Skytrain Crosses the river to Thonburi

[Khun Don]

Rails across the river

Wannapa Phetdee
Daily Xpress


Skytrain launches first flight over Chao Phya today; passengers travel for free

For years, Bangkok comฌmuters have faced a rushhour nightmare on the way to work or school each morning. That nightmare lasts longest in Sathorn, the capital's prime business district - and its most congested. But from today, the Skytrain is giving gridlocked commuters a key to freedom.

The BTS extension from Saphan Taksin station to Wong Wian Yai - the first Skytrain route to venture across the river to Thon Buri - is being launched with a trial run at 5.20am before opening to the public at 8am.

Jump out of the jam

It should help ease the traffic jams along the Sathorn Road King Taksin Bridge route, the most congested road in Bangkok, says Jumpol Sumpaopol, directorgeneral of the Bangkok Traffic and Transport Department.

"We expect about 2,000 vehicles per hour during rushhour after the BTS extension opens, compared to almost 15,000 vehicles currently," says Jumpol.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva will be at the launch ceremony to wave off the first train.

The extension is expected to boost the estimated 400,000 Skytrain journeys made every day by 30,000 to 50,000.

"We are launching a campaign to encourage parents who usually drive their children to Sathorn schools to use the Skytrain instead. Parking space has been increased near the newly opened stations and shuttle buses will ferry passenฌgers to stations," says Jumpol.

Boost for Thon Buri

Supoj Saebe, 23, a company employee living in Thon Buri, says the extension is a huge boost for commuters who have to cross the Chao Phya River to get to work.

"Normally, I travel to the east bank by bus, but now I'll take the Skytrain when I'm in a hurry," he says.

Its Skytrain link to the rest of the city means that Thon Buri has become Bangkok's new hot address, and condominiums have mushroomed close to the extension's two stations to meet demand.

[Curt]

That's a picture we've been waiting a long time to see!

[SimonP]

Woohoo - two more stations!!

[Surawut]

"We expect about 2,000 vehicles per hour during rushhour after the BTS extension opens, compared to almost 15,000 vehicles currently," says Jumpol.

Great news for the working people who live around Wongwian Yai, but I feel that Khun Jumpol's traffic figures will be well off the mark. A reduction of 13000 vehicles per hour? ..no way!
When the Skytrain opened in Sukhumvit Rd the authorities confidently predicted the end of traffic jams in Sukhumvit and Silom Rds. and that each day 50,000+ less cars would be using Sukhumvit Rd. In the event, the Skytrain has had a minimal effect on traffic using those roads. For various reasons it is very difficult to get a Thai person out of his/her car. Skytrain fares are still fairly expensive compared to the price of a litre of petrol. IMO the majority of passengers using the Skytrain and the MRT are younger people who don't own cars. Another factor is overcrowding on the Skytrain. At certain times of day during the rush hour periods (chuamong raeng duan) people have to wait for 2 or even more trains to come before they can squeeze on board, and getting a seat at any time is like winning the lottery.

[Curt]

Downtown, the BTS has the appearance you describe. But, if you look at certain BTS and MRT lots, such as Bangsu, you will see that some locations are well utilized by working commuters.

The location at Wong Wian Yai is already a very active transportation hub. Hopefully, the completion of the parking facility should make it even more attractive.

[Khun Don]

Extended train line hurts ferry operator

By: SUPOJ WANCHAROEN
Bangkok Post

Ferry operators under the Taksin Bridge complained of a drop in revenue with the opening of the extended BTS electric railway line for commuting to Wong Wian Yai yesterday.

The operators said if people continued to shun the boats in favour of the train, they may have to change jobs.

The extended route from the Taksin station to the newly-constructed Wong Wian Yai station will serve commuters free of charge for three months. Ferry operators are not certain if customers will return after the free-ride period ends.

Boonserm Supaporn, the owner of Subthananakorn Co that operates ferries on the section of the river, complained yesterday that customers dwindled in number after the 2.2km-long extended line to Thon Buri came into service yesterday morning.

He expects the number of regulars using his ferry service, which charges three baht a ride, would drop by 30% on weekdays from 12,000 people a day and by 70-80% on weekends from 7,000 passengers a day.

Compared to the electric train, catching a ferry would no doubt be less convenient as the pier has no road access and commuters have to make a long walk to reach his pier, Mr Boonserm said.

If the train takes too many customers away from him, he might have to close the service and turn the place into a floating restaurant, he said.

At the moment he only plans to cut the number of ferries that are in service and the service hours from 5.30am-11pm to 5.30am-8pm. A plan to bring in new boats has been put off.

Without any cutbacks, his company, which has 70 employees, might not survive for too long, Mr Boonserm said.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, who inaugurated the extended service at the Wong Wian Yai station yesterday morning, said his government saw mass transit development as an urgent policy as the public needed a more convenient and a safer mode of transport.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), which supervises the BTS railway system, expects the extended section from Onnuj to Soi Sukhumvit 105 road (Soi Baring) to become operational in early 2011.

[vismitananda]

This is a very good news.

[Betti]

Originally Posted by Khun Don

Ferry operators under the Taksin Bridge complained of a drop in revenue with the opening of the extended BTS electric railway line for commuting to Wong Wian Yai yesterday.

The operators said if people continued to shun the boats in favour of the train, they may have to change jobs.

did this take them by surprise, did that train appear out of the blue, like, overnight?? surely they must have seen this coming....

[Richard Barrow]

I went on the new Sky Train extension on Saturday, the day after it had opened. I have marked it on google maps for you. This first pictures shows us going over Taksin Bridge on the train.



This is the end of the line at S8 Wongwian Yai. There are only two new stops. This picture is looking back towards S7 Krung Thon Buri and Bangkok.



This is the same direction showing S8 Wongwian Yai more clearly.



This is looking down from level one to the street below S8 Wongwian Yai. I cannot see anything of interest in the area of both of these stations for foreign tourists. Even Wongwian Yai itself seems a fair walk away. The name of the station, as normal, is a bit misleading.



This last picture shows the tracks beyond S8 Wongwian Yai. It looks like a lot of this section has been completed but it is not open yet. I am not sure how far it will go but looking at the satellite images it seems to go far already. I will have to check that out.

The extension on the Eastern line to Samut Prakan is progressing well. The pillars and sections have long been completed. They are now laying the tracks and building the stations. This is due to open in June 2010. I haven't marked the stations on the map yet but I will do so next weekend.

[paul_au]

Well it seems every one gets a good view travelling far above ground level.