Blue line extension: Station art, Thonburi link & city loop coming soon
In less than three years Bangkok to get direct link to Thonburi side featuring stations with artistic interiors & an electric rail loop around Bangkok for first time.
In less than three years Bangkok to get direct link to Thonburi side featuring stations with artistic interiors & an electric rail loop around Bangkok for first time.
TRANSPORTATION
Blue line extension: Station art, Thonburi link & city loop in under three years
23/08/2016
Amornrat Mahitthirook
A new electric rail line, a Blue Line extension, that will connect important locations such as Hua Lamphong train station, Tha Phra and Lak Song is set to open in less than three years.
The new route will be 15.9 kilometers in length.
Four stations along the new route will be developed into novel cultural attractions.
Electric railway lines including the extended Blue Line sections and the location of the riverside Sanam Chai station near Rattanakosin Island. (MRTA graphic)
HUA LAMPHONG-BANG KHAE SECTION TO SPEED TRAVEL TO THONBURI SIDE
The new route will have the first rail tunnel under the Chao Phraya River that will shorten travel time to the Thonburi side.
There will be a direct connection from the Hua Lamphong main station to The Mall shopping complex in Lak Song on the western Thonburi side of the capital.
This section will be opened first.
Sanam Chai station along this route will be one of four stations to be developed into tourist attractions.
The interior of Sanam Chai station is being decorated as a palace hall and is nearing completion.
The palace-like interior of Sanam Chai Station on the new Blue Line Extension.
TWO LAUNCHES: FEBRUARY & OCTOBER, 2019
The MRTA, which oversees the city's electric rail transport, has set February, 2019 for the launch of the route, also known as the Hua Lamphong-Bang Khae section.
In October the same year, the rest of the Blue Line extension will be opened.
"We will speed up the opening dates to comply with an order under Section 44 of the interim charter," Yodyuth Boonyathikarn, chairman of the Mass Rapid Transit Authority (MRTA) said.
Section 44 refers to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha's order issued as leader of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) to step up the electric train operation plan.
The palace-like interior of Sanam Chai Station on the new Blue Line Extension.
UNIQUE INTERIOR ART OF TRAIN STATIONS
Commuters can look forward to faster transport and also new tourist attractions featuring different interior styles at the four train terminals, Mr Yodyuth said.
The construction of the Sanam Chai station is based on the vision of national artist Phinyo Suwankhiri who was inspired by royal palaces including the Grand Palace.
The decorative work is expected to be completed by the end of this year and people will soon be allowed to visit the station to see the traditional Thai art, Mr Yodyuth said.
The other three stations -- Wat Mangkon Kamalawat, Wang Burapha and Itsaraphap -- are also being built to showcase unique cultural features.
People sit and eat on a sidewalk along a street in Bangkok's Chinatown, one of few city districts yet to be devoured by malls and high-rise condos. But change is coming and fast. A new underground train is now ploughing straight into the heart of the historic quarter. (AFP photo)
CHINATOWN STATION
Wat Mangkon Kamalawat station, which is close to Chinatown in Yaowarat, will show off a blend of Sino-Portuguese architecture, he said (read more about Chinatown station here).
The interior design of the Wang Burapha station, on the other hand, will reflect the lifestyle of Bangkokians in a bygone era.
The design of the Itsaraphap station will be modelled on Wat Hong Rattanaram Ratchaworawihan, famous for its traditional murals on the temple's 12 pillars.
The four stations are part of a new subway route on the Hua Lamphong-Bang Khae line.
Another seven stations on the line will be constructed on an elevated track, running to the Lak Song station in the Bang Khae area.
Construction map for Blue Line Extension providing details (Source: www.pmithai.org)
FIRST LOOP FOR A BANGKOK ELECTRIC RAILWAY LINE
The other part of the Blue Line -- the 11.8km Bang Sue-Tha Phra route -- is also being built on the ground.
This section will boast the first loop built on the electric railway line, after the problem of the one-kilometre "missing link" for commuters travelling on the Bang Yai-Tao Pun Purple Line is solved.
Commuters are currently required to take free shuttle buses to and from Bang Sue station on the Blue Line metro.
The fast- paced construction of the Blue Line extension is expected to be followed by progress on monorail projects, sources close to the project say.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1068624/electric-rail-to-open-for-business-in-under-three-years
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1051925/royal-hall-station-to-open-for-temporary-viewing
http://www.bangkokpost.com/learning/advanced/959337/bangkoks-chinatown-subway-big-changes-coming-soon
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