SRT to receive 13 air-conditioned train carriages on June 12

[misskit]

The State Railway of Thailand will receive the first lot of 13 air-conditioned train carriages from China CNR Corporation Limited this coming Sunday, said SRT governor Wutthichart Kalayanamitr on Monday.

The first delivery of 13 carriages is part of a total of 115 carriages purchased from China CNR Corporation Limited to boost the SRT’s train services. The acquisition of new train carriages is part of the SRT’s infrastructure development project estimated to cost 176.8 billion baht in investment from 2010 to 2017.

The 13 new carriages include one first-class air-conditioned seating and sleeper train carriage, ten second-class air-conditioned sleeper carriages and one air-conditioned canteen car and one electric carriage.

The rest of the carriages will be delivered until November with two carriages each month.

The first 13 air-conditioned carriages will be put into service on four express routes namely Bangkok-Chiang Mai, Bangkok-Ubon Ratchathani, Bangkok-Nong Khai and Bangkok-Hat Yai and vice versa.

The SRT will operate two trains of each of the four express routes per day. Each train can travel up to 120 km/hour and the travelling time will shortened by an average of three hours.

The SRT expects 1.073 million passengers to use the express service, generating 1.2 billion baht in revenue.

The 115 train carriages include nine first-class air-conditioned seating and sleeper carriages, 88 second-class air-conditioned seating and sleeper carriages, nine carriages for the disabled, nine air-conditioned canteen cars, nine electric carriages and 11 carriages as reserves.

SRT to receive 13 air-conditioned train carriages on June 12 - Thai PBS English News

[misskit]

PM launches maiden train to Nakhon Pathom



Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha today officially presided over the launch of the maiden train on a 50-km railway trip from Bangkok's Hua Lampong station to Nakhon Pathom station.

The prime minister rang the bell to set off the maiden train from Hua Lampong at 9.29 am for Nakhon Pathom.

Gen Prayut and his cabinet ministers then boarded the maiden train for a short voyage to Bang Bam-ru station.

The 39 rail cars imported by the State Railways of Thailand (SRT) are among a total of 115 cars ordered by the SRT under the policy of the Ministry of Transportation to improve the country’s railway service and replace old cars.

The new trains will be put into services on four routes, Bangkok-Chiang Mai, Bangkok-Ubon Ratchathani, Bangkok-Nong Khai and Bangkok-Hat Yai and will be operated in October.

The new trains have first-class sleeper cars, first-class seat equipped with a TV screen, free internet wi-fi, a USB slot for battery recharging, wheelchairs, vacuum toilets, surveillance cameras, opened door alarms, and sealed space between carriages for passenger safety.

The launch of the new trains was a turning point for the SRT as it sought to modernise its train services for passenger convenience, and safety.

The SRT expects the new trains will accommodate 900,000 passengers a year and will generate an extra 785.1 million baht in the first year.

PM launches maiden train to Nakhon Pathom - Thai PBS English News

[misskit]

New train carriage service launch on November 11

The State Railway of Thailand will put into service new Chinese-made train carriages on Bangkok-Chiang Mai-Bangkok and Bangkok-Ubon Ratchathani-Bangkok routes as of November 11, SRT governor Wutthichart Kalyanamit said on Wednesday.

For the next step, new train cars will be put into service on two more routes; Bangkok-Nong Khai-Bangkok and Bangkok-Hat Yai-Bangkok, tentatively scheduled on December 2.

The governor said that all old train carriages for three routes would be replaced by new cars from China with the exception of Bangkok-Ubon Ratchathani-Bangkok route in which a mix of old and new carriages will be used.

Travelers who want to use the service of the new carriages can book tickets in advance as of October 29 at all train stations.

New train carriage service launch on November 11 |

[misskit]

SRT unveils new trains for 4 routes

BANGKOK, 26 October 2016 (NNT) - The State Railway of Thailand is now offering reservations for its new trains across four routes.

Governor of State Railway of Thailand Wuthichart Kalyanamitra said the first two lines of Bangkok - Chiang Mai and Ubon Ratchathani - Bangkok will commence on November 11th. The remaining two lines of Bangkok - Nong Khai and Bangkok - Hat Yai will commence on December 2nd.

For the Bangkok - Chiang Mai route, the second-class air-conditioned car with bed costs 791 baht for the top bunk and 881 baht for the bottom bunk. The first-class air-conditioned car with bed costs 1,253 baht for the top bunk and 1,453 baht for the bottom bunk.

For the Bangkok - Ubon Ratchathani route, the second-class air-conditioned car with bed costs 731 baht for the top bunk and 821 baht for the bottom bunk. The first-class air-conditioned car with bed costs 1,120 baht for the top bunk and 1,320 baht for the bottom bunk.

For the Bangkok - Nong Khai route, the second-class air-conditioned car with a bed costs 748 baht for the top bunk and 838 baht for the bottom bunk. The first-class air-conditioned car with bed costs 1,157 baht for the top bunk and 1,357 baht for the bottom bunk.

For the Bangkok - Hat Yai route, the second-class air-conditioned car with bed costs 855 baht for the top bunk and 945 baht for the bottom bunk. The first-class air-conditioned car with bed costs 1,394 baht for the top bunk and 1,594 baht for the bottom bunk.

Since the new trains will replace the existing trains on the four lines, passengers who reserved the tickets before the announcements will be automatically upgraded for free to the new trains.

National News Bureau Of Thailand | SRT unveils new trains for 4 routes

[david44]

The 115 train carriages include nine first-class air-conditioned seating and sleeper carriages, 88 second-class air-conditioned seating and sleeper carriages, nine carriages for the disabled, nine air-conditioned canteen cars, nine electric carriages and 11 carriages as reserves

Trains fallimg over, end of online booking and othey cannot even add up?

[Chico]

Considering Air fares are Cheap nowadays,are the trains going to be used that much.

Domestic Air travel is booming.

[thaimeme]

Considering Air fares are Cheap nowadays,are the trains going to be used that much.

Domestic Air travel is booming.

Probably not for average Thais, in which this story, and train travel, is primarily directed toward....

An overwhelmingly percentage of Thais, traveling domestically, will opt for train; coach/bus; or private vehicle before choosing to fly.

[Chico]

Possibly on my route its different,seeing way more Thais flying these days.

though I'd say the local village people are more likely to travel via Minivan.

Those train prices ain't cheap

[DJ Pat]

That carriage looks like it was salvaged from some chinese scrapheap

[cyrille]

An overwhelmingly percentage of Thais, traveling domestically, will opt for train; coach/bus; or private vehicle before choosing to fly.

As far as the BKK-CM train route is concerned, we travelled on it several times when in the process of buying our house in CM five years ago and approximately 70% of the travellers were non Thais.
Thais tend to opt for the plane or bus.

For shorter journeys such as from bkk to closer parts of Isaan obviously the plane doesn't make much sense.