Originally Posted by
Tchiowa
A little caution about Phaya Thai. A lot of people want to connect from ARL to BTS at Phaya Thai. But BTS is not really set up to accomodate people with luggage. Most stations don't have "down" escalators so you end up trying to figure out how to get your bags down several flights of stairs. And if you take BTS during rush hour it may be too crowded to get your bags into the trains.
Yes this has been a much discussed problem since the ARL opened over 3 years ago - including many times on this and other threads. One of the patent design problems. (I've made the point here and elsewhere that the BTS opened with about 40% of the current escalators that the network now has. The rest were progressively installed).
The obvious problem at Phaya Thai as a terminus station is that there was only the one up escalator for pax so there was always a crowd when everyone disembarked , esp for those with bags. Most with large or heavy luggage use the elevator even if they have to wait.....
One set of extra escalators have actually been installed at Phaya Thai, Ratchaprarop and Ram stations over the last 18 months. It seemed to take an inordinate amount of time as many things do in Thailand.
10 more escalators will be installed in the next 6 months (realistically, make that 12+ months);
Hua Mark - 3
Lat Krabang - 4
Ban Thap Chang - 4
When I travel on the Tube in London, Madrid Metro or the Paris Metro with luggage I regularly have to carry my large trolley bag up & down stairs when interchanging or entering/exiting certain stations. I accept that as part of the experience....