Hua Hin dual-track rail project to go ahead

[buksida]

That sounds worse than being late, or as good as cancelling the train. All of those poor people turning up to catch the train between Penang and Hua Hin, but it had already gone.

Exactly. What did it do, wait at the platform for two hours until the scheduled departure time, or leave all the people that had booked it behind? In 25 years here I've never seen an early train and the only ones on time have been those leaving the central station in Bangkok in the morning.

When leaving Bangsaphan to travel north to Bangkok by train, which we've done often, we call the station before hand to see how late it will be, and it always is.

Edit: It still takes 7-8 hours to travel from BS to BKK by rail, dual track or no dual track.

[HHTel]

That sounds worse than being late, or as good as cancelling the train. All of those poor people turning up to catch the train between Penang and Hua Hin, but it had already gone.

To be fair, it was an overnight sleeper with no 'sitting' passengers so I guess all bookings were for the whole journey. Just guessing.
The only stop from memory was at the border were you got off the train, proceeded through immigration before getting back on the train.

[caller]

I planned to use the new line to travel to Bkk, but the last morning train seems to leave at 06.40, and then there isn't another until after 14.00. For the early trains, I just didn't fancy such an early start, calling a taxi to get me there, only having to wait for whatever delay for the train to arrive. Seemed easier to carry on using the aircon bus, or drive.

[Ratsima]

Seemed easier to carry on using the aircon bus, or drive.

Right. Departures are not frequent enough to make it convenient; especially when buses have frequent departures, cost less and are generally faster.

The aircon carriage on the Express Train (diesel rail car) from Korat to Bangkok takes 4+ hours, costs 323 baht and has one departure per day at about 10:00 AM.

Buses leave every half hour, take about 3.5 hours and cost 232 baht.

Clearly, we're not the market at which SRT is aiming.

[Big Boy]

I planned to use the new line to travel to Bkk, but the last morning train seems to leave at 06.40, and then there isn't another until after 14.00. For the early trains, I just didn't fancy such an early start, calling a taxi to get me there, only having to wait for whatever delay for the train to arrive. Seemed easier to carry on using the aircon bus, or drive.

That is exactly my point. I always understood because of the single track, Southbound trains had to be afternoon/evening, and Northbound night/early morning. That made a lot of sense. I had wrongly presumed the installation of a 2nd track would remove these restrictions, and provide a more balanced timetable in both direstions throughout the day. Unfortunately, I presumed wrongly.

The question should be asked, "What is the justification for such a massive spend, if the service remains the same?"

[Dannie Boy]

To provide a more frequent service they will need more rolling stock - is it available or do they intend providing more modern trains - if they do, then that might actually encourage people to swap?

[derek60]

Thanks all. Reliability and frequency mean I will not be using the train anytime soon. Pity!

[Dannie Boy]

To provide a more frequent service they will need more rolling stock - is it available or do they intend providing more modern trains - if they do, then that might actually encourage people to swap?

The other issue associated with this is that to improve the service especially if they upgrade the trains, the costs will presumably reflect in higher fares, so they’ll really have to make a step change to get travellers to switch from their current mode of travel - seems like a tall order!!


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[PeteC]

Indeed a tall order as realistically, but not on paper, the SRT has been bankrupt for years. They exist from Gov handouts, not from performance or profits.

[Big Boy]

To provide a more frequent service they will need more rolling stock - is it available or do they intend providing more modern trains - if they do, then that might actually encourage people to swap?

I keep reading that new (second hand actually) rolling stock us being procured from the Japanese.

They are even buying up some rolling stock and tarting it up to run special tourist excursions.

Royal_Blossom.jpg (109.99 KiB) Viewed 5867 times

[Dannie Boy]

Well if they do, it will be an improvement on the existing setup so


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[Big Boy]

I believe the Royal Blossom was in Hua Hin a couple of weeks ago, being inspected by the PM.

[Big Boy]

A few pics from inside of the Royal Blossom - not your standard Thai Railways fit:

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[Dannie Boy]

Although it looks good, the outside left me expecting something even grander!!

[Big Boy]

TIT