Swampy Train connection

[PeteC]

Breaking news » Breaking news
Trial of airport rail link postponed

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews ... -postponed

* Published: 29/04/2010 at 04:15 PM
* Online news: Breaking news Bangkok Post

The trial service of the airport rail link, which was scheduled to begin on Friday, has been postponed indefinitely because of the continuing political unrest, Transport Minister Sohpon Zarum said on Thursday.

The announcement came after the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation voiced concerns about the political unrest stemming from the red-shirt rallies.

"We are concerned about the safety of the passengers," Mr Sohpon told reporters.

The airport rail link runs between the city air terminal at Makkasan in central Bangkok and Suvarnabhumi airport.

Mr Sohpon said the postponement of the trial service will not affect the commercial opening of the rail link, which is set for July.

[margaretcarnes]

Oh well - the way that lot are carrying on they won't need a rail link anyway

[hhfarang]

Oh well - the way that lot are carrying on they won't need a rail link anyway

... or even an airport!

[Nereus]

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews ... n-tomorrow

Trips available on Airport Link test run

Members of the public will be able to take a test ride on the Airport Rail Link train from now until Friday night, State Railway of Thailand governor Yutthana Thapcharoen said on Monday.

The test ride will run from Phaya Thai station to Suvarnabhumi airport and there will be no stops along the way.

The trains will leave every 20 minutes. The trip will take about 25 minutes.

The test runs began today and will continue until Friday, from 7 to 10am, and from 4 to 7pm.

Anyone interested can call 1690, 02-222-0175 and 02-220-2468 or visit www.railway.co.th.

[STEVE G]

It seems that the airport rail link is now due to open on Monday, 23rd August:
http://news.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BN ... 32788.html

[PeteC]

Every 40 minutes Steve doesn't sound like it's enough. Maybe they have the ability for more trains if there is demand. It also says it ceases at midnight. I know that dozens of flights arrive around 2300-2330 hours and it will be a mad dash to get through immigration, customs and on a train by midnight. I wonder if they even thought about those late evening arrivals? Pete

[Nereus]

Don`t be in too much of a rush to use it! I saw this on Thai TV a couple of days ago, and the closing comment was that: "the baggage handling system is not operational yet--maybe the end of the year"!
Only in Thailand!

[margaretcarnes]

I think they mean the baggage handling system at Makkasan. From the report I've seen tonight - an e mailed link - I think Makkasan is the rail terminal in Bkk served by the Express Swampy link. The other City line goes across city via several stations. Trains reported to be running every 15 minutes.
No service between midnight and 6 am does seem daft, although I've always found that my flights from the UK land early morning, and depart back shortly after midnight, so personally not too concerned. What I'm not clear about is how the baggage to Makkasan system works - (or doesn't at the moment) and whether there is any link yet from Makkasan to the main BST system?
It would seem more sensible, at least for a while, to check baggage as usual at Swampy and get the City link train.

Just as a matter of interest - (the sliding platform BST doors mentioned earlier brought this to mind) the UK police unsolved cases people are renewing investigations into about 30 railway deaths. Some of these go back to the 70's, and I guess a lot will have been on the London Underground. They are issuing artists images of victims taken from mortuary photos in an effort to identify the victims. It just seems sad that so many people who have died on rail tracks are still unidentified.

[STEVE G]

Yes, I think the baggage problem refers to the Thai Airways check-in at Makkasan and I'm assuming you can still struggle with your luggage on the train in the same manner as you have to when taking the tube to Heathrow.
I usually get a car straight to Hua Hin, but for anyone heading into central Bangkok it might be useful.
There aren't that many flights where you would need to check-in after midnight, but there are some.

[PeteC]

Bangkok Post is reporting something different concerning trains times. They say the express to/from Makkasan is every 30 minutes and the local stopping at all eight stations is every 15 minutes. Pete

[PeteC]

Here's a link where you can find arrivals. Look for those after 2300 hours, there are a lot this train will be useless for. Pete

http://www.bangkokairportonline.com/node/129

[Nereus]

I am a bit confused with just where these trains operate to and from. Both the printed map, and a comment on another forum, do not show the "standard" BTS train stopping at Makkasan. So if you were to travel into the city from the Airport, there is no direct connection to the BTS trains, you would have to either walk to the nearest BTS station, or catch a taxi at Makkasan.
I know that both trains are separate operations, and that the express train cannot run on the BTS lines, but surely it is possible to have both trains stop at a common interchange station?

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/transpo ... -rail-link

[Governor]

There are actually two services that run on this line the Express and the City services.

The Express service runs from Suvarnabhumi to Makkasan, takes 15 mins and costs 100 Baht. There is no connection to the BTS but you can connect to the MRT (underground) though I'm not sure if the link is ready yet, meaning going downstairs and either getting a taxi or lugging your baggage across the road.

The City Line is a stopping service, albeit there are only seven stations, this runs from Phaya Thai and Suvarnabhumi, takes 30 mins and costs 15 Baht, until the end of the year. You can connect to the BTS at Phaya Thai, though again I'm not sure if the link is ready, it was due to be ready in time for today's official opening.

[Nereus]

OK, thanks Governor. I still do not understand why the "stopping" service does not stop, and therefore interconnect, with the "express', in addtion to giving a direct connection to the Phaya Thai BTS station.

[Governor]

The stopping service does stop at Makkasan so you could connect with the express train if you wished, but I see little point.

Assuming you boarded the city line at Phaya Thai you would have a 15 Baht ticket and would arrive at the airport in 30 mins. If you wished to connect with the express, having boarded at at Phaya Thai, you would still have your 15 Baht ticket, you would go two stops, get off and go through the ticket barrier, buy a 100 Baht ticket and then get on the express train, so I doubt if you would save any time.

The reason the express goes from Makkasan is because that's where the airlines are going to have their check-in facilities - one day.

Have I understood your question?