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Bangkok Airport Rail Link to start up after four-year delay

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  • Bangkok Airport Rail Link to start up after four-year delay

    Bangkok Airport Rail Link to start up after four-year delay

    Bangkok’s much awaited Airport Rail Link will officially open on August 23, 2010 after a four-year delay.

    Two services will be offered. The first is the 15-minute Express service between Suvarnabhumi Airport and Bangkok's city centre, priced at THB150 (US$4.69), with a promotional fare of THB100 (US$3.12) offered until year-end. The second is the 30-minute City Line commuter trip, priced between THB15 (US$0.46) and THB45 (US$1.40) for each station stop, but for the meantime, with a promotional fare pegged at a flat fee of THB15 also until year-end.

    The Makkasan Station is the designated City Air Terminal. Phaya Thai Station, close to the Victory Monument – favourite site of mass civilian rallies – is the last stop on the route.

    Plenty of luggage space and panoramic views of Bangkok are promised on the journey between the airport and the city.

    Teething problems have been noted, however, including the lack of a downward escalator connecting the BTS Phaya Thai skytrain station and the Phaya Thai airport rail link station as well as the absence of a single commuter ticket combining the services of the airport rail link, BTS and MRT (subway). This means a traveller has to buy tickets separately at each interchange.

    For more details, visit www.bangkokairporttrain.com

    http://asia.businesstraveller.com/as...our-year-delay

  • #2
    Originally posted by feb01mel View Post
    Bangkok’s much awaited Airport Rail Link will officially open on August 23, 2010 after a four-year delay.

    ...

    Teething problems have been noted, however...
    Four years, and they couldn't anticipate the 'teething' problems mentioned?

    Still, this sounds like a much better option than nothing at all.
    ‘Lean into the sharp points’

    Comment


    • #3
      I had a quick look at the website but can't seem to find what time the rail link operates until ?

      Compared to a taxi, is this a better (faster and/or cheaper) way of getting to (e.g.) the SGS hotel from the airport ?

      Comment


      • #4
        If you have got luggage forget it for the SGS, and many of the Hotels to be honest as they don't have a direct/easy link to the Metro or BTS. It's probably bearable if you have no luggage, and at THB 15 it's even cheaper than those seatbelt-less psycho machines......

        Originally posted by feb01mel View Post

        Teething problems have been noted, however, including the lack of a downward escalator connecting the BTS Phaya Thai skytrain station and the Phaya Thai airport rail link station as well as the absence of a single commuter ticket combining the services of the airport rail link, BTS and MRT (subway). This means a traveller has to buy tickets separately at each interchange.


        Four years late and still not sorted. Gotta love 'em.

        One thing I suppose this would be handy for would be for those on a reasonably long layover at BKK who don't want to stay at the airport for that long but were put off going into town in case they got stuck in traffic. This way at least you know you will (or should) get back for a certain time. They have been testing it for a while as I have seen trains going up and down the line for over a year.

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by MAN Flyer View Post
          ...at THB 15 it's even cheaper than those seatbelt-less psycho machines......



          Weren't they running the train earlier this year...albeit like one super early in the morning?
          HUGE AL

          Comment


          • #6
            If I'm arriving/departing during peak hours for whatever reason, I'm taking this train. No doubt it'll become my quick 'exit' strategy as I've cut it close more than once getting to Suvarnabhumi due to being stuck in a 2-hour traffic jam... the highway is unpredictable at times.

            Comment


            • #7
              Tell you what - I was watching a test run of it, from a dodgy cab going at least 140km/h and this train running parallel to the highway to the airport was pulling away at a pretty good rate of knots.

              Comment


              • #8
                took this yesterday from Baiyoke

                My SQ and flying Videos: Youtube My Travel Blog: AussieFlyer.net

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by Kyo View Post
                  ...I've cut it close more than once getting to Suvarnabhumi due to being stuck in a 2-hour traffic jam... the highway is unpredictable at times.
                  This is where the hotel cars come in handy. If THEY schedule your departure time and you are late, you clearly have a central point to bitch to and help fix your issues -- one of their selling points made directly to me when I booked the first time.
                  HUGE AL

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Feel free to go ahead and bitch if they make you miss your flight... e.g. if you are halfway through a redemption booking in BKK for a transit, that's largely not going to solve problems... I prefer to err on the side of caution and have been lucky thus far

                    Although that is largely put down to experience, I do admit. All I'm saying is I'd rather do a 'quick exit' on the 15-min train to maximise my time in BKK.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Thats not a problem I have, never had a traffic jam on the way to the airport other than getting the first 1km or so away from my place. I dont even need to take a tollway, its 20 mins, 25 max every time to get to Suvarnabhumi. Yay! The last 20km of freeway rarely ever has a traffic jam.
                      My SQ and flying Videos: Youtube My Travel Blog: AussieFlyer.net

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        That's because you're going from 'your place'. Try doing that from Siam or certain parts of Sukhumvit. Why, just two weekends ago it took 40 minutes to get from the SGS to the Tollway entrance! On a Monday at 4:40pm no less! Fortunately I was on the TG at 19:40, so still made it with time for the 30-mins J massage to spare.

                        I arrived at 18:10PM... just to give some people an idea about rush hour (and this is not the longest jam I've ever been in going to the airport).

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Kyo View Post
                          That's because you're going from 'your place'. Try doing that from Siam or certain parts of Sukhumvit.
                          Oh yes I know, that's why I dont live there
                          My SQ and flying Videos: Youtube My Travel Blog: AussieFlyer.net

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Kyo View Post
                            I prefer to err on the side of caution
                            Pansy!

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Ok, I've lost track of who's a pansy and who's not. Incidentally - what IS a pansy?

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