Bangkok’s Purple line train to open public trial in May

Construction News

The Bang Yai – Tao Poon Purple Rail Line is set for public trial in May, servicing free rides prior to the official opening date in August with an expected daily service capacity of 120,000 passengers, according to the government spokesman.

Government spokesman Maj Gen Sansern Kaewkamnerd has revealed that the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) is scheduled to conduct a service trail of the Purple Line train on the Bang Yai – Tao Poon section by May. The Purple Line is expected to be ready for full operations in August.

The 90-day trial run will allow operators to get accustomed to the system, involving normal train operations and emergency situations, as well as full performance of the system. The general public will be allowed to take the train for free during parts of the test run, the government spokesman has said.

The Purple Line train is composed of 16 stations along the 23-kilometer track, connecting Nonthaburi Province to the existing transportation system. It is expected that the Purple Line will be able to accommodate up to 120,000 passengers each day during its first year of operations. The fare along the route is expected to be in the range of 14 baht to 42 baht.