State Railway of Thailand

[ v; t; e; ] Burma Railway
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[ v; t; e; ] State Railway of Thailand
	Legend

State Railway of Thailand (SRT)
การรถไฟแห่งประเทศไทย (รฟท.)
	72px
Locale	Thailand
Dates of operation	1890–present
Track gauge	1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) (Metre gauge)
Length	4,070 km
Headquarters	Bangkok

The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) (Thai: การรถไฟแห่งประเทศไทย) is the state-owned rail operator in Thailand. The network serves around 50 million passengers per year.

History

The SRT was founded as the Royal State Railways of Siam (RSR) in 1890. Construction of the Bangkok-Ayutthaya railway (71 km or 44 mi), the first part of the Northern Line, was started in 1891 and completed on May 23, 1892. The Thonburi-Phetchaburi line (150 km or 93 mi), later the Southern Line, was opened on June 19, 1903.

The Northern Line was originally built as 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in) standard gauge, but in September 1919 it was decided to standardize on 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 ³⁄₈ in) meter gauge and the Northern Line was regauged during the next ten years. On July 1, 1951, RSR changed its name to the present State Railway of Thailand.

In 2014 SRT had 4,043 km (2,512 mi) of track, all of it meter gauge Nearly all is single-track (3,685 km), although some important sections around Bangkok are double (251 km) or triple-tracked (107 km) and there are plans to extend this.^[1]

Issues

The SRT has long been popularly perceived by the public as inefficient and resistant to change. Trains are usually late, and most of its equipment is old and poorly maintained. The worst financially performing state enterprise, the SRT consistently operates at a loss despite being endowed with large amounts of property and receiving large government budgets; it reported a preliminary loss of 7.58 billion baht in 2010.^[2] Recurring government attempts at restructuring and/or privatization throughout the 2000s have always been strongly opposed by the union and have not made any progress.^[3]^[4]

Network

The SRT operates all of Thailand's national rail lines. Bangkok's Hua Lamphong, or Krungthep Station, is the main terminus of all routes. Phahonyothin and ICD Ladkrabang are the main freight terminals.

Northern Line

The Northern Line begins alongside the Northeastern Line up until Ban Phachi Junction. Here, it splits from the Northeastern Line and proceeds through Lopburi, Nakhon Sawan, Phichit, Phitsanulok, Denchai, Lampang, Lamphun, before finally reaching Chiang Mai 751 kilometers from Bangkok. There is also a branch off the mainline from Ban Dara Junction to Sawankhalok in Sukhothai Province.

Bang Sue Junction - The largest freight yard in Thailand and hence the Phahonyothin main freight terminal. There is also a locomotive depot.
Ayutthaya Station - Northern Bangkok suburban station. High passenger revenue, second only to Bangkok Station.
Ban Phachi Junction - A major junction, where the Northern and Northeastern lines separate.
Lopburi Station - The end of northern Bangkok suburban service; a military town with lots of history.
Nakhon Sawan Station - Nakhon Sawan Main Station, Nong Pling Station until 1956.
Phichit Station- Phichit Main Station
Phitsanulok Station - Phitsanulok Main station, town with the famous Phra Phuttha Chinnarat
Ban Dara Junction - Junction for Sawankhalok Line
Sawankhalok Station- Terminus of Sawankhalok Branch. Station for Sukhothai Province and travel to Sukhothai and Si Satchanalai Historical Parks.
Uttaradit Station - Main station, Uttaradit Province.
Sila At Station - Depot on the Northern Line. Refueling station and up trains will be cut at this station
Den Chai Station - the dropping point for Phrae with a proposal for a junction for Den Chai – Chiang Rai route
Nakhon Lampang Station - Depot on the Northern Line. Train will be cut further if going north to Chiang Mai.
Khun Tan Station- Station in the mountains, base point and entrance for Doi Khuntan National Park. Railway bungalows also here
Lamphun Station - Main station for Lamphun Province
Chiang Mai Station - Northern terminus.

Northeastern Line

The Northeastern Line begins on the same route as the Northern Line, splitting at Ban Phachi Junction towards Nakhon Ratchasima. Then at Thanon Chira Junction, the line splits with one route passing Khon Kaen and Udon Thani before terminating at Nong Khai 624 kilometers from Bangkok. The other route passes through Buriram, Surin, Si Sa Ket to reach Ubon Ratchathani, 575 kilometers from Bangkok.

There is also another branch route originating from Kaeng Khoi Junction in Saraburi Province passing through Chai Badan District in Lopburi Province and Chatturat District in Chaiyaphum Province, before joining the mainline heading towards Nong Khai at Bua Yai Junction in Nakhon Ratchasima Province.

Saraburi Station - Main Saraburi station, named Pak Priaw station until 1934.
Kaeng Khoi Junction - The Bua Yai Line and Khlong Sip Kao line diverge from the mainline here. Main Depot with refueling facility. The point for dividing freight trains into two trains to pass difficult section of Dong Phraya Yen (Kaeng Khoi - Pak Chong) or combining divided freight trains back into one train
Pak Chong Station - The gateway to Nakhon Ratchasima and the point for dividing freight trains into two to pass difficult section of Dong Phraya Yen (Kaeng Khoi - Pak Chong) or combining divided freight trains back into one train
Nakhon Ratchasima Station - Main depot of the Northeastern Line with refueling facility and a branch line to 2nd Army Support Command. Main Nakhon Ratchasima station.
Thanon Chira Junction - Junction for Nong Khai line close to Fort Suranaree (2nd Army Region HQ)
Buriram Station - Buriram provincial station with a branch line to a quarry at Khao Kradong
Surin Station - Main Surin station
Si Sa Ket Station - Main Si Sa Ket station.
Ubon Ratchathani Station in town of Warin Chamrap - Terminus of South Isaan Line (also known as Ubon Line) with Depot and refueling facility. Named Varindr station until 1942-1943. Main Ubon Ratchathani Station.
Lam Narai Station- Station on the Lam Narai/Bua Yai Branch, for Chai Badan Municipality.
Chatturat Station- Station on the Lam Narai/Bua Yai Branch, alight for Chaiyaphum.
Bua Yai Junction - junction with refueling facility
Khon Kaen Station - Khon Kaen main station
Udon Thani Station - Udon Thani main station with refueling facility.
Nong Khai Station in town of Nong Khai - Terminus of North Isaan Line (also known as Nong Khai Line), provides a connection to Thanaleng Station in Vientiane, Laos. Main Nong Khai station.

Southern Line

The Southern Line begins in Bangkok and heads west towards Nakhon Pathom before splitting into 3 different routes. One route heads west towards Kanchanaburi Province (km 210) while another heads north towards Suphan Buri (km 157). The Southern Line itself continues southbound through Ratchaburi, Phetchaburi, Hua Hin, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, Chumphon, to Surat Thani 678 kilometers away. From Surat Thani, there is a westerly branch towards Khiri Rat Nikhom while the main line continues south to Thung Song Junction in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province where another branch reaches Kantang in Trang Province. Not far further another branch separates off the mainline at Khao Chum Thong Junction. The main line from Nakhon Sri Thammarat continues through Phatthalung before reaching Hat Yai Junction in Songkhla Province. From here, a line branches to connect with the Malaysian railway at Padang Besar and the mainline continues to Sungai Kolok passing through Yala Province in the process.

Bang Sue Junction - Main junction and freight terminal with main Diesel Locomotive Depot and Refueling facility
Bang Bamru Station- Suburban Station, all trains must stop here. First station after crossing the Rama 6 Bridge from Bang Sue.
Taling Chan Junction- Junction for Southern Main Line(Bang Sue-Taling Chan Link) and Thonburi Branch.
Thon Buri Station - Former terminus of Southern Line, however some southern trains remain to start the journey here.
Salaya Station- Suburban Station, for Phutthamonthon District and Mahidol University (Salaya Campus)
Nakhon Pathom Station - Main southern suburban station. Main Nakhon Pathom station.
Nong Pladuk Junction - Junction for Namtok Branch Line and Suphan Buri Branch Line.
Ban Pong Station - Interchange to Kanchanaburi for those who did not travel along Nam Tok branch line
Ratchaburi Station - Terminal for southern suburban service, also Ratchaburi main station.
Phetchaburi Station - Phetchaburi main station.
Hua Hin Station - Provincial Station for Hua Hin in Prachuap Khiri Khan with beautiful architecture, crew changing station.
Wang Phong Station- One of the stations in Pran Buri. Also for the nearby Thanarat Military Camp. More trains stop here for Pran Buri than Pran Buri Station itself.
Pran Buri Station- Smaller station for Pran Buri, with a famous Saturday Night Market opposite the station.
Prachuap Khiri Khan Station - Prachuap Khiri Khan main station.
Bang Saphan Yai Station - Regional Town Station, however all trains going further south must stop here.
Chumphon Station - Main Chumphon station, locomotive depot with refueling facility
Lang Suan Station- Provincial Station in Chumphon. Furthest extent of southern services from Thonburi.
Ban Thung Pho Junction - Southern Container Yard, for Khiri Rat Nikhom Branch.
Khiri Rat Nikhom Station - Terminus for the Khiri Rat Nikhom Branch and the railway plan to Phang-Nga and Tanun (Phuket).
Surat Thani Station - Crew changing station and Surat Thani main station.
Thung Song Junction - Locomotive Depot, refueling facility and junction for Kantang Branch.
Trang Station - Trang main station.
Kantang Station - Terminus of Kantang Branch.
Khao Chum Thong Junction - Junction for Nakhon Si Thammarat Branch.
Nakhon Si Thammarat Station - Terminus of Nakhon Si Thammarat Branch. Nakhon Si Thammarat main station.
Phatthalung Station - Phatthalung main station, crew changing station
Hat Yai Junction - Main junction for Malaysia and Singapore and Main Line of Southern Line, Locomotive Depot and refueling facility. Main Songkhla Station.
Padang Besar Station - International KTM station in Malaysia. Trains continue to Butterworth (Penang) and further.
Pattani Station - formerly Khok Pho station, Pattani main station.
Yala Station - Main Yala station, crew changing station
Tanyong Mat Station - for Ra Ngae district and Narathiwat.
Su-ngai Kolok Station - Terminus of Southern Line. Used to be an international station until the termination of cross border services.

Namtok Branch

Thon Buri Station - Terminus of Western Line
Taling Chan Junction - Junction for Bangsue - Taling Chan link (also known as Rama 6 Line), the connection between south and north SRT systems opened with the building of the only rail bridge across the Chao Phraya River in 1925.
Salaya Station - Bangkok suburban station close to Mahidol University (Salaya Campus)
Nakhon Pathom Station - Nakhon Pathom main station.
Nong Pladuk Junction - Junction for Suphan Buri and Kanchanaburi.
Suphanburi Station - A 2-car DMU operates to Bangkok in the early morning and from Bangkok in the evening.
Kanchanaburi Station - Main Kanchanaburi station
Nam Tok Station - Terminus of Western Line.

On local trains, several cars may be reserved for school children, much like a school bus elsewhere. Children board a Pattaya-Bangkok train at an improvised between-stations stop

Eastern Line

The Eastern Line begins at Bangkok before heading through Chacheongsao, Prachinburi to terminate at Aranyaprathet in Sa Kaew Province, 255 kilometers from Bangkok. There is an unused rail link to Cambodia from Aranyaprathet, currently being rebuilt. A branch line also connects Khlong Sip Kao Junction to the Northeastern Line at Kaeng Khoi Junction. At Chachoengsao Junction, there is another branch to Sattahip. Along the route to Sattahip, at Si Racha Junction, there is yet another branch towards Laem Chabang Deep Sea Port and further at Khao Chi Chan Junction for Map Taphut Port, in Rayong.

Makkasan Station - the main depot of SRT (Makkasan Works)
Hua Mak Station - Bangkok suburban station
Hua Takhe Station - Junction for ICD.
Chachoengsao Junction - Junction for Laem Chabang (double track opened January 2012^[5]) and Aranyaprathet Line. Main Chachoengsao station.
Khlong Sip Kao Junction- Junction for the Aranyaprathet Line and the Cargo Link to Kaeng Khoi Junction.
Prachin Buri Station- Main Prachin Buri Province Rail Station.
Kabin Buri Station- Half of long-distance Aranyaprathet Line services terminate here. In Prachin Buri Province.
Sa Kaeo Station - Main Sa Kaeo station
Aranyaprathet Station - Terminus of Aranyaprathet Main Line.
Chon Buri Station- Main Chon Buri station
Si Racha Junction - Junction for Laem Chabang Deep Sea Port.
Pattaya Station - Railway station for Pattaya City.
Khao Chi Chan Junction- Junction for Sattahip Commercial Port and Map Taphut Freight Line
Ban Phlu Ta Luang Station -Terminus for current, operational, ordinary train from Bangkok.
Map Taphut Station - Terminus of East Coast Line - freight trains only.

Maeklong Line

Maeklong Railway

Pak Khlong San

Bang Krabun

The Maeklong Railway, also operated by the SRT, is independent of the national rail network and is split into two sections. The line begins at Wongwian Yai in Bangkok before terminating at Mahachai where a ferry is used by passengers to cross the Tha Chin River. The line starts again across the river at Ban Laem and continues towards Mae Klong.^[6]

Services