Gold Line (Bangkok)

The Gold Line is an automated people mover line, part of Bangkok's rapid transit system. The line is 1.72 km long consisting of 3 stations and was opened by the Thai Prime Minister on 16 December 2020.[1] It primarily serves as a feeder line between the BTS Silom line and Iconsiam shopping center. The line will be extended 1 km along Somdet Chao Phraya road to connect with the future MRT Purple Line southern extension with a planned opening in 2023. When completed, it will connect Krung Thonburi BTS station with Prajadhipok Road in Thon Buri District for a total distance of 2.68 km.

Gold Line
สายสีทอง
Overview
StatusOperation
OwnerBangkok Metropolitan Administration
LocaleBangkok, Thailand
TerminiKrung Thon Buri
Khlong San
Stations3
Service
TypePeople mover
Operator(s)Krungthep Thanakom Company Limited
Bangkok Mass Transit System Public Company Limited
Rolling stockBombardier INNOVIA APM 300
History
Opened16 December 2020
Technical
Line length1.72 kilometers (1.07 mi) (est.)
Number of tracks2
CharacterElevated
ElectrificationThird rail
Operating speed80 km/h (50 mph)
Memorial Bridge
 MRT  (planned)
Prajadhipok
Khlong San
 SRT  (planned)
Charoen Nakhon (ICONSIAM)
Krung Thonburi
 BTS 

The Gold Line is operated by Bangkok Mass Transit System Public Company Limited (BTSC) under a 30 year contract. The BTSC also operates the BTS Skytrain. A flat fare of 15 baht is charged,[2] a one month free travel period was in effect until 15 January 2021.[3]

History

The line was not part of the current M-Map Master Plan as the line was proposed by the owners of Iconsiam mall in July 2015 to provide a feeder service to Iconsiam.[4][5] The project was approved by the Thai Cabinet in September 2016 with an initial planned opening of late 2018.[6] Preliminary works began in June 2018 with major construction commencing in September 2018.

Design and development of the line was the responsibility of Krungthep Thanakom PCL, an enterprise of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.[7] The project budget of 3.8 billion Thai baht was fully funded by the proponent of the project, shopping mall company Siam Piwat who has responsibility for all construction costs.[8] All advertising revenue and operating profits will be collected by Siam Piwat Company during the 30 year concession period.

At the end of August 2020, overall work for the Gold Line was 95% complete.[9] The line was due to open on 1 October 2020[10] and initial test runs began on 11 September.[11] However, further test runs revealed that additional tests would be required of the signaling and operational systems before full operations could start.[12] The President of the BTSC stated that a further two months of tests were required and that the line would not open until December 2020.[13] In early December, an opening date of 16 December 2020 was announced.[14]

Route

Gold Line route plan
The railway of the Gold Line at front of Wat Suwan Temple

The Gold Line starts adjacent to Krung Thonburi BTS station running 500m east to Charoen Nakhon road where it then runs north for 1.3 km past Iconsiam. It will initially terminate at Klong San station near Lat Ya road intersection and provide an interchange with the future SRT Dark Red Line southern extension. The line will then be further extended 1 km west along Somdet Chao Phraya road and terminate at Phrajahipok road to connect with the future MRT Purple Line southern extension. This extension is planned to open in 2023.

Services

Gold Line trains operate from 06:00 to 00:00 with a range of six to twelve-minute intervals.[15]

Rolling stock

The Gold Line uses Bombardier Innovia APM 300 automated people movers with rubber tyres manufactured in China's Anhui province. Innovia APMs are commonly used at airports to transport passengers between terminals. Each set has two carriages with 138 passenger capacity in each carriage, and can travel at a maximum of 80 km/h.[16] The first set was due to be delivered in April 2020, but was delayed due to a COVID-19 related lockdown in Anhui province.[17]

The first set later arrived in Thailand on 18 June 2020, the remaining 2 sets were delivered in August 2020.[10]

Stations

Code Station Name Interchange Station External Appearance Station Plan
English Thai
Krung Thonburi สถานีกรุงธนบุรี  BTS 
Charoen Nakhon สถานีเจริญนคร
Khlong San สถานีคลองสาน  SRT  (planned)
Prajadhipok (~2023[16]) สถานีประชาธิปก  MRT  (planned)

See also

References

  1. "GBTS Green Line extension, BMA Gold Line now officially open". The Nation. 16 December 2020.
  2. Limited, Bangkok Post Public Company. "B15 fare for Gold Line from Saturday". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 2021-01-17.
  3. "นายกฯกดปุ่มเดินรถไฟฟ้าสีเขียว-สีทองนั่งฟรีถึง". Thaipost. 16 December 2020.
  4. "New BTS Gold Line along Chao Phraya River expected in 2017". Coconuts Bangkok. 2015-10-29. Retrieved 2016-09-11.
  5. https://www.thairath.co.th/news/local/bangkok/1713566
  6. "Gold Line monorail gets cabinet green light". Bangkok Post. 7 September 2016. Retrieved 2016-09-11.
  7. "Cabinet approves Bt3.8bn Gold Line monorail". The Nation. 6 September 2016.
  8. Gluckman, Ron (April 2016). "The Queen of Siam: Chadatip Chutrakul Aims To Energize A District In Bangkok". Forbes Asia.
  9. "รถไฟฟ้าสายสีทอง" เลื่อนเปิดบริการ เป็นกลางเดือน ธ.ค. นี้". Thansettakij. 31 August 2020.
  10. "Gold line set for October opening". Bangkok Post. 18 June 2020.
  11. "Gold Line monorail set to roll out in October after successful test run". The Nation. 12 September 2020.
  12. "Gold Line monorail service postponed to year-end". The Nation. 17 September 2020.
  13. "รถไฟฟ้าสายสีทอง" เลื่อนเปิดบริการ เป็นกลางเดือน ธ.ค. นี้". Prachachat. 16 September 2020.
  14. "Gold Line to open Wednesday". Bangkok Post. 2020-12-12. Retrieved 2020-12-13.
  15. "BTS Timetable".
  16. "Gold Line set for October opening". Bangkok Post. 2020-06-18. Retrieved 2020-06-19.
  17. "Monorail ushers in hope". Bangkok Post. 7 June 2020.
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