This article or section contains information about a planned or expected public transportation infrastructure. It may contain information of a speculative nature and the content may change dramatically as the construction and/or completion of the infrastructure approaches, and more information becomes available.

Suvarnabhumi Airport Rail Link (SARL)
Info
Locale	Bangkok, Thailand
Transit type	Rapid transit
Number of lines	1 (1st phase)
Number of stations	8 (1st phase)
Operation
Began operation	12 August 2009
Owner	State Railway of Thailand
Operator(s)	State Railway of Thailand
Technical
System length	28.6 km (17.77 mi)
Track gauge	Standard gauge

The Suvarnabhumi Airport Link is an airport rail link under construction from Suvarnabhumi Airport to the planned City Air Terminal in Makkasan, Bangkok, Thailand.

History

The key airport link contract was signed in January 2005, and construction began in July 2005.^[1] The line is built by a consortium of B Grimm, STECON and Siemens, and is owned and operated by State Railway of Thailand (SRT). The estimated cost of the project is 25.9 billion baht.^[2]

The line is built largely along the same alignment as the failed Bangkok Elevated Road and Train System (BERTS), started by Hopewell but stopped in 1997 when only 10% had been completed. Some BERTS pillars stood in the way of the new system, and after extensive debate on their suitability for reuse and demands for compensation from Hopewell, SRT decided to demolish the pillars and build new ones^[3].

While originally scheduled to be completed by 2006, the Hopewell debacle, an extended bidding process and a series of legal challenges from property owners who had encroached on SRT's land have delayed project. As of March as of 2008^[update], the line was 78.5% completed^[4] and is expected to be ready for service in May 2009.^[5] A second stage, continuing along the BERTS alignment from Phaya Thai north to Don Mueang (site of Don Mueang International Airport) via Bang Sue, is also planned.

Passive provision is being made for an extension of the rail link to a future second terminal at Suvarnabhumi airport.

Suvarnabhumi Airport Express Train (Siemens Desiro Class 360/2)

City Air Terminal at Makkasan, under construction

City Line Train (Siemens Desiro Class 360/2)

Specifications

The standard gauge line, forming the eastern section of the Light Red line, is 28.6 km long and is elevated, running above the existing railway, with an underground terminal at the airport. Both non-stop Suvarnabhumi Airport Express services and "stopping" Suvarnabhumi Airport City Line commuter services will be operated, with Express journeys taking 15 minutes and Commuter trips 27 minutes^[2].

Siemens supplied nine Desiro class 360/2 trainsets based on the vehicles built for Heathrow Connect services in London. The only significant difference from the UK units is a much larger air-conditioning pod on the roof, providing extra power to cope with the Thai climate.City services will be operated by five three-car trains, and the Express services by four trainsets with a fourth car for check-in baggage. The first trains left Germany in September 2007, and testing in Bangkok began in March 2008.^[6]

The line is electrified at 25 kV AC. All stations are being built fto accommodate 10-car trains, and fitted with platform automatic screen doors. The top speed is 160 km/h, but the short distances between the stations imply that commuter services services don't reach that speed.^[1]

Check In

In City Air Terminal (CAT) at Makkasan station, passengers will be able to check in their luggage.

Stations

Code	Station Name	Express Train	City Train	Transfer
Suvarnabhumi Airport Rail Link
1	Suvarnabhumi Airport	X	X
2	Lad Krabang	|	X
3	Ban Thapchang	|	X
4	Hua Mark	|	X
5	Ramkhamhaeng	|	X
6	Makkasan (City Air Terminal)	X	X	MRT Blue Line (Phetchaburi Station)
7	Ratchaprarop		X
8	Phaya Thai		X	BTS Sukhumvit Line (Phayathai Station)

See also

• List of rapid transit systems
• BRT (Bangkok)
• Bangkok Metro
• Bangkok Skytrain
• SRT Lines

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "Bangkok Airport Express to change city travel". Railway Gazette International, December 2005.
2. ^ ^{a b} "Work starts on link to Bangkok's new airport". David Briginshaw, International Railway Journal, April 2005.
3. ^ "Removing 25 unusable Hopewell pillars to make way for the Airport Link", Prachachat Thurakij, November 18, 2004
4. ^ MCOT English News : Suvarnabhumi Airport railway link set to open early next year
5. ^ Bangkok Post | Business news | Airport Link delayed
6. ^ "Bangkok Desiro deliveries begin", Railway Gazette International (2007-09-10). 

External links

• Airport Rail Link (official site, in Thai)

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