Bang Sue Grand Station

Bang Sue Grand Station (Thai: สถานีกลางบางซื่อ, RTGS: Sathani Klang Bang Sue, pronounced [sā.tʰǎː.nīː klāːŋ bāːŋ sɯ̂ː]; lit. 'Bang Sue Central Station') in Chatuchak, Bangkok, will be Thailand's new railway hub. It will replace the existing Bangkok Railway Station (Hua Lamphong) as the terminus for all long-distance rail services from Bangkok.[1] The station is under construction[2][3] and is expected to open in March 2021.[4] When built it will replace the existing Bang Sue Junction Railway Station and incorporate the Bang Sue MRT Station.

Bang Sue Grand Station สถานีกลางบางซื่อ
Station under construction in June 2020
Location	Chatuchak, Bangkok
Coordinates	13°48′18″N 100°32′30″E
Owned by	State Railway of Thailand (SRT)
Operated by	State Railway of Thailand (SRT) (ground) Mass Rapid Transit Authority (underground)
Line(s)	SRT Dark Red Line SRT Light Red Line MRT Blue Line Airport Rail Link Northern Line Northeastern Line Eastern Line Southern Line Don Mueang–Suvarnabhumi–U-Tapao high-speed railway
Platforms	26
Other information
Status	Under construction
Station code	RN01, RS01 (Dark Red Line) RW01, RE01 (Light Red Line) A9, HE02 (Airport Rail Link) BL11 (Blue Line)
History
Opening	March 2021
Previous names	Bang Sue Junction Railway Station
Services
Preceding station   SRT Red Lines   Following station Chatuchak toward Rangsit SRT Dark Red Line Pradiphat toward Maha Chai Bang Son toward Taling Chan SRT Light Red Line Airport Rail Link (Bangkok) Don Mueang Terminus SARL City Line Phaya Thai toward Suvarnabhumi SARL Express/HSR Eastern Line Makkasan toward Suvarnabhumi Preceding station   State Railway of Thailand   Following station Sam Sen toward Bangkok Northern Line Nikhom Rotfai KM.11 Halt toward Chiang Mai Northeastern Line Nikhom Rotfai KM.11 Halt toward Ubon Ratchathani Nikhom Rotfai KM.11 Halt toward Thanaleng Southern Line Bang Son toward Su-ngai Kolok   Out of interchange   Bangkok Metro Kamphaeng Phet toward Bang Wa MRT Blue Line Transfer at: Bang Sue Tao Poon toward Tha Phra (via Bang Sue)
Location
Bang Sue Grand Station Location within Thailand

Bang Sue will be the largest railway station in Southeast Asia, with 26 platforms—some 600 metres long.[3] The station will offer 274,192 m² of usable floor space. The 15 billion baht station is being built on 2,325 rai[Note 1] of SRT-owned land and will have maintenance depots for both diesel and electric trains. An elevated walkway will connect the station to the new Mo Chit Bus Terminal.[4]

History

In 2010 under the government of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, the Ministry of Transport decided to move the Bangkok Railway Station (Hua Lamphong station) to the area of Bang Sue Junction Railway Station to be the center of the rail transport system.[5] In 2013, work on the station started with a contract signing by the State Railway of Thailand (SRT), Sino-Thai Engineering Construction PCL, and Unique Construction and Engineering PCL for the Red Line suburban railway system project consisting of civil work for Bang Sue Grand Station and a maintenance center.[6] Bang Sue construction started construction in mid-2013 and is to be opened in November 2021.[7]

As of May 2018 the station was 50 percent completed.[8] The Red Line service from Bang Sue to Rangsit was expected to be operational in November 2019.[8] In September 2018, SRT delayed opening the Red Line to November 2021.[9] In December 2020 it was announced that civil construction of the station was complete.[10]

Layout

The station will have four floors, three above, and one below ground:[11][8]

1. Underground floor: Bang Sue MRT Station, on the MRT Blue Line station, and parking for 1,624 vehicles.
2. Ground floor: Station concourse with ticketing and waiting areas. This will be the only air-conditioned area in the station.
3. Second floor: Train platforms with 12 tracks. Eight tracks will serve long-distance diesel trains (soon to be electrified). Four tracks will serve SRT Red Dark and Light Red Line commuter trains.
4. Third floor: High–speed railway platforms with 10 tracks. Four tracks will serve the Airport Rail Link and the Don Mueang–Suvarnabhumi–U-Tapao high-speed railway linking Don Mueang International Airport, Suvarnabhumi Airport and U-Tapao International Airport. Six tracks are reserved for future high-speed rail (HSR) connections to Nong Khai, Hua Hin and Chiang Mai.

Also planned is a 186,030 m² memorial site to King Rama V, known as the "father of Thai railroads", although this is expected to open after the station itself.[4]

Phahonyothin freight yard

Bang Sue Junction is also the location of Phahonyothin cargo yard. With an expanse of about 50 rail-tracks and sidings, it is the largest rail yard in the whole of Thailand. It is located about 1.5 kilometres from the station and is the main cargo yard for freight services around Thailand.[12]

Bus routes

The following BMTA routes serve this station: 50 (Rama VII – Lumphini Park), 52 (Pak Kret – Bang Sue), 65 (Wat Pak Naom,(Nonthaburi) – Sanam Luang), 67 (CentralPlaza Rama III - Wat Samian Nari), 70 (Prachaniwet 3 – Sanam Luang), 97 (Ministry of Public Health - Buddhist Monk's Hospital).

Route No.70 from Prachaniwet 3 via Bung Sue Junction to Sanam Luang

Nearby stations

Preceding station		SRT Red Lines		Following station
Chatuchak toward Rangsit		SRT Dark Red Line		Pradiphat toward Maha Chai
Bang Son toward Taling Chan		SRT Light Red Line
Airport Rail Link (Bangkok)
Don Mueang Terminus		SARL City Line		Phaya Thai toward Suvarnabhumi
		SARL Express/HSR Eastern Line		Makkasan toward Suvarnabhumi
	Out of interchange
Bangkok Metro
Kamphaeng Phet toward Bang Wa		MRT Blue Line Transfer at: Bang Sue		Tao Poon toward Tha Phra
State Railway of Thailand
Sam Sen toward Bangkok		Northern Line Transfer at: Bang Sue Junction		Nikhom Rotfai KM.11 Halt toward Chiang Mai
		Northeastern Line Transfer at: Bang Sue Junction		Nikhom Rotfai KM.11 Halt toward Ubon Ratchathani
				Nikhom Rotfai KM.11 Halt toward Thanaleng
		Southern Line Transfer at: Bang Sue Junction		Bang Son toward Su-ngai Kolok

Footnotes

1. A rai is a unit of area equal to 1,600 square metres (ie. 0.16 hectares, or ​⁴⁄₁₀ of an acre)

References

1. Fredrickson, Terry. "Hua Lamphong to become museum as station moves to Bang Sue". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 2016-11-26.
2. "เปิดสถานีกลางบางซื่อปี 63 คค.สั่งแบ่งเฟสจัดขนส่งเชื่อม-ย้ายหมอชิตปี 66". Manager. 2 August 2017. Retrieved 2017-08-02.
3. Clark, James (3 November 2016). "These rail projects will transform travel in Southeast Asia". Asia Times. Retrieved 2016-11-26.
4. https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Transportation/Bangkok-s-central-train-hub-opening-delayed-till-July-2021
5. "ก.คมนาคมเล็งย้ายหัวลำโพงไปที่บางซื่อ" [A. Transportation aiming to move Hua Lamphong to Bang Sue]. Thai PBS News (in Thai). Retrieved 2021-01-03.
6. "รฟท.เซ็นสร้างสถานีบางซื่อคาดเสร็จใน 2 ปีครึ่ง" [SRT signs construction of Bang Sue Station, expected to be completed in 2 and a half years]. thairath.co.th (in Thai). Retrieved 2021-01-03.
7. "BANGSUE GRAND STATION ASEAN TRANSPORTATION HUB". realist.co.th (in Thai). Retrieved 2021-01-03.
8. Jotikasthira, Om (27 May 2018). "Bang Sue megastation project reaches halfway mark". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
9. "เลื่อน! กำหนดเปิดรถไฟฟ้าสายสีแดงเป็น ม.ค.64" [sliding! Scheduled to open the Red Line train as Jan 64]. pptvhd36.com (in Thai). Retrieved 2021-01-03.
10. "Construction of key transport hub Bang Sue Central Station completed". The Nation. Retrieved 2020-12-15.
11. "Bang Sue mega-station to operate by January 2021". Bangkok Post. 23 November 2018. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
12. https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/989914-high-speed-train-bangkok-korat-500-bahtone-hour-17-minutes-no%C2%A0way-will-it-fail/page/18/