Boy]

responsible Gov safety agency

Is there even such of a thing in this country?

Even if there is, it’s hardly likely it’ll be effective - Thailand has many Western based rules, but sadly very few are implemented!!


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