Bangkok’s long awaited Airport Rail link is set to begin full commercial services on Monday August 23rd, 2010, following an extensive testing programme which has been in operation since April.
The Rail Link, which connects Suvarnabhumi International Airport with downtown Bangkok and is owned and operated by the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has been under construction since 2005. The Link project was designed and built by a consortium of interests including B Grimm, STECON and Siemens.
Two train services, The City and Express trains, will run every 15 minutes from the airport into Bangkok.
The City link, a 28 kilometre ‘local commuter’ service, will operate between the Airport and Phaya Thai stations, stopping at seven stations in between. City Line commuter trips, taking 30 minutes to travel between Phaya Thai and Suvarnabhumi Airport, will stop at intermediate stations; Ratchaprarop, Makkasan, Asoke, Ramkhamhaeng, Hua Mak, Ban Thap Chang, and Lat Krabang. Connections with both BTS and MRT services are provided at selected stations. Tickets prices have been set at 15 – 45 Baht.
The Express non stop Service will run between Suvarnabhumi and the Makkasan City–Air Terminal stations. The journey time will be 15 minutes and tickets cost 100 Baht. SRT has said it hopes to be able to open the Baggage Check facility at Makkasan station later this year.
