VIDEO: AirRail Links in Southeast Asia
Monday, 28 Nov 2011 08:06
The next airport express’ meeting is scheduled to take place in Stockholm during the international conference The Future of AirRail – Innovations on 24-25 May 2012 and 2nd Global Air-Rail Awards Ceremony.
Taking this opportunity your airrail NEWS Editor visited three of Southeast Asia air-rail links – a newly opened Bangkok airport rail link, a well established dedicated KLIA Ekspres in Kuala Lumpur and commuter metro rail service in Singapore.
London-Bangkok
Milda Manomaityte, Editor of airrail NEWS
My journey started with Heathrow airport where I was on the lookout how the three different airport rail links in three Southeast Asia countries are branding their service, meeting their customers and offering information for the first time visitors.
There was no information about the Bangkok airport rail link in London Heathrow departure hall, but strangely enough, when I was leaving Bangkok, I noticed a video about the airport and the three airport rail links at the Suvarnabhumi Airport departure hall (in Thai language). It seems an odd decision to advertise access to the airport to the passengers who are already at the airport and are about to depart to another country...
I was flying with Thai Airways and had a look at their in-flight magazine, where I did not find any information or suggestions about my onward journey options from the airport. This is a great opportunity to offer some information to the passengers who have time to kill and might have not yet planned how they will be travelling from the airport to their destinations.
The first signs of the airport rail link started to show in the Suvarnabhumi airport luggage reclaim hall, with banners and info posters being displayed around the hall.
Bangkok has three airport rail links, operated by SRT Electrified Train: Airport City Line (stopping), Airport Express (non-stop) and a new Praya Thai Express line (non-stop). Local travellers might know the difference between the two express lines, but for the foreign passenger that might be difficult to grasp. With a laconic mention that Makkasan station has a connection with MRT and Praya Thai, being bit further down the line has a connection to BTS Skytrain, there is not much more information to go on. There is no full system map showing how all three lines integrate with the wider city’s rail network and having arranged a pick up from Makkasan station, I headed down the “Airport Express Line”.
To find the train station at the airport was quite easy with signs and directions very clearly indicated. The first problems started with the tickets. From a distance I noticed the ticket gates and a ticket office in the middle with some ticket machines around it. Being a savvy traveller I headed straight to the ticket machines without much consideration. They were quite easy to use, so I chose my language, destination and paid. Only then I realised that I had bought the “commuter” train ticket and after another attempt noticed that the ticket machines are only for the commuter service and the ticket machines for the “express” service are not in use. So I had to go to the ticket counter only to be informed that “this side of the ticket counter is for the commuter service and I have to go to the other side of the counter”. I found this unnecessary, both ticket sales agents sit in the same room and probably use the same computers, surely they could issue both tickets?
Having obtained my Airport Express ticket from the “correct” counter I headed to the trains. At the platform there were displays with the countdown information on the arrival of the train. The trains are customised for airport passenger with dedicated space for luggage and step free access from the platform. The journey from the airport to the Makkasan station takes some 15 minutes.
Makkasan station is officially the City Airport Terminal with the in-town check-in for Thai Airways International passengers, but it has earned a reputation of being “in the middle of nowhere” and what I found was not far from truth. The station itself is brand new but was completely deserted. Apart from the passengers that arrived on the same train as me, there were no people at the station. Makkasan station is connected with the Bangkok Metro Blue Line but the access is not seamless and involves some stairs and escalators.
Bangkok-Kuala Lumpur
My next stop was Kuala Lumpur and I was looking forward to ride on one of the most well known airport expresses – KLIA Ekspres.
Flying with Malaysia Airlines I was happy to find information about KLIA Ekspres in their in-flight magazine and at the KL International Airport there was a clear presence of the KLIA Ekspres brand with a train model displayed for the arriving passengers and a VIP stand with ticket machines taking a prime space at the baggage reclaim hall. Here I had a chance to test the famous KLIA Ekspres VIP Service, where a porter helps you out with the luggage, boards you on and off the train and escorts you to your personal limousine for the “last mile” journey.
I found the VIP service to be an absolute delight. There was no need for me to worry about anything. The porters knew when I was arriving and where I was going. There was no need to think about the tickets, which normally is a pain, way-finding or fighting for a taxi to the city. The KLIA Ekspres single ticket cost RM 35 (EUR 8) and the VIP service – RM 135 (EUR 31), so for additional RM 100 (EUR 23) you get a headache free transfer from the airport to your hotel or home.
KL City Airport Terminal (CAT) also offers in-town check-in for KLIA Ekspres passengers. Malaysia Airlines, Cathay Pacific Airways, Royal Brunei Airlines and Emirates are offering check-in up until 2 hours before the flight.
KL CAT is in the same building as Malaysia’s largest transit hub KL Sentral and is connected with the RapidKL-LRT, KL Monorail, KTM commuter, KTM Intercity, feeder buses and city taxis.
Kuala Lumpur – Singapore
For the sake of adventure I have decided to take a train to Singapore. The current service is a 5 hour ride from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore Woodlands Train Checkpoint, located somewhat on the outskirts of Singapore. There are talks to introduce a high speed train from KL to Singapore slashing the journey times to a staggering 1.5 hours. According to the local press, The Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) is expected to start a feasibility study on the project early next year.
At the moment though, passengers taking the train from KL to Singapore have to disembark at the Woodlands Train Checkpoint (WTC), located at the northern Singapore. The station itself is not integrated with the SMRT train network and finding a Woodlands MRT station on the North South Line took some luck and persistence. WTC is connected with the MRT stations with several shuttle busses. Finding the right bus was easy enough, as the signage was clear, but the problem was to figure out how to pay for the bus, as there was no ATM at the station and no currency exchange points. I observed local people paying for the bus ride with their smart cards and tourists just boarding the bus without any payment. The bus driver didn’t even blink with no concern of the bus fare, although all the signs in the bus indicated the importance of correctly “swiping in” and “swiping out” the smartcard so that the fare would be calculated according to the travelled distance.
The next challenge was to figure out which bus stop is actually the right one to connect with the MRT network. Since there were no announcements or obvious “bus stop outside the station” signs, I had to rely on observing other fellow tourists, who suddenly disembarked the bus at one particular station: I followed. The station was located nowhere near any building, so I followed the trail of people with their luggage, who apparently knew where they were going (or so I’ve hoped). After 5 minute walk we have reached the station, and had to struggle with our luggage up and down some stairs.
Buying a ticket was another story. After finding an ATM, that gave me large denomination notes of Singapore dollars, the ticket machine said “no” to that. Apparently it only accepts small nominal notes and coins. The “Passenger Service” desk was not too helpful either, since they do not sell tickets, only “advise” passengers. But the lady exchanged my large note into some small ones and finally with a ticket in my hand I headed towards the heart of Singapore.
After learning my first lesson in ticket buying, the navigation on the SMRT network was easy. Singapore does not have a dedicated airport rail link, like in Bangkok or KL. The airport link is a spur from the North East line, which means at least one interchange in your travel. Since I was living near the North South Line, for me it meant two interchanges.
Trying to find your way to the airport rail link with the luggage dragging behind you is more or less ok in Singapore. The only thing I have noticed that the network maps do not indicate which interchange can lead you to the airport rail link. So after studying the full system map I memorised the station where I should change for the airport rail link, but the map on the train, only showing one line, did not help reassuring me that the next station is the one that will connect me with the airport rail link.
The interchange on the North East Line to the airport spur was straightforward – leave the train, cross the platform, board the airport train.
The Changi Airport MRT station is located under the airport and so it’s easy accessible to all the terminals via escalators, skytrain or bus service to the budget terminal.
After visiting the three airport rail links in Southeast Asia I have a great appreciation of the KLIA Ekspres VIP service, all my troubles in Bangkok and Singapore regarding finding the way to the station, obtaining the tickets and arranging my onward journey from the city station were simply eliminated. Understanding that not every passenger can receive such a service, the next best thing is to create such an environment where there wouldn’t be a need for a human interaction at all – a passenger could find all information easily and at any time, get to the station without going in circles, buy the ticket in just few clicks and find the way from the city airport station easily – that’s all I’m asking!
Taking this opportunity your airrail NEWS Editor visited three of Southeast Asia air-rail links – a newly opened Bangkok airport rail link, a well established dedicated KLIA Ekspres in Kuala Lumpur and commuter metro rail service in Singapore.
London-Bangkok
Milda Manomaityte, Editor of airrail NEWS
My journey started with Heathrow airport where I was on the lookout how the three different airport rail links in three Southeast Asia countries are branding their service, meeting their customers and offering information for the first time visitors.
There was no information about the Bangkok airport rail link in London Heathrow departure hall, but strangely enough, when I was leaving Bangkok, I noticed a video about the airport and the three airport rail links at the Suvarnabhumi Airport departure hall (in Thai language). It seems an odd decision to advertise access to the airport to the passengers who are already at the airport and are about to depart to another country...
I was flying with Thai Airways and had a look at their in-flight magazine, where I did not find any information or suggestions about my onward journey options from the airport. This is a great opportunity to offer some information to the passengers who have time to kill and might have not yet planned how they will be travelling from the airport to their destinations.
The first signs of the airport rail link started to show in the Suvarnabhumi airport luggage reclaim hall, with banners and info posters being displayed around the hall.
Bangkok has three airport rail links, operated by SRT Electrified Train: Airport City Line (stopping), Airport Express (non-stop) and a new Praya Thai Express line (non-stop). Local travellers might know the difference between the two express lines, but for the foreign passenger that might be difficult to grasp. With a laconic mention that Makkasan station has a connection with MRT and Praya Thai, being bit further down the line has a connection to BTS Skytrain, there is not much more information to go on. There is no full system map showing how all three lines integrate with the wider city’s rail network and having arranged a pick up from Makkasan station, I headed down the “Airport Express Line”.
To find the train station at the airport was quite easy with signs and directions very clearly indicated. The first problems started with the tickets. From a distance I noticed the ticket gates and a ticket office in the middle with some ticket machines around it. Being a savvy traveller I headed straight to the ticket machines without much consideration. They were quite easy to use, so I chose my language, destination and paid. Only then I realised that I had bought the “commuter” train ticket and after another attempt noticed that the ticket machines are only for the commuter service and the ticket machines for the “express” service are not in use. So I had to go to the ticket counter only to be informed that “this side of the ticket counter is for the commuter service and I have to go to the other side of the counter”. I found this unnecessary, both ticket sales agents sit in the same room and probably use the same computers, surely they could issue both tickets?
Having obtained my Airport Express ticket from the “correct” counter I headed to the trains. At the platform there were displays with the countdown information on the arrival of the train. The trains are customised for airport passenger with dedicated space for luggage and step free access from the platform. The journey from the airport to the Makkasan station takes some 15 minutes.
Makkasan station is officially the City Airport Terminal with the in-town check-in for Thai Airways International passengers, but it has earned a reputation of being “in the middle of nowhere” and what I found was not far from truth. The station itself is brand new but was completely deserted. Apart from the passengers that arrived on the same train as me, there were no people at the station. Makkasan station is connected with the Bangkok Metro Blue Line but the access is not seamless and involves some stairs and escalators.
Bangkok-Kuala Lumpur
My next stop was Kuala Lumpur and I was looking forward to ride on one of the most well known airport expresses – KLIA Ekspres.
Flying with Malaysia Airlines I was happy to find information about KLIA Ekspres in their in-flight magazine and at the KL International Airport there was a clear presence of the KLIA Ekspres brand with a train model displayed for the arriving passengers and a VIP stand with ticket machines taking a prime space at the baggage reclaim hall. Here I had a chance to test the famous KLIA Ekspres VIP Service, where a porter helps you out with the luggage, boards you on and off the train and escorts you to your personal limousine for the “last mile” journey.
I found the VIP service to be an absolute delight. There was no need for me to worry about anything. The porters knew when I was arriving and where I was going. There was no need to think about the tickets, which normally is a pain, way-finding or fighting for a taxi to the city. The KLIA Ekspres single ticket cost RM 35 (EUR 8) and the VIP service – RM 135 (EUR 31), so for additional RM 100 (EUR 23) you get a headache free transfer from the airport to your hotel or home.
KL City Airport Terminal (CAT) also offers in-town check-in for KLIA Ekspres passengers. Malaysia Airlines, Cathay Pacific Airways, Royal Brunei Airlines and Emirates are offering check-in up until 2 hours before the flight.
KL CAT is in the same building as Malaysia’s largest transit hub KL Sentral and is connected with the RapidKL-LRT, KL Monorail, KTM commuter, KTM Intercity, feeder buses and city taxis.
Kuala Lumpur – Singapore
For the sake of adventure I have decided to take a train to Singapore. The current service is a 5 hour ride from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore Woodlands Train Checkpoint, located somewhat on the outskirts of Singapore. There are talks to introduce a high speed train from KL to Singapore slashing the journey times to a staggering 1.5 hours. According to the local press, The Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) is expected to start a feasibility study on the project early next year.
At the moment though, passengers taking the train from KL to Singapore have to disembark at the Woodlands Train Checkpoint (WTC), located at the northern Singapore. The station itself is not integrated with the SMRT train network and finding a Woodlands MRT station on the North South Line took some luck and persistence. WTC is connected with the MRT stations with several shuttle busses. Finding the right bus was easy enough, as the signage was clear, but the problem was to figure out how to pay for the bus, as there was no ATM at the station and no currency exchange points. I observed local people paying for the bus ride with their smart cards and tourists just boarding the bus without any payment. The bus driver didn’t even blink with no concern of the bus fare, although all the signs in the bus indicated the importance of correctly “swiping in” and “swiping out” the smartcard so that the fare would be calculated according to the travelled distance.
The next challenge was to figure out which bus stop is actually the right one to connect with the MRT network. Since there were no announcements or obvious “bus stop outside the station” signs, I had to rely on observing other fellow tourists, who suddenly disembarked the bus at one particular station: I followed. The station was located nowhere near any building, so I followed the trail of people with their luggage, who apparently knew where they were going (or so I’ve hoped). After 5 minute walk we have reached the station, and had to struggle with our luggage up and down some stairs.
Buying a ticket was another story. After finding an ATM, that gave me large denomination notes of Singapore dollars, the ticket machine said “no” to that. Apparently it only accepts small nominal notes and coins. The “Passenger Service” desk was not too helpful either, since they do not sell tickets, only “advise” passengers. But the lady exchanged my large note into some small ones and finally with a ticket in my hand I headed towards the heart of Singapore.
After learning my first lesson in ticket buying, the navigation on the SMRT network was easy. Singapore does not have a dedicated airport rail link, like in Bangkok or KL. The airport link is a spur from the North East line, which means at least one interchange in your travel. Since I was living near the North South Line, for me it meant two interchanges.
Trying to find your way to the airport rail link with the luggage dragging behind you is more or less ok in Singapore. The only thing I have noticed that the network maps do not indicate which interchange can lead you to the airport rail link. So after studying the full system map I memorised the station where I should change for the airport rail link, but the map on the train, only showing one line, did not help reassuring me that the next station is the one that will connect me with the airport rail link.
The interchange on the North East Line to the airport spur was straightforward – leave the train, cross the platform, board the airport train.
The Changi Airport MRT station is located under the airport and so it’s easy accessible to all the terminals via escalators, skytrain or bus service to the budget terminal.
After visiting the three airport rail links in Southeast Asia I have a great appreciation of the KLIA Ekspres VIP service, all my troubles in Bangkok and Singapore regarding finding the way to the station, obtaining the tickets and arranging my onward journey from the city station were simply eliminated. Understanding that not every passenger can receive such a service, the next best thing is to create such an environment where there wouldn’t be a need for a human interaction at all – a passenger could find all information easily and at any time, get to the station without going in circles, buy the ticket in just few clicks and find the way from the city airport station easily – that’s all I’m asking!
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