Sky Train Network Expanded to Relieve Bangkok Traffic

Sukhumbhand Paripatra, Governor of Bangkok said, “We have added 12 new BTS trains. Each train comes with 4 carriages so there are 48 carriages all together. The new trains were assembled in China by one of China’s leading manufacturing companies; Changshun Railway Vehicles. The 12 new trains cost  2,300 million baht. Currently we have 35 trains which are packed during peak hours. Now that we have 47 trains, traffic problems during prime hours will be reduced.”

One of the distinct features about the new BTS trains is that each train can hold up to 1,490 people. The current BTS trains can hold only 1,106 people because the trains only have three carriages.

“We are going to conduct test runs with the new trains for 4-6 months before we put them to full use. These trains will be added to the Silom line as it is one of the busiest. On average there are nearly 500,000 people who use the BTS each day. On peak days this can rise to 570,000 people,” added ‘Mom Rajawongse’ Sukhumbhand.

‘Mom Rajawongse’ Sukhumbhand continued, “With new condominiums and apartments being built near the BTS, many people chose to live closer to the city and use BTS to get to around.”