TRAIN

The train major lanes are :

• North-east : Bangkok-Nakhon Ratchasima (Khorat)-Nongkhai (until the Friendship bridge that crosses the Mekong to Laos)
• North-east : Bangkok-Nakhon Ratchasima-Ubon Ratchathani
• North : up to Chiang Mai
• South : up to Malaysia. Railways continues up to Singapore through Malaysia. The famous Oriental Express is going from Bangkok to Singapore
• West : Bangkok-Kanchananuri (death railway bridge)-Burma
• East : Bangkok-Chasengsao-Cambodia

The State Railway Thailand carries 47 millions of customers a year.
	Train in NongKhai

Thai trains are quite slow. Bangkok-Chiang Mai or Bangkok-Nongkhai trips last 12 hours. Anyway travelling by train is an efficient way to discover Thai landscape. As Thai trains are slow, it is a nice idea to travel by night in order to gain time. In night trains there is a little restaurant with simple but delicious dishes. In day trains, people are selling cold drinks, fruits, hot food and so on...

	In year 2009 people are able to buy State Railway of Thailand tickets online.
Train ticket

In some train stations like Hualongpong in Bangkok, there is even a stall reserved for foreigners in order to allow them to book their tickets while using English language.

There is a tourist train crossing the River Kwai Bridge train in Kanchanaburi city.
	River Kwai Bridge train

There are three different classes :

• Third class with bench made of wood. Quite difficult for the buttocks especially for long travels but it is cheap.
• Second class composed in two sub-classes : one with air conditioning and one with electric fan. Beds are in the wagon way.
• First class are with a personal compartment and air conditioning.

Most of State Railway of Thailand's 256 locomotives are very old, ranging in age from 13 to 45 years.
	Chief Train Station

SKYTRAIN

	Since the 5th december 1999, birthday of the King Rama 9, the skytrain (new elevated train system) is running. The operator, Bangkok Mass Transit System Corp is the operator of the 23.7km skytrain and had planned on 400,000 travellers a day when it won the concession.
Bangkok Skytraink

The skytrain is too expensive for many Thai people. Prices start from 10 baht but an average trip costs 30 Baht. It is much more expensive than common red buses. Many tourists use it in order to have a look to Bangkok landscape. After nearly two years carrying less than half the planned number of passengers, the skytrain finally attracts 300,000 passengers end of year 2001.
	Bangkok Skytrain

Critics said that it failed to lessen the traffic much as only people with middle to high incomes are able to afford it. Critics have dismissed it as just for tourists.

	There are two lines: From "Mo Chit" to "On Nut" From "National Stadium" to "Saphan Thaksin" The "Central station" (Siam) is the common station between the two lines.
Central station

In 2004 the skytrain number of passengers is usually about 370,000 a day. In 2009 the skytrain has been extended to Wong Wian Yai on the Thon Buri side of the Chao Phya.

The romantic comedy "Bangkok Traffic Love Story" was the biggest success at 2009 Thai box office with 150 million baht. This movie celebrates the ten years anniversary of Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTS) company. The Bangkok Skytrain was opened on December 1999.
	Bangkok Skytrain

	When staying in a Bangkok hotel, a good idea is to be close to a BTS station so it helps to travel easily and avoid Bangkok notorious traffic jams.
Bangkok Skytrain

Some BTS extensions are on the way. Phase I includes On Nut – Bearing (terminating at Sukhumvit 107) – 5.2 km. Under construction and to open in late 2011 Saphan Taksin – Wong Wian Yai (terminating at Th. Somdet Chao Phraya) – 2.2 km. Completed and opened in 2009 Mo Chit – Saphan Mai – 11.4 km. Planned
	Bangkok Skytrain

	Some BTS extensions are on the way. Phase II includes Bearing – Samut Prakan – 10.6 km. Planned Wong Wian Yai – Bang Wa (terminating at Th. Phetchakasem) – 5.25 km. Planned for early 2011 National Stadium – Phran Nok (terminating at Th. Charan Sanit Wong) – 6.8 km. Planned
Bangkok Skytrain

HOPEWELL

The train railways with two levels or HopeWell project in Bangkok is stopped since the Asia crisis in 1997. It was a 60 km Bangkok elevated railroad project. On the top level there should have been the train and on the bottom level a road for cars. In Bangkok from Hualongpong to the suburbs, thousands of huge concrete pillars can be found.

	The concrete pillars and beams of the Hopewell elevated transit project were abandoned along eastern and northern railway tracks in Bangkok after the company failed to raise the funds to complete its 80-billion-baht project. It was originally planned to elevate all railway tracks in Bangkok, plus an electric train system and an elevated tollway for a combined distance of 60 kilometres.
Hopewell project

In october 2001 Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra suggested to order the pillars demolished. The premier prefered a seven-billion-baht plan to expand the surface railway system to a downsized 30-billion baht plan for the Hopewell system.
	Hopewell project

AIRPORT RAIL LINK

	The new Suvarnabhumi Airport Rail Link goes from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Phaya Thai stations. There are 7 stations. There is an express link direct from Airport to Makhasan station.
Suvarnabhumi Airport Rail Link

The Suvarnabhumi Airport Rail Link was opened in August 2010.

The express link fare is 100 baht. It goes through 5 stations but only stops at Makhasan station. It is fast, silent and clean. It took 7 to 8 years for the whole construction. The train was designed by Siemens.
	Suvarnabhumi Airport Rail Link

	It takes 15 minutes only to reach Makhasan station. To continue to Phaya Thai station means to pay additional 15 Baht. In September 2010, Makhasan station was still under final refurbishment, being empty with only a few guards. The final price for express Rail Link hall be 150 baht.
Suvarnabhumi Airport Rail Link

There is an common Airport Rail, which is stopping at every seven stations. The current fare is 15 baht but final fare shall be 50 baht.

This Suvarnabhumi Airport Rail Link will certainly means bad business for cabs. Most of them may have to come empty from the airport. So they will have to drive 20km back to Bangkok without passengers... Limousine cars will suffer the most.
	Suvarnabhumi Airport Rail Link

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