MRT Purple Line

MRT Purple Line รถไฟฟ้ามหานคร สายสีม่วง
Overview
Type	Rapid transit
System	MRT
Status	Construction finished, in limited trial run
Locale	Bangkok and Nonthaburi Province, Thailand
Termini	Tao Poon (Bang Sue District) Khlong Bang Phai (Bang Bua Thong District)
Stations	16
Services	1
Operation
Opened	12 August 2016
Owner	Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA)
Operator(s)	Bangkok Expressway and Metro Public Company Limited (BEM)
Technical
Line length	23 kilometers (14 mi) (est.)
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification	Third rail
Operating speed	80 km/h (50 mph)
Route map Legend x20px Khlong Bang Phai To Main Depot Talat Bang Yai Sam Yaek Bang Yai Bang Phlu Bang Rak Yai Bang Rak Noi - Tha It Sai Ma Chao Phraya River Phra Nangklao Bridge Yaek Nonthaburi 1 Bang Kraso Pink Line: Min Buri Nonthaburi Civic Center Ministry of Public Health Yaek Tiwanon Wong Sawang x20px Light Red Line: Taling Chan – Bang Sue Bang Son x20px Tao Poon Blue Line: Tha Phra – Bang Sue South Extension Kiakkai(New parliament) Si Yan Sam Sen National Library Bang Khun Phrom Democracy Monument Orange Line: Taling Chan – Min Buri Wang Burapha Blue Line: Bang Khae – Hua Lamphong Chao Phraya River Prajadhipok Dark Red Line: Maha Chai – Hua Lamphong Wongwian Yai x20px Silom Line: Bang Wa – Siam Samre Mahaisawan Chom Thong Dao Khanong Bang Pakok Phacha Uthit Rat Burana

The MRT Purple Line (Thai: รถไฟฟ้ามหานคร สายสีม่วง) is a rapid transit line of the Bangkok MRT under construction for the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) in the Bangkok Metropolitan Region and Nonthaburi Province, Thailand. When it opens, it will be second line to be operated by MRT and the city's fifth rapid transit line. Following Sukhumvit Line, Silom Line, MRT Blue Line and Airport Rail Link. It is expected that the line will begin it's operation on August 12, 2016.

Description

The Purple Line is aimed to serve travel demand between the northwestern suburb of Bangkok in Nonthaburi Province and southern area of Thonburi in Rat Burana District. It also runs through downtown along Samsen Road, passing Rattanakosin old quarter and many historical places in Dusit and Phra Nakhon District like the national library, Thewet market, Bang Lamphu, the Democracy Monument, the Golden Mount, Phahurat, the Memorial Bridge and Wongwian Yai roundabout, and also intends to serve the new Thai parliament construction site at Kiak Kai intersection.

This Line is divided into two sections, Tao Pun - Khlong Bang Phai 23 km, which is under construction, and Tao Pun - Rat Burana, 19.8 km. The section from Tao Pun - Khlong Bang Phai was originally scheduled to be open in late 2014, but is now due to open on 5 Dec 2016.

This will be the first Bangkok metro line into an adjacent province (Nonthaburi). The section links Tao Pun Station in Bang Sue, Bangkok, to Khlong Bang Phai Station in Bang Bua Thong, Nonthaburi Province. The MRT Blue Line extension between the existing Bang Sue terminus and Tao Pun is constructed as part of contract 1 to provide an interchange between both lines. The Purple Line will be operated Tao Pun - Khlong Bang Phai, comprising 16 stations along an elevated route. The first stage of construction commenced in early 2010.

The line is indicated by the colour purple on network maps.

Alignment

The Tao Pun - Khlong Bang Phai section starts from the Tao Pun elevated station at Tao Pun junction, where it transfers to the MRT Blue Line extension. It runs north on a viaduct along Krung Thep-Nonthaburi Road, providing transfer to the Red commuter railway at Bang Son railway station, and approaches Mueang Nonthaburi District of Nonthaburi Province. The line goes further north via Tiwanon Road, passes the Ministry of Public Health, then turns at the Khae Rai intersection to west Nonthaburi via Rattanathibet Road, passes the Nonthaburi Government Centre, crosses the Chao Phraya River on a viaduct parallel to the Phra Nangklao Bridge. Then it continues to a large residential area in Bang Yai District and turns to the north along the Kanchanaphisek Highway, passes Bang Yai market and terminates at Khlong Bang Phai in Bang Bua Thong District. The total length is 23 kilometres (14 mi).

Construction contracts

Construction is divided into three separate contracts. The first covers Bang Sue - Tao Pun - Phra Nangklao Bridge, with a length of 12 km, comprising nine stations. This contract also includes construction of a 1.2 km extension of the MRT Blue Line from Bang Sue to Tao Pun where the Blue Line and the Purple Line will interchange.

The second contract covers the Phra Nangklao Bridge (including a new bridge) - Bang Yai District - Khlong Bang Phai terminus, with a length of 11 km. and comprising seven stations. The third contract is for the construction of a train depot at the Bang Yai terminus and four park and ride buildings at Khlong Bang Phai, Bang Yai Intersection, Tha It, and the Nonthaburi Intersection station.

Contract	Notes	Kilometre
1	Bang Sue-Tao Pun to Phra Nangklao Bridge	12
2	Phra Nangklao Bridge to Khlong Bang Phai terminus (river crossing viaduct included)	11
3	Depot at Khlong Bang Phai, four park and ride stations
4	Rolling Stock & Management - BMCL (Joint Development)
5	Signalling & Electrical - Bang Yai to Taopoon
6	Trackwork

In September 2013, BEM (operator of the MRT Blue Line ) signed an 82.6-billion-baht contract with the MRTA for the procurement of rolling stock, installation of E&S systems, operation and maintenance of the Purple Line. The concession is for a 30-year period.

The 6th contract, which was due to be awarded in mid-2011 for the laying of track was delayed for over one year due to internal disputes within the MRTA and uncertainty about the bidding process. However, this contract was finalised in October 2012.

In October 2012, BEM, private operator of the MRT Blue line, was granted a 30-year concession to operate the Purple line and supply rolling stock & electrical systems.

As of July 2014, civil works construction was 94% complete which is 3% behind schedule. As of October 2014, civil works were stated to be 99% complete.

Rolling stock

In November 2013, BEM contracted Marubeni Corp, Toshiba Corp, and East Japan Railway Company to install E&S systems, supply 63 cars of rolling stock and provide maintenance for 10 years as part of a contract worth 12.6 billion baht.

East Japan Railway train manufacturing subsidiary J-TREC will build the 21 trains (3 car sets) in Yokohama with delivery due in early 2016.

Stations

In the table below, an italicized name indicates that the station is under construction and not yet in operation.

600px
Name			Code	Distance Between Stations (km)	Platforms	Transfers	Location
	Khlong Bang Phai	คลองบางไผ่	P1	-	2		Bang Bua Thong	Nonthaburi
	Talat Bang Yai	ตลาดบางใหญ่	P2	1.27	2
	Sam Yaek Bang Yai	สามแยกบางใหญ่	P3	1.56	2
	Bang Phlu	บางพลู	P4	1.57	2
	Bang Rak Yai	บางรักใหญ่	P5	1.20	2
	Bang Rak Noi - Tha It	บางรักน้อย-ท่าอิฐ	P6	1.25	2		Mueang Nonthaburi
	Sai Ma	ไทรม้า	P7	1.25	2
	Phra Nangklao Bridge	สะพานพระนั่งเกล้า	P8	1.47	2
	Yaek Nonthaburi 1	แยกนนทบุรี 1	P9	1.63	2
	Bang Kraso	บางกระสอ	P10	1.26	2
	Nonthaburi Civic Center	ศูนย์ราชการนนทบุรี	P11	0.90	2	MRT Pink Line (projected) MRT Brown Line (projected)
	Ministry of Public Health	กระทรวงสาธารณสุข	P12	1.79	2
	Yaek Tiwanon	แยกติวานนท์	P13	1.20	2
	Wong Sawang	วงศ์สว่าง	P14	1.72	2		Bang Sue	Bangkok
	Bang Son	บางซ่อน	P15	1.29	2	SRT Light Red Line (under construction)
	Tao Poon	เตาปูน	P16	1.58	4	MRT Blue Line (under construction)

Future extension

Phase 2, south:

The proposed extension from Tao Pun - Rat Burana will run southward through Bangkok's old quarter from Tao Pun junction on a viaduct. It then goes into an underground structure along Sam Sen Road, passing the new Thai parliament site, and transfers to the proposed Red inner-city shortcut commuter at Sanghi intersection. It passes the national library in Dusit District before it reaches Phra Nakhon District at Thewet Market. The line turns east at Bang Lamphu and goes along the city moat to the south, with transfers possible to the planned MRT Orange Line at Ratchadamnoen Road near the Democracy Monument. It also passes the Golden Mount before possible transfers to the southern extension of the Blue Line at Wang Burapha near Yaowarat Road in Chinatown and the Phahurat textile market.

The line crosses the Chao Phraya River near the Memorial Bridge towards the Wongwian Yai roundabout in Thonburi on the west bank, with possible transfers to the Dark Red Line commuter and to Wongwian Yai BTS Station. It continues south to Chom Thong, then on an elevated structure for 5.5 kilometres (3.4 mi) and terminates in Rat Burana District, a short distance to the nearby Phra Pradaeng suburban town in Samut Prakan Province. The total length will be about 19.8 km, and comprising eleven underground and five elevated stations.

North:

A 4.5 km extension from Bang Yai to Bang Bua Thong Intersection, which is not part of the original Purple Line plan, is under consideration due to a request from the Nonthaburi Governor.

See also

• BTS Skytrain
• Sukhumvit Line
• Silom Line
• Airport Rail Link (Bangkok)
• Bangkok Metro
• MRT Blue Line
• MRT Brown Line
• MRT Grey Line
• MRT Light Blue Line
• MRT Orange Line
• MRT Pink Line
• MRT Yellow Line
• SRT Red Lines
• Bangkok BRT

External links

• "MRTA Purple Line website", "Coconuts BKK" 'Be the first to ride the MRT purple line this Father's Day, May 21, 2015.
• "MRTA Purple Line South Extension website"
• "2Bangkok Purple Line construction thread" Semi-regular updates, articles, pictures and commentary (In English)
• "Bangkok urban rail progress", Railway Gazette, January 22, 2009.
• Airport Rail Link, BTS, MRT & BRT network map