Red Line Try-Out

Yesterday morning (August 2th) at 10 AM was the official launch of the new Red Line train and being interested in transport systems I decided to have a look as Taling Chan Junction Station is just a 5 km bike ride away.

I arrived a bit before 10 AM and was told that the train’s departure was delayed due to certain high officials hadn’t arrived yet.

Waiting at Taling Chan Station for the Big Shot(s)...

As this delay could mean anything from half an hour to Buddha knows, I decided to admit defeat and cycle back home.

This morning I got there before 7 AM, locked my bike, and entered the station,

No ticket is necessary (free rides for the first 3 months), only a short registration either on paper or through a scan.

Amazing amount of restrictions!

I opted for just a short ride to Bang Sue Grand Station (the Light Red part) and back.

After boarding the brand-new train, I had a good look around, the interior is pretty similar to the other new lines, very functional with luggage racks and clean.

As expected there were hardly any passengers on board…

We reached the next station, Bang Bamru, pretty fast, and from then onwards the tracks are elevated all the way!

As promised, in roughly 15 minutes we’d arrived at Bang Sue Grand Station.

This station I’ll explore in future more as it is massive, the largest station in South East Asia in fact.

However, its present use as an enormous gathering place for people getting vaccinated makes it highly unsuitable for sightseeing…

The trip back was uneventful but smooth, as the Red Line’s Hitachi electric trains are fast: average speed 120 km/hr!

Postscript:

The Red Line is operated by the SRT (State Railway of Thailand), but I noticed signs at the stations showing SRTET:

S.R.T. Electrified Train Company Limited (see underneath).

By now the new railway links (elevated/underground/monorail/ground/hybrid) are getting very colorful and perhaps a bit confusing I guess, therefore I made this overview:

- No color: Airport Rail Link (ARL)- elevated: Phaya Thai - Suvarnabhumi

- Gold Line BMA - monorail (*): Krung Thon Buri - Khlong San

- Dark Green Line BTS - elevated: National Stadium - Bang Wa

- Light Green Line BTS - elevated: Khu Khot - Kheha

- Blue Line MRT - underground:Tha Phra - Tao Poon - Lak Song

- Purple Line MRT - elevated: Khlong Bang Phai - Tao Poon

- Dark Red Line SRT - hybrid: Bang Sue Grand Station to Rangsit

- Light Red Line SRT - hybrid: Taling Chan - Bang Sue Grand Station

Plus

- Orange Line MRT - underground(?): Taling Chan - Suwinthawong (under construction)

- Pink Line MRT - monorail: Nonthaburi Civic Center - Minburi (under construction)

- Yellow Line MRT - monorail: Lat Phrao/Ratchada - Samrong (under construction)