Rail link introduces smart cards

BANGKOK, 14 December 2010 – Suvarnabhumi Airport Rail Link introduced smart cards, 1 December, for passengers using both the SA Express and SA City lines.

An official told TTR Weekly other smart cards will be introduced in mid-January offering concession-fares to students and Thai citizens of 60 years and over.

In the meantime, travellers can purchase the standard smart cards that are valid for up to five years and can be topped up to a maximum of Bt3,000.

Read more

High speed rail project takes shape

BEIJING, 8 December 2010 – China and Laos will begin construction early next year of the first high-speed rail line between the two countries, a report said Wednesday, as part of a project to link China and Southeast Asia.

The bullet-train rail line will be completed in around 2014, Laotian Deputy Prime Minister, Somsavat Lengsavad, was quoted by the Wall Street Journal as saying.

Earlier in the week Thai government officials confirmed the project that involves the development of a fast train rail link from Nong Khai on the border with Laos to Bangkok and south to Butterworth in Malaysia would get underway next year. Read more

Singapore heritage under the hammer

SINGAPORE, 15 October 2010 – No more glittering shopping malls, chic restaurants and expensive condos, please!

The fate of a shabby but historic Malaysia-owned train station tucked away in an obscure corner of ultra-modern Singapore’s port and business district is stirring nostalgia for a bygone age.

The Tanjong Pagar station, built during British colonial rule over the two countries, is to be vacated by July 2011 under a recent deal to settle a longstanding land dispute between the two neighbours.

Read more

Mega rail project in Hanoi

HANOI, 29 September 2010 – Vietnam has started work on Hanoi’s first urban rail system in an effort to ease traffic congestion in the capital.

A ground breaking ceremony was held last Saturday for a 12.5 kilometre  line, which will cost around US$1 billion, according to a news report on the government’s website.

According to the Thanh Nien newspaper, Hanoi aims to build eight urban rail lines, five of which already have government approval.

Read more

Bangkok’s airport Link makes smooth debut

BANGKOK, 24 August 2010 — The long delayed Suvarnabhumi Airport Rail Link  finally opened, yesterday, for commercial services with fares discounted until end of this year.

The City Air Terminal at Makkasan station, which will offer downtown check-in for airlines, will not be operational until 2011.

The train services, both Express and City Lines, operate between 0600 and 2400. City Line trains stop at every station (six) from Phya Thai Station to the airport and run every 15 minutes, while the Express Line trains operate non-stop to Suvarnabhumi Station from Makkasan Station every 30 minutes.

Read more

Rail Europe’s first class promotion

Rail Europe has launched a promotional fare for first class travel that will be on sale locally until 27 August, but the travel is open until 31 August.

Read more

Rail Europe improves sales support

BANGKOK, 16 July 2010 – Rail Europe has appointed Jirapa Sukkham as its first full-time representative to look after the Thai market following her departure from Diethelm Travel, earlier this year.

Rail Europe is a joint venture between French and Swiss national railways (SNCF and SBB) promoting European rail travel in Asia, Australasia, Africa and South America.

Read more

E&O creates new rail trips

BANGKOK, 8 July 2010 – Luxury train operator, Orient-Express, has announced it will launch a series of three and six-night rail trips through Thailand, Malaysia and  Laos on Eastern & Oriental Express (E&O) trains, starting this November.

The rail journeys, tagged Chronicles of South-East Asia, supplement E&O’s existing year-round schedule of departures between Bangkok and Singapore. Train’s capacity for the three new trips is limited to just 60 guests (down from 132 passengers) in order to offer more spacious cabin alotments.

Read more