Airport Skytrain to open (at last)

For those of us who follow with amusement the antics of the palace propaganda machine, it comes as no surprise to learn that the airport link will open on Queen Sirikit's birthday, August 12. It won't be quite ready, mind you (a bit like the airport itself) but at least it will be open
The Airport Link from the Phaya Thai and Makkasan areas of downtown Bangkok to Suvarnabhumi airport is set to open for passengers on Aug 12, the birthday of Her Majesty the Queen, deputy Transport Minister Sopon Zarum said on Friday.

He conceded some facilities, including the baggage carousel system, would not be ready on the opening day, but he said he needed to speed up its launch. The luggage-loading service at Makkasan station would not be operational, so there might be some inconvenience for passengers with heavy bags.

The construction of the 28-km route is 96 per cent complete. There have been delays to work at some stations and route sections due to hold-ups in land acquisitions, said SRT deputy governor Prasert Attanan. The SRT plans to collect a fare of 150 baht from passengers taking non-stop trains while those traveling on trains that stop at every station will pay between 15 and 45 baht.Let me see now. 150 baht, and then you need to get from the city terminus to your hotel, so at least the 35 baht flagfall for a taxi. And altogether a taxi is ...

The Airport Skytrain should offer the following advantages:

1 Reduced risk of participation in a traffic accident.
2 More consistent journey times.
3 Lower cost, if you manage to complete the journey by the MRT or Skytrain links.

The Airport Skytrain should offer the following advantages:

1 Reduced risk of participation in a traffic accident.
2 More consistent journey times.
3 Lower cost, if you manage to complete the journey by the MRT or Skytrain links.

I wonder how convenient it will be. Step on the train at Suvarnabhumi, transfer at the Massasan Station, and off at Silom in or around 30 minutes for around 200 baht? Just the shear pleasure of not having to be stuck in traffic plus having a decent view of the trip (above ground level) into the city is a no brainer for me.

I guess there are those who prefer the pampering of a private limo or the privacy of a taxi. I don't mind pubic transit but I'd prefer to keep my bags with me.

Personally I'm looking forward to trying it out. However if the schedule is anything like BTS or MRT (operating between 6am-midnight, reduced evening frequency), passengers departing early (6 am) or arriving late PM, (11pm or later), a taxi will still be the only practical alternative.

I wonder how convenient it will be. Step on the train at Suvarnabhumi, transfer at the Massasan Station, and off at Silom in or around 30 minutes for around 200 baht? Just the shear pleasure of not having to be stuck in traffic plus having a decent view of the trip (above ground level) into the city is a no brainer for me.I wonder whether you've tried the bus-to-BTS connection from Don Muang Airport, as that should give you a foretaste. I did, last week, when I arrived from Udon Thani after a business meeting. I arrived around lunchtime so I guess I was at the MRT by 1.15pm. Remember that the Thai Airways bus takes you to an MRT station, so I then went out to the MRT/BTS interchange at Mo Chit which is the first station on the route. I think I was the only passenger who had come from Don Muang. I had hand luggage only. The Skytrain was almost full when it left Mo Chit and my single piece of hand luggage was an impediment to the other passengers. By the time we reached the terminus for the airport link at Phaya Thai the carriage was packed, and more passengers joined until we reached the Siam interchange between the Sukhumvit and Silom lines. There was the usual dash across the platform and needless to say several people missed the connection and had to wait for the next (crowded) train

As I say I had a single piece of hand luggage; those people I see at the airport carrying around their life's possessions will not find transferring from the airport link to the standard Skytrain service much fun at all. If you meet a bald fat old cunt (the moustache is currently intact) at an airport who points to your multiple suitcases and greets you with "Which one's got the kitchen sink?" or "Running away from home?" that'll be me

and what's the point of taking the new line if it's too crowded or frequently overcrowded?

Perhaps for one person with a bag it'll work with the hassles, depending on the time of day, like you experienced, but when you're two or more traveling together, it would probably be more practical, not to mention economical to catch a cab.

I guess only time will tell.

I'll try it once so I can say, 'done that', kind of like the Baiyoke Tower, then go from there.

Step on the train at Suvarnabhumi, transfer at the Massasan Station, and off at Silom in or around 30 minutes for around 200 baht?Oh and by the way Massasan is the city terminus; it's not the transfer point to the Silom line. For that you have to continue on to Phya Thai and transfer first to the Sukhumvit line and then at Siam to the Silom line. A taxi from Massasan is still going to be the more tolerable way to Silom

I was relying on a map off Urbainrail.net

http://www.urbanrail.net/as/bang/bangkok.htm

and pulling info from:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suvarnabhumi_Airport_Link


Which I admit, may or may not be accurate. According to both maps, Makkasan is close to Petchaburi on the MRT line.
The wiki article also indicates Makkasan as a transfer to Blue Line, MRT.

Having not seen either station, I could be blowing smoke out my back end too... toot toot


http://www.railway.co.th/sarl/images/map_SAL.jpg

I was relying on a map off Urbainrail.netIf you have a close look at the map you provided you'll see the interchanges between the MRT and the BTS are indicated by a 'L' symbol - as there isn't one at Massasam the inference is that they may be close but not directly connected. But as This Is Thailand, who can tell?

[Smiles]

When in Bangkok we usually stay either in Saphan Kwai or Phra Kanong, so the connection to the Skytrain at Phaya Thai doesn't include too many mode changes.
Nowadays most of the time I travel back to Canada with cabin bag only which makes the airport train + Skytrain option quite handy.
But if I were hauling more than a shoulder bag I'd take a taxi: you can get just about anywhere in Bangkok for 400 baht tops (12 bucks).

In Vancouver a much shorter taxi ride from the airport to downtown (& beyond) is $30+. Taxis anywhere in Thailand are a bargain generally.

Cheers ...

[neddy3]

Not even overhead racks for small bags!

Maybe there are bag storage areas at the ends of the carriages, as some other systems have.

[fedssocr]

it looks like there are overhead racks in that photo.

and according to the airport's wikipedia page the train will indeed link to MRT Phetchaburi station
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suvarnabhu ... ruction.29 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suvarnabhumi_Airport#Suvarnabhumi_Airport_Express_ .28Currently_Under_Construction.29)

[quiet1]

This photo is supposed to be an interior of the new airport express - doesn't look like there is much space for bags.The article quoted in the OP mentions a "baggage carousel" system, and an article I read mentioned baggage cars, so I don't think baggage is intended to accompany the passenger in the car.

I do know that they intend (eventually....) to have airline check-in counters at Makkasan where you check your bags and get your boarding pass, so all you need to take *to* the airport is your carry-on, but not sure just how the process will work in reverse, *from* the airport, but the mention of baggage carousels in the article sounds like there will be some sort of baggage claim at Makkasan.

If you have a close look at the map you provided you'll see the interchanges between the MRT and the BTS are indicated by a 'L' symbol - as there isn't one at Massasam the inference is that they may be close but not directly connected. But as This Is Thailand, who can tell?

So it could be more like the walk from Sukhumvit MRTA to Asoks BTS? Great, if the airlines don't manage to rip your bags apart then Bangkok's sidewalks will get them.

I found a link to some more info including photo's of the project.

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=453586

This photo is supposed to be an interior of the new airport express - doesn't look like there is much space for bags.

My 12kg rucksack will easily go in there. The kitchen sink stays at home.

[anakot]

soi_toi & others
Many thanks for the links, photos etc. I'll be using this both ways. Just prefer the independence.

I know taxis are cheap but can never really get used to riding in a (I always get an old bomb) vehicle at break neck speed without seatbelt 2 feet from the car in front. Probably OK until the driver gets bored and starts fiddling with the radio/his mobile/his knobs (not that one but sometimes I wish) etc...

Probably OK until the driver gets bored and starts fiddling with the radio/his mobile/his knobs (not that one but sometimes I wish) etc...Not to mention the wai as he passes important temples

So it could be more like the walk from Sukhumvit MRTA to Asoks BTS? Great, if the airlines don't manage to rip your bags apart then Bangkok's sidewalks will get them.As I say, This Is Thailand so who can tell. The Wikipedia article referenced is what was planned when this project was started; there's no guarantee as to how it will end up or whether that's a longer-term intention that will be fulfilled in Stage Two or Stage Three or on the 12th of Never

[krobbie]

This photo is supposed to be an interior of the new airport express - doesn't look like there is much space for bags.

My 12kg rucksack will easily go in there. The kitchen sink stays at home.

Now don't you travel light?

There are those of us who take 12kg of footwear. My footwear just happens to be the whole foot and leg. Yes ... extra prosthetic limb, which means suitcase. Just one more place to loose my bag I guess. I can just imagine the looks on commuters faces as I high-tail it across the footway at Siam station from Sukhumvit to Silom line with walking sticks, suitcase and hand-luggage. I'm sure my reception on the BTS will be without polite smiles.

Cheers
krobbie