braslvr

While that was somewhat true in the past, I haven't had that problem (from Sukhumvit) for the past 2 years or so. Very rarely a driver will say no, but the one right behind him will do it.

Electrostar

They both run 6 am to midnight, no 24 hour service with either of them.

seanthepilot

This runs contrary to press releases and newspaper articles. I would like to see additional confirmation to the hours of operation.

After the proper facts are established, I'll clean up the thread to avoid any mis-understandings.

thank you in advance,
stp

Electrostar

Interesting. The press reports I've seen all refer to 06.00 to 24.00 (i.e. midnight), that might be the reason for this not to be clear. I know that all websites can be wrong, but the Airport link's own website says for both services "It provides service from 06.00 to 24.00".
See
http://airportraillink.railway.co.th...ityline_a.html
and
http://airportraillink.railway.co.th...a_express.html
at the bottom of the left hand column.
Perhaps some kind person could check it out in the middle of the night?
I have also seen complaints on other discussion sites about the trains not running early enough to catch the first Air Asia flights of the day.

Sam Drucker

This website has been changed from a week or two ago. Before, it indicated the City Line ran 24/7.
A strong indicator of what is apparently current and official.

seanthepilot

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/14625208-post264.html

Here's a "trip report" from the Starwood forum.

There is a bit more in his post, but I thought it would be relevant to this discussion.

mcgahat

I think they mean MRT ticket but data is helpful.

My experience two days ago was a different route. I was going from the Holiday Inn on Ploenchit. I walked out of the hotel front door at 7.25AM, took the BTS from Chitlom to Phay Thai and at the bottom of steps at Phay Thai (before you exit the station) there is a make shift sign telling which exit to take for the airport link (exit 5 I believe) and as I exited it was obvious which way to go as a very nice walkway was present. I go to the airport link station and the machines were not working so you needed to buy a ticket at the booth and then I just took the escalator up. I was very lucky at the door closed as soon as I got on the train. The train is pretty much the same as a BTS train if you ask me. I arrived at the airport at 8:05AM but we didnt get out until 8:10 as the driver couldnt get the doors lined up at the station.

So, BTS was 20THB and the airport link was 15THB. Cant beat that. I would have no problem with paying the 100THB for the express though if it was easier to get to. I wasnt able to find any timelines at the stations but didnt have much time. I will look again when I take it from the airport today.

mcgahat

My return to the Holiday Inn Chitlom was pretty fluid as well. The ticket machines and automated entry machines are not working so everything is manual, at the airport and Phya Thai station. I just missed the train at the airport but another one came 15 minutes later. The train was just as full as the trip a couple of days before. Not an empty seat with several standing. The difficulty came with the BTS. It was 5PM on a Friday....it was packed tight on that train and I would not have wanted to have a lot of bags as me and my small rollaboard barely fit in the train. Also, it is obvious to me after my arrival at Phya Thai station that the citi line is made to facilitate airport workers and not travelers with no elevators and narrow platforms and several flights of stairs to go down. I would not make the treck back on the city line with a lot of bags.

Overall, very positive experience as I beat what would have been some bad traffic and from the time I arrived at the train station to walking in my hotel door was about and hour. ^

Sirhalberd

I had a chance to use the new Airport Rail Link a couple times this past week. I like it. One time it was late at night, just before midnight coming from the airport with a friend. When I got off the train at Makkasan that place looked a little deserted at that time - lots of empty space. There was a taxi available, meter fare to the Sukhumvit Road area less than 70 baht. Only 15 baht for the train ride - can't beat that price! If I was using this train late at night, after the Skytrain stops running, I would probably skip Makkasan and get off at either Ratchaprarop or Phaya Thai where you walk out to a main street for a taxi.

Another time I did a round trip to the airport during the afternoon. Like the previous post mentioned the train was packed. The bridge connecting Phaya Thai Skytrain to the Rail Link made it easy to get from one place to the other. I hope the Skytrain stays open a couple hours longer when the Rail Link starts running all night long.

Thumbs up on this Rail Link from me!

Kalboz

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxMsi...x=0&playnext=1

jpatokal

Figures for the first month are out, courtesy of Wisarut at 2Bangkok.com:

Fairly pathetic -- note how Phayathai (with its BTS connection) is far and away the busiest station, while the Makkasan City Air Terminal is very quiet.

dsquared37

It will be interesting to see what happens when 1) tourist season kicks in 2) prices subsequently increase.

railways

With a train every half-hour between 6am and midnight - I think that makes 37 trains each way per day.

That means an average of 8 passengers per train! Talk about white elephants. They might as well can the Express and make the City line every 10 minutes. It would be far more effective.

Sam Drucker

. . . on this being a white elephant. I remember when the BTS was introduced, and it took several years to get mass adoption of the BTS system by the public. I remember enjoying riding it as a tourist the first few years, and having no problems getting a seat on it (other than rush hour.)

Now, they are short on trains and have additional ones on order; the trains are always crowded, even mid-day at non-rush hours.

railways

I wasn't talking about the line - which will clearly be popular (hence my suggestion for a 10 minute frequency) - I was talking specifically about the Express service. The price is going to go up rather than down. The city terminal is not central. Two people travelling together won't pay much more if they take a taxi instead - and they will get right to their destination.