Bangkok Skytrain
Encyclopedia
The Bangkok Mass Transit System, commonly known as the BTS Skytrain ( rot fai fa BTS), is an elevated rapid transit
system in Bangkok
, Thailand. It is operated by Bangkok Mass Transit System Public Company Limited (BTSC) under a concession granted by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA). The system consists of 32 stations along two lines: the Sukhumvit line running northwards and eastwards, terminating at Mo Chit and Bearing
respectively, and the Silom line which plies Silom and Sathon Roads, the Central Business District of Bangkok, terminating at the National Stadium
and Wongwian Yai
. The lines interchange at Siam Station
and have a combined route distance of 55 km. The system is formally known as the Elevated Train in Commemoration of HM the King's 6th Cycle Birthday .
Besides the BTS, Bangkok's metro system also comprises the underground railway line MRT, and the elevated
Suvarnabhumi Airport Link (SARL), serving several stations in the city before reaching the airport.
Bangkok's first attempt at building an elevated rail network was the Bangkok Elevated Road and Train System
, which was terminated in 1998 after only 10% had been completed.
The BTS system (the elevated metro system owned by BMA) was initially referred to as the Lavalin Skytrain because it was to be designed using the Vancouver SkyTrain as a model adopting the technology developed by SNC-Lavalin
. Due to political interference, the concession with Lavalin was cancelled in 1992, in spite of Bangkok's chronic traffic congestion
. The Thai Government focused on increasing road and expressway
infrastructure
in an attempt to combat congestion. However, this had less than the desired impact as the number of cars on the road increased dramatically. The lines considered under the skytrain project became later the basis for the Bangkok Metro
system and interesting enough are mainly underground.
In the early 1990s, foundations for the Lavalin Skytrain were constructed in the middle of two bridges spanning the Chao Phraya river
. The Taksin bridge
now supports the Silom line to Thon Buri
, completed in April 2009. The supports at Phra Pok Klao bridge
remain unused but may be utilised as part of the MRT
's future Purple Line.
Shortly after it became clear that the Lavalin Skytrain was stalled, then-governor Major-General Chamlong Srimuang
asked his deputy Krisda Arunvongse na Ayutthaya to create a new feeder system with a route along Sukhumvit
and Silom Rd. Krisda, who in the same period was elected governor, and his team from BMA managed to find an investor to build it. Krisda also convinced all to let the city supervise the project. The investor founded Bangkok Transit System Corporation and this company successfully financed the system and grew it from a feeder system to a full mass transit project. Siemens
as supplier of the railway technology and the Thai contractor Italian Thai Development built the system for BTSC.
The "Skytrain" name was given later by the press.
Originally, the Skytrain depot was to be built underneath Lumphini Park
, but due to widespread objections from Bangkok residents it was constructed on a parcel of land located along Phahonyothin Road, replacing the old Northern/Northeastern bus terminal (Mo Chit). The current depot at Mo Chit is a part of the proposed 'Bangkok Terminal' project, where a large complex comprising a new regional bus terminal, park & ride facility and other commercial development can be built directly above it.
Thanayong Public Company Limited had a 28.21% stake in BTSC when the Skytrain began, and therefore in its early days the system was sometimes referred to as the "Thanayong Skytrain".
The Skytrain system was officially opened on 5 December 1999 by Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn
. It initially had lower-than-predicted ridership, with 200,000 passenger trips per day. Ticket revenue was only enough to meet the trains' operating cost, and not sufficient to service construction loans. However, the Skytrain's daily passenger numbers have steadily increased since then. On 9 December 2005, more than 500,000 single trips were made on the Skytrain in a single day for the first time. BTSC is currently planning to purchase more trains and is studying the possibility of putting 6-car trains into service. The company implemented a contactless ticketing system in 2007 named 'BTS SmartPass', and plans to allow both BTS and Suvarnabhumi Airport Link passengers to use their RFID smart card
s as single ticketing system not before 2014.
All of the system's stations are elevated and constructed on three levels. The street level provides access to the station proper via stairs and often escalators. Supporting utility equipment (generators, water tanks, etc.) are usually located at this level on traffic islands.
The first elevated level of the stations contains the ticket booths, some small kiosk-like shops and access control gates. The second level (and third at Siam station
) is again accessed with stairs and escalators and contains the platforms and rails. With the exception of Siam Station, the stations follow a side platform
layout. Siam Station utilizes island platform
s to facilitate cross-platform interchange
between the two lines. Additionally, many stations have ramps and elevators to allow passengers who use wheelchairs to access the ticketing hall and platforms from the street. The distances between doors are equal throughout the train, regardless of whether they are in the same or different cars, and the locations where the doors will be after the train has stopped are marked on the platform. The platforms are built to accommodate trains of six cars, but trains of only three or four cars are in operation. Security personnel are stationed at every platform and ticketing hall. For safety reasons, there are often signs at the escalators: "Please stand on the right of the escalator and hold the handrail".
Three Skytrain stations, Sala Daeng, Asok and Mo Chit, are interchanges with the underground MRT
system. Saphan Taksin station is connected to the adjacent Sathon pier where the Chao Phraya Express Boat
services call. Many stations are linked by 'Skybridges' (overhead pedestrian walkways) to neighbouring buildings and public amenities.
Consumption of food or drinks is forbidden past the ticketing gate or on the Skytrain.
.
of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra
was accused of stalling the Skytrain extensions in order to punish Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), which was controlled by the opposition Democrat Party
, in an attempt to prevent the Democrats from gaining popularity among Bangkok residents.
In 2002 the cabinet amended a law in order to allow a private firm to finance the cost of operating the train system, while the government would take care of all the civil engineering work. On 18 October 2005, with no approval from the central government forthcoming, the BMA decided to complete the 2.2 km Silom Line route extension (S7 Charoen Nakhon & S8 Wongwian Yai) using its own budget. Construction began on 13 December 2005 with completion originally expected within a year, but problems with tendering for the signalling system repeatedly pushed back the schedule, with the extension finally opening on 15 May 2009. However, Saphan Taksin (originally designed to be only a temporary station), and the river crossing itself, has only one track, which has caused repeated delays during rush hour.
A second extension from On Nut east towards Bearing started construction in 2007, and was opened on 12 August 2011.
Further extensions have been proposed from Mo Chit north to Saphan Mai, from Bearing to east Samut Prakan, from Wongwian Yai to Bang Wa and from National Stadium west to Phran Nok. The viaduct from Wongwian Yai to Bang Wa is already built, while the other two have not started with construction yet. BMA plans to allocate 55.6 billion baht to complete the first two by 2012.
Further extension for the BTS can be summarized as follows:
rolling stock. All operate on 1435 mm rail gauge
(standard gauge). All trains have 4 doors on each side per car, an air-conditioning unit, and LCD monitors for public announcement and advertising. The power supply for all trains is at 750 V DC from the third rail
.
trains from Siemens AG
. All trains have 3 cars, 2 motor cars and 1 trailer on center. The Sukhumvit line employs 20 trains, and the Silom Line has 15. To increase capacity, in October 2010, Siemens agreed to provide an extra car for each train, making them up to four cars.
The Silom Line cars have been modified to support a signaling system from Bombardier Transportation
since the extension from Saphan Taksin
to Wong Wian Yai.
, though their design will be modified to the existing BTS's Siemens Modular Metro. The new trains were delivered in June 2010 to serve on the Silom Line, which cannot increase train frequency because of a single track bottleneck at Saphan Taksin station, though the number of passengers increased after the Wong Wian Yai and Krung Thonburi
stations were opened. These trains consist of 2 motor cars and 2 trailer cars and will feature LCD TVs for public announcements and advertising. An advanced digital voice announcement (DVA) and passenger information systems will be installed.
Rapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
system in Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
, Thailand. It is operated by Bangkok Mass Transit System Public Company Limited (BTSC) under a concession granted by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA). The system consists of 32 stations along two lines: the Sukhumvit line running northwards and eastwards, terminating at Mo Chit and Bearing
Bearing Station
Bearing station is a BTS skytrain station, on the in Bang Na District, Bangkok, Thailand. The station is located on Sukhumvit Road at Soi Baering , the last point of the BTS system in Bangkok Metropolitan Administration area, before passing the border pole to Samrong Nuea Town in Samut Prakan...
respectively, and the Silom line which plies Silom and Sathon Roads, the Central Business District of Bangkok, terminating at the National Stadium
National Stadium Station
National Stadium station is a BTS skytrain station, on the Silom Line in Pathum Wan District, Bangkok, Thailand. The station is located on Rama I Road to the west of Pathum Wan intersection, where the National Stadium, MBK Center, Siam Discovery Center, Bangkok Art and Culture Centre and Siam...
and Wongwian Yai
Wongwian Yai BTS Station
Wongwian Yai station is a BTS skytrain station, on the in Khlong San District, Bangkok, Thailand. The station is located on Krung Thon Buri Road to the west of Taksin intersection, about 20 minute walking from Wongwian Yai where the statue of King Taksin is situated.There are plenty of residences...
. The lines interchange at Siam Station
Siam station
Siam Station is the cross-platform interchange station for the BTS Skytrain in Pathum Wan district, Bangkok, Thailand. The largest and busiest station on the BTS with 40,000 - 50,000 passengers per day, it is where passengers on the and change trains....
and have a combined route distance of 55 km. The system is formally known as the Elevated Train in Commemoration of HM the King's 6th Cycle Birthday .
Besides the BTS, Bangkok's metro system also comprises the underground railway line MRT, and the elevated
Suvarnabhumi Airport Link (SARL), serving several stations in the city before reaching the airport.
History
Bangkok Elevated Road and Train System
The Bangkok Elevated Road and Train System , commonly known as the Hopewell Project after main contractor Hopewell Holdings, was a failed project to build an elevated highway and rail line from central Bangkok to Don Muang Airport...
, which was terminated in 1998 after only 10% had been completed.
The BTS system (the elevated metro system owned by BMA) was initially referred to as the Lavalin Skytrain because it was to be designed using the Vancouver SkyTrain as a model adopting the technology developed by SNC-Lavalin
SNC-Lavalin
SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. is a large Canadian engineering firm. It is one of the ten largest engineering firms in the world and is based in Montreal, Quebec. It formed in 1991 from the merger of SNC and the failing Lavalin, another Quebec based engineering firm....
. Due to political interference, the concession with Lavalin was cancelled in 1992, in spite of Bangkok's chronic traffic congestion
Traffic congestion
Traffic congestion is a condition on road networks that occurs as use increases, and is characterized by slower speeds, longer trip times, and increased vehicular queueing. The most common example is the physical use of roads by vehicles. When traffic demand is great enough that the interaction...
. The Thai Government focused on increasing road and expressway
Controlled-access highway
A controlled-access highway is a highway designed exclusively for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow and ingress/egress regulated...
infrastructure
Infrastructure
Infrastructure is basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise, or the services and facilities necessary for an economy to function...
in an attempt to combat congestion. However, this had less than the desired impact as the number of cars on the road increased dramatically. The lines considered under the skytrain project became later the basis for the Bangkok Metro
Bangkok Metro
The MRT , sometimes referred to as the Bangkok Metro, is Bangkok's underground metro system in Thailand. It was constructed under a concession concept...
system and interesting enough are mainly underground.
In the early 1990s, foundations for the Lavalin Skytrain were constructed in the middle of two bridges spanning the Chao Phraya river
Chao Phraya River
The Chao Phraya is a major river in Thailand, with its low alluvial plain forming the centre of the country. It runs through Bangkok, the capital city, and then empties into the Gulf of Thailand.-Etymology:...
. The Taksin bridge
Taksin Bridge
The Taksin Bridge is a bridge crossing the Chao Phraya river in Bangkok, Thailand. The bridge was designed with a large gap between opposing traffic directions to accommodate a canceled mass transit system...
now supports the Silom line to Thon Buri
Thon Buri (district)
Thon Buri is one of the 50 districts of Bangkok, Thailand. Located on the west bank of Chao Phraya River, it was once part of Thon Buri province...
, completed in April 2009. The supports at Phra Pok Klao bridge
Phra Pok Klao Bridge
Phra Pok Klao Bridge is a bridge crossing the Chao Phraya river in Bangkok, Thailand. The bridge was designed to alleviate traffic congestion on the adjacent Memorial Bridge. The bridge is composed of 3 viaducts, with the central viaduct designed to carry future mass transit links...
remain unused but may be utilised as part of the MRT
Bangkok Metro
The MRT , sometimes referred to as the Bangkok Metro, is Bangkok's underground metro system in Thailand. It was constructed under a concession concept...
's future Purple Line.
Shortly after it became clear that the Lavalin Skytrain was stalled, then-governor Major-General Chamlong Srimuang
Chamlong Srimuang
Major General Chamlong Srimuang is a controversial Thai activist and former politician. A former general, he was a leader of the "Young Turks" military clique, founded and led the Phalang Dharma party, served for six years as governor of Bangkok, led the anti-military uprising of May 1992, and...
asked his deputy Krisda Arunvongse na Ayutthaya to create a new feeder system with a route along Sukhumvit
Sukhumvit Road
Sukhumvit Road , or Thailand Route 3 , is a major road in Thailand, and a major surface road of Bangkok and other cities it winds through. It follows a coastal route from Bangkok to Trat and is just over in length....
and Silom Rd. Krisda, who in the same period was elected governor, and his team from BMA managed to find an investor to build it. Krisda also convinced all to let the city supervise the project. The investor founded Bangkok Transit System Corporation and this company successfully financed the system and grew it from a feeder system to a full mass transit project. Siemens
Siemens
Siemens may refer toSiemens, a German family name carried by generations of telecommunications industrialists, including:* Werner von Siemens , inventor, founder of Siemens AG...
as supplier of the railway technology and the Thai contractor Italian Thai Development built the system for BTSC.
The "Skytrain" name was given later by the press.
Originally, the Skytrain depot was to be built underneath Lumphini Park
Lumphini Park
Lumphini Park is a 360-rai park in Bangkok, Thailand. This park offers rare open public space, trees and playgrounds in the Thai capital and contains an artificial lake where visitors can rent a variety of boats. Paths around the park totalling approximately 2.5 km in length are a popular...
, but due to widespread objections from Bangkok residents it was constructed on a parcel of land located along Phahonyothin Road, replacing the old Northern/Northeastern bus terminal (Mo Chit). The current depot at Mo Chit is a part of the proposed 'Bangkok Terminal' project, where a large complex comprising a new regional bus terminal, park & ride facility and other commercial development can be built directly above it.
Thanayong Public Company Limited had a 28.21% stake in BTSC when the Skytrain began, and therefore in its early days the system was sometimes referred to as the "Thanayong Skytrain".
The Skytrain system was officially opened on 5 December 1999 by Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn
Maha Chakri Sirindhorn
Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn is the second daughter of King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Thais commonly refer to her as Phra Thep, meaning "princess angel." Because her title in Thai is the female equivalent of the title held by her brother, Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, she is informally referred...
. It initially had lower-than-predicted ridership, with 200,000 passenger trips per day. Ticket revenue was only enough to meet the trains' operating cost, and not sufficient to service construction loans. However, the Skytrain's daily passenger numbers have steadily increased since then. On 9 December 2005, more than 500,000 single trips were made on the Skytrain in a single day for the first time. BTSC is currently planning to purchase more trains and is studying the possibility of putting 6-car trains into service. The company implemented a contactless ticketing system in 2007 named 'BTS SmartPass', and plans to allow both BTS and Suvarnabhumi Airport Link passengers to use their RFID smart card
Smart card
A smart card, chip card, or integrated circuit card , is any pocket-sized card with embedded integrated circuits. A smart card or microprocessor cards contain volatile memory and microprocessor components. The card is made of plastic, generally polyvinyl chloride, but sometimes acrylonitrile...
s as single ticketing system not before 2014.
- 5 Dec 1999: Sukhumvit Line Mo Chit-On Nut, Silom Line National Stadium - Saphan Taksin
- 15 May 2009: Silom Line Saphan Taksin-Wong Wian Yai
- 12 Aug 2011: Sukhumvit Line On Nut-Bearing
Station layout
The first elevated level of the stations contains the ticket booths, some small kiosk-like shops and access control gates. The second level (and third at Siam station
Siam station
Siam Station is the cross-platform interchange station for the BTS Skytrain in Pathum Wan district, Bangkok, Thailand. The largest and busiest station on the BTS with 40,000 - 50,000 passengers per day, it is where passengers on the and change trains....
) is again accessed with stairs and escalators and contains the platforms and rails. With the exception of Siam Station, the stations follow a side platform
Side platform
A Side platform is a platform positioned to the side of a pair of tracks at a railway station, a tram stop or a transitway. A pair of side platforms are often provided on a dual track line with a single side platform being sufficient for a single track line...
layout. Siam Station utilizes island platform
Island platform
An island platform is a station layout arrangement where a single platform is positioned between two tracks within a railway station, tram stop or transitway interchange...
s to facilitate cross-platform interchange
Cross-platform interchange
A cross-platform interchange is a type of interchange between different lines in a metro system. The term originates with the London Underground; such layouts exist in other networks but are not commonly so named...
between the two lines. Additionally, many stations have ramps and elevators to allow passengers who use wheelchairs to access the ticketing hall and platforms from the street. The distances between doors are equal throughout the train, regardless of whether they are in the same or different cars, and the locations where the doors will be after the train has stopped are marked on the platform. The platforms are built to accommodate trains of six cars, but trains of only three or four cars are in operation. Security personnel are stationed at every platform and ticketing hall. For safety reasons, there are often signs at the escalators: "Please stand on the right of the escalator and hold the handrail".
Three Skytrain stations, Sala Daeng, Asok and Mo Chit, are interchanges with the underground MRT
Bangkok Metro
The MRT , sometimes referred to as the Bangkok Metro, is Bangkok's underground metro system in Thailand. It was constructed under a concession concept...
system. Saphan Taksin station is connected to the adjacent Sathon pier where the Chao Phraya Express Boat
Chao Phraya Express Boat
The Chao Phraya Express Boat is a transportation service in Thailand that operates on the Chao Phraya River. It provides riverine express transportation between stops in the capital city of Bangkok and to Nonthaburi, the province immediately to the north. Established in 1971, the Chao Phraya...
services call. Many stations are linked by 'Skybridges' (overhead pedestrian walkways) to neighbouring buildings and public amenities.
Consumption of food or drinks is forbidden past the ticketing gate or on the Skytrain.
Ticketing
For single-trip and stored-value ticket holders fares are calculated according to distance, but adult / student / tourist passes for limited / unlimited train rides are also available. Next to the magnetic fare cards, which require replacement once every two years, the Skytrain has adopted near-field contactless technology in its ticketing system, with the intent of becoming compatible with the system presently used in the MRTBangkok Metro
The MRT , sometimes referred to as the Bangkok Metro, is Bangkok's underground metro system in Thailand. It was constructed under a concession concept...
.
Stations
In the table below, an italicized name indicates that the station is under construction and not yet in operation.| Code | Station Name | Notes | coordinates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mo Chit-Saphan Mai Extension (construction to start 4Q 2011) | |||
| N20 | Saphan Mai | For Ying Charoen Market area | 13°53′47.64"N 100°36′32.54"E |
| N19 | Sai Yut | 13°53′19.67"N 100°36′16.12"E | |
| N18 | Lak Si |  MRT Pink Line Lak Si Station (planned) |
13°52′58.03"N 100°36′3.11"E |
| N17 | Wat Prasi Mahathat Worawihan | 13°52′27.55"N 100°35′45.22"E | |
| N16 | 11th Infantry Regiment | 13°52′6.63"N 100°35′33.02"E | |
| N15 | Bang Bua | For Sripatum University Sripatum University Sripatum University or SPU is a medium size private university in the north of Bangkok, Thailand.Inspired by the vision of Dr... |
13°51′24.40"N 100°35′8.18"E |
| N14 | Krom Pa Mai | For Royal Forest Department | 13°51′2.88"N 100°34′55.55"E |
| N13 | Kasetsart | For Kasetsart University Kasetsart University Kasetsart University is a public university in Thailand and a top-ranked Public University in Thailand. It is ranked No.401-500 in the world by QS. It was also the first agricultural university and the third oldest university in Thailand... |
13°50′33.55"N 100°34′38.21"E |
| N12 | Sena Nikhom | For Mayo Hospital Meyo Hospital Meyo Hospital is a private hospital located on Phahonyothin Road in Chatuchak district in Bangkok, Thailand. It is not related to the Mayo Clinic.-External links:... |
13°50′11.05"N 100°34′25.08"E |
| N11 | Ratchayothin | For Major Cineplex Ratchayothin Major Cineplex Ratchayothin Major Cineplex Ratchayothin is an entertainment and shopping complex on Phahonyothin Road in Lat Yao subdistrict, Chatuchak district, Bangkok. Operated by Thailand's largest movie-theater chain, Major Cineplex, it has a 14-screen multiplex cinema, a 38-lane bowling alley, karaoke rooms,... , Ratchayothin intersection area |
13°49′45.94"N 100°34′10.19"E |
| N10 | Satri Woranat | 13°49′22.59"N 100°33′56.65"E | |
| N9 | Lat Phrao |  Bangkok Metro The MRT , sometimes referred to as the Bangkok Metro, is Bangkok's underground metro system in Thailand. It was constructed under a concession concept... : Phahon Yothin For Central Plaza Lardprao, Union Mall Union Mall Union Mall is a shopping mall located in the north of Bangkok, at the Lat Phrao junction.The mall opened on February 2006. It has 8 floors with a total of 150 000 square meters of space.... |
13°48′55.31"N 100°33′40.60"E |
| Sukhumvit Line | |||
| N8 | Mo Chit | Bangkok Metro The MRT , sometimes referred to as the Bangkok Metro, is Bangkok's underground metro system in Thailand. It was constructed under a concession concept... : Chatuchak Park Terminal station For Chatuchak Park Chatuchak Park Chatuchak Park is the name of a public park in Chatuchak district, Bangkok, Thailand. It is also the name of the Bangkok Metro station that lies under the park.... |
13°48′9.30"N 100°33′13.80"E |
| N7 | Saphan Khwai Saphan Khwai Station Saphan Khwai station is a BTS skytrain station, on the in Phaya Thai District, Bangkok, Thailand. The station is located on Phahon Yothin road near Saphan Khwai intersection, the dense trade area with many shops, fresh markets and apartments, at the front of Saphan Khwai market and Paolo Memorial... |
For Saphan Khwai area | 13°47′37.68"N 100°32′59.03"E |
| N6 | Sena Ruam (Planned) | ||
| N5 | Ari Ari Station Ari station is a BTS skytrain station, on the in Phaya Thai District, Bangkok, Thailand. The station is located on Phahon Yothin Road at Soi Ari junction , the area with many office towers, apartments, food stalls and restaurants... |
For Soi Ari area | 13°46′46.93"N 100°32′40.71"E |
| N4 | Sanam Pao Sanam Pao Station Sanam Pao station is a BTS skytrain station, on the in Phaya Thai District, Bangkok, Thailand. The station is located on Phahon Yothin Road near Phahon Yothin Soi 3 in Sanam Pao area, among office towers, army base and army Channel 5 TV station nearby.... |
For Channel 5 (Thailand) Channel 5 (Thailand) Royal Thai Army Radio and Television Channel 5 is a military-run and controlledThai television station.This station is special from other Thai stations is it has feeds every year, so testcards can be watched yearly... |
13°46′21.44"N 100°32′31.53"E |
| N3 | Victory Monument Victory Monument Station Victory Monument station is a BTS skytrain station, on the in Ratchathewi District, Bangkok, Thailand. The station is located on Phaya Thai Road to the south of the Victory Monument, one of the landmark and major traffic intersection of Bangkok. The station is linked to all four corners of the... |
 BMTA bus lines Bangkok Metro Orange LineBangkok Metro Orange Line The MRT Orange Line is one of planned rapid transit lines of the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand in the Bangkok Metropolitan Area, Thailand.... (proposed) For Victory Monument , Transport Center in Bangkok |
13°45′45.88"N 100°32′13.51"E |
| N2 | Phaya Thai Phaya Thai BTS Station Phaya Thai station is a BTS skytrain station, on the in Ratchathewi District, Bangkok, Thailand. The station is located on Phaya Thai Road to the south of Phaya Thai intersection, over the Eastern railway crossing. It becomes a direct interchange to terminal at another Phaya Thai Station on... |
Suvarnabhumi Airport Link: Phaya Thai Phaya Thai Airport Link Station Phaya Thai station is a rapid transit station of the in Ratchathewi District, Bangkok, Thailand. The station is located over eastern railway at the level crossing on Phaya Thai Road. It is direct interchange to BTS at another westward Phaya Thai Station. The station is among the government... For Phaya Thai area |
13°45′24.99"N 100°32′1.84"E |
| N1 | Ratchathewi Ratchathewi Station Ratchathewi station is a BTS skytrain station, on the in Ratchathewi District, Bangkok, Thailand. The station is located on Phaya Thai Road to the south of Ratchathewi intersection, about 10 minutes walk to Pantip Plaza on the way to Pratunam market... |
 Khlong Saen Saep Express BoatKhlong Saen Saep Express Boat The Khlong Saen Saep Express Boat service operates on the Khlong Saen Saep in Bangkok, providing fast, inexpensive transportation through the city's traffic-congested commercial districts... (Saphan Hua Chang Pier) For Ratchathewi Intersection area |
13°45′6.75"N 100°31′53.67"E |
| CEN | Siam Siam station Siam Station is the cross-platform interchange station for the BTS Skytrain in Pathum Wan district, Bangkok, Thailand. The largest and busiest station on the BTS with 40,000 - 50,000 passengers per day, it is where passengers on the and change trains.... |
 Interchange to Silom Line Tourist information office For Chulalongkorn University Chulalongkorn University Chulalongkorn University is the oldest university in Thailand and is the country's highest ranked university. It now has nineteen faculties and institutes. Regarded as the best and most selective university in Thailand, it consistently attracts top students from around the country... , Siam Paragon Siam Paragon Siam Paragon is a shopping mall in Bangkok, Thailand. It is one of the biggest shopping centers in Asia. Opened on December 9, 2005, it includes a wide range of specialty stores and restaurants as well as a multiplex movie theater and the Siam Ocean World... , Siam Center Siam Center Siam Center and Siam Discovery Center are twin shopping malls in Pathum Wan district, Bangkok, Thailand. Located at the BTS Skytrain's Siam Station, the malls are part of a large shopping district being opposite Siam Square, next to Siam Paragon and adjacent to MBK Center. Both are owned by Siam... , Siam Discovery |
13°44′44.23"N 100°32′3.22"E |
| E1 | Chit Lom Chit Lom Station Chit Lom station is a BTS skytrain station, on the in Pathum Wan District, Bangkok, Thailand. The station is located on Phloen Chit Road at Chit Lom intersection to Lang Suan and Chit Lom Road... |
For Chit Lom area | 13°44′38.79"N 100°32′35.15"E |
| E2 | Phloen Chit Phloen Chit Station Phloen Chit station is a BTS skytrain station, on the in Pathum Wan District, Bangkok, Thailand. The station is located on Phloen Chit Road at Phloen Chit intersection to Wireless Road next to the beginning of Sukhumvit Road... |
For Phloen Chit area | 13°44′35.09"N 100°32′56.47"E |
| E3 | Nana Nana Station Nana station is a BTS skytrain station, on the in Watthana and Khlong Toei District, Bangkok, Thailand. The station is located on Sukhumvit Road at Sukhumvit Soi 9, to the east of Nana intersection . It is arounded by variety classes of hotels and facilities for foreign tourists... |
Tourist information office For Nana area |
13°44′26.17"N 100°33′19.43"E |
| E4 | Asok Asok Station Asok station is a BTS skytrain station, on the in Watthana and Khlong Toei District, Bangkok, Thailand. The station is located on Sukhumvit Road at Asok Montri Road , with interchange to at Sukhumvit Station.... |
Bangkok Metro The MRT , sometimes referred to as the Bangkok Metro, is Bangkok's underground metro system in Thailand. It was constructed under a concession concept... : Sukhumvit For Srinakharinwirot University Srinakharinwirot University Srinakharinwirot University is a government sponsored university located in Bangkok, Thailand. The university was founded in 1949. It was named by His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej and is the leading Thai university in the field of Education and Fine Arts... , Asok area |
13°44′13.32"N 100°33′37.51"E |
| E5 | Phrom Phong Phrom Phong Station Phrom Phong station is a BTS skytrain station, on the in Watthana and Khlong Toei District, Bangkok, Thailand. The station is located on Sukhumvit Road at Soi Phrom Phong , one of the areas in Bangkok which is sometimes called Little Japan with many Japanese restaurants... |
For Phrom Phong area, The Emporium | 13°43′49.58"N 100°34′11.03"E |
| E6 | Thong Lo Thong Lo Station Thong Lo station is a BTS skytrain station, on the in Watthana and Khlong Toei District, Bangkok, Thailand. The station is located on Sukhumvit Road at Soi Thong Lo , another neighbourhood excluding Phrom Phong area which is called "Little Japan"... |
For Thong Lo area | 13°43′27.28"N 100°34′42.81"E |
| E7 | Ekkamai Ekkamai Station Ekkamai station is a BTS skytrain station, on the in Watthana and Khlong Toei District, Bangkok, Thailand. The station is located on Sukhumvit Road at Soi Ekkamai or Ekamai next to the eastern bus terminal to eastern provinces... |
Eastern Bus Terminal, Bangkok Planetarium Bangkok Planetarium The Bangkok Planetarium is the oldest planetarium in Thailand. It is located on Sukhumvit Road in Bangkok as part of the Science Center for Education, which is operated by the Department of Non-Formal Education of the Ministry of Education.... |
13°43′10.41"N 100°35′6.63"E |
| E8 | Phra Khanong Phra Khanong Station Phra Khanong station is a BTS skytrain station on the in Watthana and Khlong Toei District, Bangkok, Thailand. The station is located on Sukhumvit Road to the west of Phra Khanong and Pridi Banomyong Road junction near Phra Khanong market.... |
For Phra Khanong area , Transport Zone To East Bangkok | 13°42′54.70"N 100°35′28.62"E |
| E9 | On Nut On Nut Station On Nut station is a BTS skytrain station, on the in Watthana and Khlong Toei District, Bangkok, Thailand. The station is located on Sukhumvit Road to the south of Soi On Nut junction .... |
For On Nut area | 13°42′20.20"N 100°36′3.90"E |
| E10 | Bang Chak Bang Chak Station Bang Chak station is a BTS skytrain station, on the in Phra Khanong District, Bangkok, Thailand, on Sukhumvit Road at Sukhumvit Soi 62, in front of Bang Chak market.... |
13°41′45.65"N 100°36′20.52"E | |
| E11 | Punnawithi Punnawithi Station Punnawithi station is a BTS skytrain station, on the in Phra Khanong District, Bangkok, Thailand. The station is located on Sukhumvit Road at Soi Punnawithi .... |
13°41′20.11"N 100°36′33.16"E | |
| E12 | Udom Suk Udom Suk Station Udom Suk station is a BTS skytrain station, on the in Bang Na District, Bangkok, Thailand. The station is located on Sukhumvit Road at Soi Udom Suk , to the north of Bang Na intersection.... |
13°40′49.14"N 100°36′34.77"E | |
| E13 | Bang Na Bang Na Station Bang Na station is a BTS skytrain station, on the in Bang Na District, Bangkok, Thailand. The station is located on Sukhumvit Road to the south of Bang Na intersection at the front of Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre - BITEC and Thai Meteorological Department.Opened in 2011, it is... |
For Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Centre Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Centre The Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Centre is a convention and exhibition hall in Bang Na district, Bangkok, Thailand. It opened in 1997 and has a total floor area of 50,400 square metres... |
13°40′5.07"N 100°36′16.77"E |
| E14 | Bearing Bearing Station Bearing station is a BTS skytrain station, on the in Bang Na District, Bangkok, Thailand. The station is located on Sukhumvit Road at Soi Baering , the last point of the BTS system in Bangkok Metropolitan Administration area, before passing the border pole to Samrong Nuea Town in Samut Prakan... |
End Line Of Bangkok Bangkok Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom... area |
13°39′33.61"N 100°36′3.78"E |
| Silom Line | |||
| W1 | National Stadium National Stadium Station National Stadium station is a BTS skytrain station, on the Silom Line in Pathum Wan District, Bangkok, Thailand. The station is located on Rama I Road to the west of Pathum Wan intersection, where the National Stadium, MBK Center, Siam Discovery Center, Bangkok Art and Culture Centre and Siam... |
Khlong Saen Saep Express Boat Khlong Saen Saep Express Boat The Khlong Saen Saep Express Boat service operates on the Khlong Saen Saep in Bangkok, providing fast, inexpensive transportation through the city's traffic-congested commercial districts... (Saphan Hua Chang Pier) Terminal station |
13°44′47.45"N 100°31′44.79"E |
| CEN | Siam Siam station Siam Station is the cross-platform interchange station for the BTS Skytrain in Pathum Wan district, Bangkok, Thailand. The largest and busiest station on the BTS with 40,000 - 50,000 passengers per day, it is where passengers on the and change trains.... |
Interchange to Sukhumvit Line For Chulalongkorn University Chulalongkorn University Chulalongkorn University is the oldest university in Thailand and is the country's highest ranked university. It now has nineteen faculties and institutes. Regarded as the best and most selective university in Thailand, it consistently attracts top students from around the country... , Siam area |
13°44′44.39"N 100°32′3.19"E |
| S1 | Ratchadamri Ratchadamri Station Ratchadamri station is a BTS skytrain station, on the in Pathum Wan District, Bangkok, Thailand. The station is located on Ratchadamri Road between Ratchaprasong intersection and Lumphini Park. It is among the luxury condominiums, office towers and hotels, with green scenery of horse racecourse... |
13°44′21.09"N 100°32′21.87"E | |
| S2 | Sala Daeng Sala Daeng Station Sala Daeng station is a BTS Skytrain station, on the in Bang Rak District, Bangkok, Thailand. The station is located on Si Lom Road to the southwest of Sala Daeng Intersection... |
Bangkok Metro The MRT , sometimes referred to as the Bangkok Metro, is Bangkok's underground metro system in Thailand. It was constructed under a concession concept... : Si Lom For Lumphini Park Lumphini Park Lumphini Park is a 360-rai park in Bangkok, Thailand. This park offers rare open public space, trees and playgrounds in the Thai capital and contains an artificial lake where visitors can rent a variety of boats. Paths around the park totalling approximately 2.5 km in length are a popular... and Silom area |
13°43′42.63"N 100°32′2.88"E |
| S3 | Chong Nonsi | BRT Bangkok BRT BRT Bus Rapid Transit is a new transit system in Bangkok, Thailand.A plan has been approved to build 5 bus routes to a design similar to the TransJakarta... Sathorn Station , Bangkok City tour Shuttle Bus |
13°43′25.63"N 100°31′46.00"E |
| S4 | Sueksa Witthaya (Planned) | ||
| S5 | Surasak Surasak Station Surasak station is a BTS skytrain station, on the in Bang Rak and Sathon District, Bangkok, Thailand. The station is located on Sathon Road to the east of Sathon-Surasak intersection. The area arounded is business zone along Sathon Road with many office towers and embassies... |
13°43′9.26"N 100°31′17.32"E | |
| S6 | Saphan Taksin Saphan Taksin Station Saphan Taksin station is a BTS skytrain station, on the in Bang Rak and Sathon District, Bangkok, Thailand. The station is located at the entry ramp of Taksin Bridge, below Sathon Road, to the east of the Chao Phraya River. It is the only rapid transit station in Bangkok which can transfer to a... |
Chao Phraya Express Boat Chao Phraya Express Boat The Chao Phraya Express Boat is a transportation service in Thailand that operates on the Chao Phraya River. It provides riverine express transportation between stops in the capital city of Bangkok and to Nonthaburi, the province immediately to the north. Established in 1971, the Chao Phraya... (Sathon Central Pier) Tourist information office |
13°43′7.59"N 100°30′50.78"E |
| S7 | Krung Thonburi Krung Thonburi Station Krung Thonburi station is a BTS skytrain station, on the in Khlong San District, Bangkok, Thailand. The station is located on Krung Thon Buri Road surrounded by residences, small shops and office towers... |
13°43′15.34"N 100°30′9.70"E | |
| S8 | Wongwian Yai Wongwian Yai BTS Station Wongwian Yai station is a BTS skytrain station, on the in Khlong San District, Bangkok, Thailand. The station is located on Krung Thon Buri Road to the west of Taksin intersection, about 20 minute walking from Wongwian Yai where the statue of King Taksin is situated.There are plenty of residences... |
Bangkok Metro Purple Line Bangkok Metro Purple Line The MRT Purple Line is a rapid transit line under construction of Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand in the Bangkok Metropolitan Area, Thailand, including Nonthaburi Province.... (Planned) Current terminal station For King Taksin Monument (Wongwian Yai) |
13°43′15.95"N 100°29′42.88"E |
| S9 | Pho Nimit (5 December 2012) | ||
| S10 | Ratchada-Ratchaphruek (5 December 2012) | ||
| S11 | Wutthakat (5 December 2012) | ||
| S12 | Bang Wa (5 December 2012) | Bangkok Metro The MRT , sometimes referred to as the Bangkok Metro, is Bangkok's underground metro system in Thailand. It was constructed under a concession concept... : Bang Wa (Proposed) |
|
Route extension
Political problems coupled with favoritism and nepotism stalled several expansion projects over the years. The governmentPolitics of Thailand
The politics of Thailand are currently conducted within the framework of a constitutional monarchy, whereby the Prime Minister is the head of government and a hereditary monarch is head of state. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislative branches.Thai kingdoms and late...
of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra
Thaksin Shinawatra
Thaksin Shinawatra is a Thai businessman and politician, who was Prime Minister of Thailand from 2001 to 2006, when he was overthrown in a military coup....
was accused of stalling the Skytrain extensions in order to punish Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), which was controlled by the opposition Democrat Party
Democrat Party (Thailand)
The Democrat Party is Thailand's oldest political party and was the main coalition government party of the 23rd House of Representatives of Thailand. The Democrat Party's current leader is Abhisit Vejjajiva, incumbent opposition leader and former Prime Minister. The party upholds a conservative...
, in an attempt to prevent the Democrats from gaining popularity among Bangkok residents.
In 2002 the cabinet amended a law in order to allow a private firm to finance the cost of operating the train system, while the government would take care of all the civil engineering work. On 18 October 2005, with no approval from the central government forthcoming, the BMA decided to complete the 2.2 km Silom Line route extension (S7 Charoen Nakhon & S8 Wongwian Yai) using its own budget. Construction began on 13 December 2005 with completion originally expected within a year, but problems with tendering for the signalling system repeatedly pushed back the schedule, with the extension finally opening on 15 May 2009. However, Saphan Taksin (originally designed to be only a temporary station), and the river crossing itself, has only one track, which has caused repeated delays during rush hour.
A second extension from On Nut east towards Bearing started construction in 2007, and was opened on 12 August 2011.
Further extensions have been proposed from Mo Chit north to Saphan Mai, from Bearing to east Samut Prakan, from Wongwian Yai to Bang Wa and from National Stadium west to Phran Nok. The viaduct from Wongwian Yai to Bang Wa is already built, while the other two have not started with construction yet. BMA plans to allocate 55.6 billion baht to complete the first two by 2012.
Further extension for the BTS can be summarized as follows:
- Under construction:
- Wong Wian Yai – Pho Nimit – Ratchada-Ratchaphruek – Wutthakat – Bang Wa (terminating at Phetkasem Road) – 5.25 km. Under Construction, to open on 5 December 2012.
- Bearing – Samut Prakan – 10.6 km Signed with Cho Kanchang, Construction start Q4 2011, to open on 2014.
- Planned:
- Mo Chit – Saphan Mai – 11.4 km.
- National Stadium – Yot Se (terminating at Bamrungmueang Road) – 6.8 km.
- Samut Prakan (Bang Ping) – Bang Pu.
- Bang Na – Suvarnabhumi AirportSuvarnabhumi AirportSuvarnabhumi Airport , also known as Bangkok International Airport, is an international airport serving Bangkok, Thailand. It was officially opened for limited domestic flight service on 15 September 2006, and opened for most domestic and all international commercial flights on 28 September...
(terminating at future South Passenger Terminal of Suvarnabhumi Airport, light rail train). - Saphan Mai – Khlong 6.
Rolling stock
The BTS Skytrain uses two variations of Electric Multiple UnitElectric multiple unit
An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages...
rolling stock. All operate on 1435 mm rail gauge
Rail gauge
Track gauge or rail gauge is the distance between the inner sides of the heads of the two load bearing rails that make up a single railway line. Sixty percent of the world's railways use a standard gauge of . Wider gauges are called broad gauge; smaller gauges, narrow gauge. Break-of-gauge refers...
(standard gauge). All trains have 4 doors on each side per car, an air-conditioning unit, and LCD monitors for public announcement and advertising. The power supply for all trains is at 750 V DC from the third rail
Third rail
A third rail is a method of providing electric power to a railway train, through a semi-continuous rigid conductor placed alongside or between the rails of a railway track. It is used typically in a mass transit or rapid transit system, which has alignments in its own corridors, fully or almost...
.
Siemens Train
The rolling stock of BTS Skytrain, in use since the opening of the line in 1999, consist of 35 Siemens Modular MetroSiemens Modular Metro
The Siemens Modular Metro is a family of electric multiple unit trains for rapid transit systems produced by Siemens Transportation Systems and used by rail operators around the world. The vehicle concept was launched in Vienna in 2000 and is a modular concept allowing many variants of metro vehicles...
trains from Siemens AG
Siemens AG
Siemens AG is a German multinational conglomerate company headquartered in Munich, Germany. It is the largest Europe-based electronics and electrical engineering company....
. All trains have 3 cars, 2 motor cars and 1 trailer on center. The Sukhumvit line employs 20 trains, and the Silom Line has 15. To increase capacity, in October 2010, Siemens agreed to provide an extra car for each train, making them up to four cars.
The Silom Line cars have been modified to support a signaling system from Bombardier Transportation
Bombardier Transportation
Bombardier Transportation is the rail equipment division of the Canadian firm, Bombardier Inc. Bombardier Transportation is one of the world's largest companies in the rail-equipment manufacturing and servicing industry. Its headquarters are in Berlin, Germany....
since the extension from Saphan Taksin
Saphan Taksin Station
Saphan Taksin station is a BTS skytrain station, on the in Bang Rak and Sathon District, Bangkok, Thailand. The station is located at the entry ramp of Taksin Bridge, below Sathon Road, to the east of the Chao Phraya River. It is the only rapid transit station in Bangkok which can transfer to a...
to Wong Wian Yai.
Bombardier – Changchun trains
The BTSC ordered 12 new trains (12 sets of 4 cars) from Changchun Railway Vehicles Co. Ltd. based on the Bombardier MOVIAMovia
Movia is a family of metro train built by Bombardier Transportation. The structure and body shell are fully customisable for the needs of each system that orders it. Unlike most traditional metro trains, they usually have full-width gangways between carriages, allowing passengers to walk the entire...
, though their design will be modified to the existing BTS's Siemens Modular Metro. The new trains were delivered in June 2010 to serve on the Silom Line, which cannot increase train frequency because of a single track bottleneck at Saphan Taksin station, though the number of passengers increased after the Wong Wian Yai and Krung Thonburi
Krung Thonburi Station
Krung Thonburi station is a BTS skytrain station, on the in Khlong San District, Bangkok, Thailand. The station is located on Krung Thon Buri Road surrounded by residences, small shops and office towers...
stations were opened. These trains consist of 2 motor cars and 2 trailer cars and will feature LCD TVs for public announcements and advertising. An advanced digital voice announcement (DVA) and passenger information systems will be installed.
See also
- Keeree KanjanapasKeeree KanjanapasKeeree Kanjanapas ; born in Bangkok, Thailand 1950; family roots are in Chaozhou , is a Thailand based entrepreneur with extensive business interests in mass transit and real estate in the Kingdom of Thailand...
- List of rapid transit systems
- Bangkok MetroBangkok MetroThe MRT , sometimes referred to as the Bangkok Metro, is Bangkok's underground metro system in Thailand. It was constructed under a concession concept...
- BRT (Bangkok)
- SRT Lines
- Suvarnabhumi Airport Link
