Commissioning the Airport Express for Bangkok

Erlangen, Germany – The first four-car regional train destined for the Airport Rail Link in Bangkok, Thailand rolled off the production line at Siemens TS as planned in Krefeld-Uerdingen in mid March, 2007, and headed for the PCW test center. There, the train will be dynamically tested. The first train will arrive on schedule in Bangkok at the beginning of October, 2007.

At this time, Siemens is a partner in a consortium that, as part of a turnkey project, is building the 25.7km-long express link between Bangkok city center and the new Suvarnabhumi airport. The EMUs (Electrical Multiple Unit) traveling at speeds of 160 km/h and at approximately 15-minute intervals will connect the inner city with the airport on a 94-percent elevated line. Another three-kilometer section runs on in the direction of the city center to the Phaya Thai station. A City Line with eight stops that uses the same tracks as the express will connect Phaya Thai to the airport. The journey time will be approximately 28 minutes. Passengers can change from the City Line to the Airport Express at the City Air Terminal/Makkasan station. The station will also house an airport check-in desk.

The train that has only very recently left the shopfloor is part of the four four-piece compositions that Siemens is supplying for the express section of the Airport Rail Link. Siemens is also manufacturing five three-piece rail cars for the City Line. Both variants are based on the Siemens Desiro UK platform and are supplied, per overhead contact line, with 25 kV AC/50 Hz voltage. Three of the four cars in the four-piece express compositions have seats only (there are 164 seats in total), and have one baggage car. The three-piece City Line compositions have 150 row seats and standing room for 595 passengers.

The first train will be transported by ship from Germany to Bangkok at the beginning of August 2007. The last train will arrive in Thailand in December 2007. The first test runs on the line are scheduled for the end of March 2008.

Siemens is the consortium manager for the Airport Rail Link, operated by the State Railway of Thailand, and besides multiple units etc., is responsible for project management, control and safety technology, telecommunications, automated fare collection, railway electrical and mechanical systems (platform doors and tunnel equipment), power supply systems, track construction, depot and workshop equipment, baggage management and check-in systems.

You can see a photo at: http://www.siemens.com/ts-pictures/Bangkok