New commuter electric trains “SRT Red Line” launch from Bangkok – Fleets from Japan

The test operation of the new commuter electric trains “SRT Red Lines” owned by the State Railway of Thailand started on August 2, 2021 (Monday).

The conventional SRT lines to the suburbs of Bangkok are transported by aging coaches and dieselcars, the number of trains operated is poor, and delays occur on a daily basis. In addition, because it crosses the main road in the city center at an at-grade intersection, it is also a cause of chronic traffic congestion. In order to solve such old-fashioned transportation services and evolve them into modern commuting routes, two electrified lines, “Dark Red Line (สายสีแดงเข้ม)” and “Light Red Line (สายสีแดงอ่อน)” were constructed in line with the “Urban Railway Master Plan” (see the figure below for the transit map). “SRT Electrified Train” will be in charge of operation, which is one of SRT affiliated company.

The terminal for both lines is the newly constructed “Bang Sue Grand Station (กลางบางซื่อ)” on the east side of Bang Sue Junction Station. To reach the Bangkok downtown, change to the MRT Blue Line.

The Dark Red Line is a 26km line constructed almost entirely along the SRT Northern Line, and is responsible for commuting in the northern suburbs of Bangkok. There are 10 stations, running all lines in about 25 minutes. It was built using a ODA loan provided by the Japanese government to the Thai government.

The “Don Muang Station (ดอนเมือง)” on the way is far from Don Muang Station on the Northern Line. There is a skywalk (pedestrian bridge) connecting to the domestic terminal 2 of Don Mueang Airport, but please note that there is a distance to international terminal 1. In the future, the long-distance train tracks will be relocated, and it will be possible to change trains by moving up and down within the same station as the Dark Red Line. The final stop, Rangsit Station (รังสิต) is located in the central city of Pathum Thani Province. It is designed to be integrated with the platform of the Northern Line, which extends toward Ayutthaya, and can be transferred to and from the Dark Red Line.

On the other hand, the Light Red Line is a commuting route to the west suburbs that runs along the SRT Southern Main Line, connecting 15km in about 15 minutes. This was built with the Thai government’s own funds.

It is connected to the MRT purple line at “Barn Thorn Station (บางซ่อน)” on the way. The final stop, Taling Chan Station (ตลิ่งชัน), is a junction on the Southern Line towards Nong Pla Duk and Thon Buri. At the time of opening, there are 4 stations in total, but the plan is to set up 2 more stations along the way.

You can check the detailed route map on your smartphone by our app “World Transit Maps”.

For the time being, the first train will depart at 6:00 and the last train will depart at 19:30. The driving frequency is every 15 minutes during the morning and evening rush hours (7:00 to 9:00 and 17:00 to 19:30), and every 30 minutes at other times. The test run will run until October 31 (Sunday), during which riding is free. From November, the fare will be set at 12-42 baht depending on the distance traveled.

All fleets are 2000 series trains manufactured for the Red Line at Hitachi’s Kasado Plant in Japan, and are operated in 4-car or 6-car trains. This is the second time that a Japanese-made electric train vehicle has been introduced in Thailand, following the MRT Purple Line, which opened in 2016.