Bangkok's express train off to a good start – Completion of the airport link expected shortly

Thai Minister of Transport, Sophon Zarum, and the Chairman of the State Railway of Thailand (SRT), Youtdana Tupcharoen, were onboard for the first trip and were accompanied by many other specially invited guests.

The multiple-unit express train is based on the Desiro UK built by Siemens. In the course of this year, the light rail transit line will connect the city center and Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport.

In 2005, Siemens Mobility and two Thai companies—B.Grimm Group and Sino Thai Engineering and Construction Plc. (Stecon)—have received an order from the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) to build the rail link to Bangkok's new Suvarnabhumi airport.

The project involved the construction of a new 28-kilometer-long route and a station in the city center. Siemens and B.Grimm were responsible for developing, supplying and installing the entire electrical and mechanical parts of the project. This included track construction, vehicles, signaling systems, the power supply, a communication system, fare management, tunnel equipment, depot and workshop equipment, check-in systems and baggage management.

Most of the line is elevated, with just under one kilometer underground. On the 25.7 kilometer route, the Suvarnabhumi Airport Express connects Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport to the capital, Bangkok, without any stops in between.

The Suvarnabhumi Airport City Line, which runs on the same tracks, is 28.5 kilometers long and extends further into the inner city. It has six scheduled stops and ends at Phaya Thai Station, where passengers can transfer to the Bangkok Skytrain.

The first of a total of five City Line trains had already completed test runs successfully at a maximum speed of 160 km/h in January 2009. They took place on January 18, 2009, between Klong Ton Depot and Suvarnabhumi Airport Station. What’s more, only the day before the 69 V traction substation and the 25 kV overhead catenary line had been energized successfully. However, the system cannot be officially handed over to the State Railway of Thailand until further system tests and system integration tests have been carried out.

Siemens AG
Industry Sector – Mobility Division
Pressereferat
Werner-von-Siemens-Str. 67
91052 Erlangen
Tel.: +49 (9131) 7-24880
Fax: +49 (9131) 7-24598
mailto:angelika.holtkamp@siemens.com