Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal

Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal (Thai: สถานีกลางกรุงเทพอภิวัฒน์, RTGS: Sathani Klang Krung Thep Aphiwat, pronounced [sā.tʰǎː.nīː klāːŋ krūŋ tʰêːp ʔà(ʔ).pʰí(ʔ).wát]), also known by its former name Bang Sue Grand Station (Thai: สถานีกลางบางซื่อ, RTGS: Sathani Klang Bang Sue, pronounced [sā.tʰǎː.nīː klāːŋ bāːŋ sɯ̂ː]; lit. 'Bang Sue central station'), is the central passenger terminal in Bangkok and the current railway hub of Thailand. It replaced the existing Hua Lamphong railway station as the city's central railway station, with long-distance rail services operating from here from 19 January 2023.^[3][4] The station was opened on 2 August 2021 as part of the operation of the SRT Red Lines,^[2] and from May 2021 to September 2022 served as a COVID-19 vaccination center.^[5][6] It is linked to the Bang Sue MRT station via an underground walkway.

Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal กรุงเทพอภิวัฒน์
Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal in 2021
General information
Other names	Bang Sue Grand Station
Location	336 Thoet Damri Road, Chatuchak Bangkok Thailand
Coordinates	13°48′18″N 100°32′30″E
Owned by	State Railway of Thailand (SRT)
Operated by	State Railway of Thailand (ground) Mass Rapid Transit Authority (underground)
Managed by	Ministry of Transport
Platforms	26
Tracks	38
Connections	BMTA
Construction
Structure type	Surface building
Parking	Yes
Accessible	Yes
Other information
Status	Terminal station for all long distance trains except the Eastern[1]
Station code	KTW กภ. (Inter-city) RN01, RS01 (Dark Red Line) RW01, RE01 (Light Red Line) A9, HE02 (AERA1) BL11 (Blue Line)
Classification	Class 1
History
Opened	2 August 2021; 3 years ago (2021-08-02) (SRT Red Lines)[2] 19 January 2023; 20 months ago (2023-01-19) (SRT Inter-city)[1]
Electrified	25 kV 50 Hz AC overhead catenary
Services
Preceding station SRT Red Lines Following station Terminus Light Red Line Bang Son towards Taling Chan Dark Red Line Chatuchak towards Rangsit Preceding station State Railway of Thailand Following station Terminus Northern Line Don Mueang towards Chiang Mai Northeastern Line Don Mueang towards Ubon Ratchathani or Khamsavath (Laos) Southern Line Bang Bamru towards Su-ngai Kolok Preceding station Metropolitan Rapid Transit Following station Kamphaeng Phet towards Lak Song Blue Line transfer at Bang Sue Tao Poon towards Tha Phra Future development Preceding station State Railway of Thailand Following station Terminus Northeastern HSR Don Mueang towards Nakhon Ratchasima Proposed Preceding station Airport Rail Link Following station Don Mueang Terminus High-Speed Rail Linking Three Airports Makkasan towards U-Tapao
Location

It is the largest railway station in Southeast Asia, with 26 platforms—some 600 metres long.^[7] The station will offer 274,192 m² of usable floor space. The 15 billion baht station is built on 2,325 rai (372 ha; 919 acres) of SRT-owned land and will have maintenance depots for both diesel and electric trains.^[6]

Currently, long-distance intercity trains terminate at this station, while ordinary and commuter trains calling at all stations continue onwards to Hua Lamphong and still operate at the old Bang Sue Junction railway station.^[8][9][1]

Etymology

The name Krung Thep Aphiwat means "prosperity of Bangkok". The name was chosen by King Vajiralongkorn.^[10]

History

In 2010 under the government of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, the Ministry of Transport decided to move Bangkok's central railway station (Hua Lamphong station) to the area of Bang Sue Junction Railway Station, to be the center of the rail transport system.^[11] 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.^[12] In December 2020 it was announced that civil construction of the station was complete.^[13]

The station acted as a COVID-19 vaccination center from 24 May 2021 to 30 September 2022.^[14][15]

Trial operations of the SRT Red Lines, open to the public, began from the station on 2 August 2021.^[2][16][17]

A 33-million baht contract to install a new sign with the station's new ceremonial name was put on hold in January 2023 following public concern about the price.^[18]

Intercity services began operation from the station on 19 January 2023, with 52 long-distance trains which originally terminated at Bangkok (Hua Lamphong) moved to the station.^[19]

Layout

The station will have four floors, three above, and one below ground:^[20][21][22]

1. Underground floor: Bang Sue MRT station, on the MRT Blue Line, 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).^[23] 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 AERA1 City 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, Padang Besar, Thailand and Chiang Mai.

Also planned is a 186,030 m² (2,002,400 sq ft) memorial site to King Rama V, known as the "father of Thai railroads", although this is expected to open after the station itself.^[6]

Phahonyothin Freight Yard

Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal 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.^[24]

Bus Connections

The following BMTA and Private Jointed routes serve this station:

• 3 (Kamphaeng Phet Bus Depot - Mo Chit 2 - Khlong San)
• 3 (Kamphaeng Phet Bus Depot - BTS Mochit Station) (Loop)
• 16 (Kamphaeng Phet Bus Depot - Mo Chit 2 - Surawong)
• 49 (Kamphaeng Phet Bus Depot - Bangkok (Hua Lamphong) Railway Station) (Loop)
• 52 (Pak Kret - Vibhavadi Rangsit Rd. - Mo Chit 2) (Only go to Mo Chit 2)
• 67 (Kamphaeng Phet Bus Depot - Central Plaza Rama III)
• 77 (Central Plaza Rama III - Mo Chit 2) (Only go to Mo Chit 2)
• 96 (Min Buri - Mo Chit 2) (Drop off at railway station)
• 104 (Pak Kret - Phahonyothin Rd. - Mo Chit 2) (Only go to Mo Chit 2)
• 134 (Bua Thong Kheha - Mo Chit 2) (Drop off at railway station)
• 136 (Khlong Toei - Mo Chit 2) (Drop off at railway station)
• 138 (Phra Pradaeng Pier - Mo Chit 2) (Drop off at railway station)
• 138 (Ratchapracha - Mo Chit 2) (Drop off at railway station)
• 145 (Pak Nam (Praeksa Bordin) - Mo Chit 2) (Drop off at railway station)
• 145 (Mega Bangna - Mo Chit 2) (Drop off at railway station)
• 157 (Bang Khae - Phuttha Monthon 1 st rd. - Expressway - Victory Monument)
• 170 (Phuttha Monthon 2 nd rd. - Charan Sanit Wong rd. - Mo Chit 2)
• 509 (Borommaratchachonnani - Phuttha Monthon 2 nd rd. - Mo Chit 2) (Only go to Mo Chit 2)
• 517 (Kamphaeng Phet Bus Depot - Mo Chit 2 - KMITL)
• 536 (Pak Nam - Expressway - Mo Chit 2) (Only go to Mo Chit 2)

Gallery

• 
  Construction of the station in December 2019
• 
  View from Bang Sue Junction railway station in June 2020
• 
  Station facade in February 2021
• 
  Sign showing the name "Bang Sue Grand Station"
• 
  Sign showing the name "Bang Sue Grand Station"
• 
  New road near the entrance
• 
  Station concourse with Dark Red Line faregates.
• 
  SRT Dark Red Line train at the station
• 
  SRT Light Red Line train at the station
• 
  Intercity train at the station
• 
  Entrance to Bang Sue MRT Station

See also

• List of railway stations in Thailand
• Bang Sue Junction railway station
• Hua Lamphong railway station

References

1. "Trains to most parts of Thailand now leaving from Bang Sue Grand Station". TheStar. Nov 1, 2022.
2. "Free rides on Red Line during trial". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
3. Fredrickson, Terry. "Hua Lamphong to become museum as station moves to Bang Sue". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 2016-11-26.
4. "Long-distance trains switch from Bangkok's Hua Lamphong to Bang Sue in Jan". nationthailand. 2022-11-25. Retrieved 2022-12-19.
5. "Weekend city jab shutdown". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
6. "One of the World's Most Congested Cities Has Big Public Transport Plans".
7. Clark, James (3 November 2016). "These rail projects will transform travel in Southeast Asia". Asia Times. Retrieved 2016-11-26.
8. "นั่งรถไฟฟ้ามาชมเครื่องบิน ที่สถานีรถไฟดอนเมือง". Archived from the original on 2021-09-18.
9. "การรถไฟฯ กำหนดให้วันที่ 19 มกราคม 2566 ปรับเปลี่ยนขบวนรถไฟทางไกล เหนือ ใต้ อีสาน ของขบวนรถด่วนพิเศษ รถด่วน รถเร็ว จำนวน 52 ขบวน".
10. พระราชทานชื่อ รถไฟสีแดง-สถานีกลางบางซื่อ "นครวิถี-ธานีรัถยา" และ "สถานีกลางกรุงเทพอภิวัฒน์"
11. "ก.คมนาคมเล็งย้ายหัวลำโพงไปที่บางซื่อ" [A. Transportation aiming to move Hua Lamphong to Bang Sue]. Thai PBS News (in Thai). 24 February 2010. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
12. "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). 18 January 2013. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
13. "Construction of key transport hub Bang Sue Central Station completed". The Nation. 15 December 2020. Retrieved 2020-12-15.
14. "Central Vaccination Center closes; other vaccination sites remain operational". thainews.prd.go.th. Retrieved 2022-12-19.
15. "Bang Sue Grand Station opens as vaccination center". National News Bureau of Thailand. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
16. "ทยอยนำขบวนรถไฟเข้าสถานีกลางบางซื่อ ทดสอบวัดค่าเสียง-ควัน". Archived from the original on 2021-03-07.
17. "Full services begin along SRT Red Line". Bangkok Post. Thailand. 30 November 2021. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
18. "Bangkok's Bang Sue train station name plate change put on hold". www.thaipbsworld.com. Retrieved 2023-01-12.
19. "Bangkok's new train terminus to be formally opened on January 19th". www.thaipbsworld.com. Retrieved 2023-01-12.
20. Jotikasthira, Om (27 May 2018). "Bang Sue megastation project reaches halfway mark". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
21. "Bang Sue mega-station to operate by January 2021". Bangkok Post. 23 November 2018. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
22. "BANGSUE GRAND STATION ASEAN TRANSPORTATION HUB". realist.co.th (in Thai). Retrieved 2021-01-03.
23. "Forecast looks bleak". Bangkok Post. Bangkok. 9 September 2021. Retrieved 11 September 2021.
24. "High speed train Bangkok - Korat 500 baht/One hour 17 minutes - "no way will it fail"".

External links