More trains and buses pressed into service to serve post-New Year rush
Over 180,000 people travelled by trains and buses on Wednesday
The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) and the Transport Company are arranging additional trains, public buses and vans to facilitate the return journey of passengers after five days of New Year holidays.
To accommodate the influx of travellers heading back to work on Thursday, the SRT has arranged five special trains and added carriages to accommodate the surge in passenger numbers, SRT governor Veeris Ammarapala said.
The five routes are: No. 984 (Hat Yai – Bangkok), departing at 7.10pm; No. 936 (Udon Thani – Bangkok), 9.45pm; No. 934 (Ubon Ratchathani – Bangkok), 7.30pm; No. 962 (Uttaradit – Bangkok), 7.50pm; and No. 6 (Chiang Mai – Bangkok), 7.35pm.
Veeris revealed that a total of 106,219 people travelled by trains on Wednesday – 48,156 passengers headed out of Bangkok and 58,063 people to the city. Southern routes saw the highest passenger traffic, followed by the northeastern, northern, and eastern routes, respectively.
He added that SRT officials had been deployed at Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal to assist passengers with connections to electric trains, taxis and buses. Buses are available at Gates 4, 5, and 10, while taxis are stationed at Gates 7 and 8.
Atthawit Rakjumroon, acting managing director of Transport Co, said the company has arranged around 4,500 interprovincial bus and van trips to accommodate travellers, which it estimated at around 110,000 people on Thursday.
He said the number of bus and van passengers started to surge on Wednesday, totalling around 78,000 people.
Atthawit noted that a large number of passengers were queuing up at the taxi stands at Mo Chit 2 terminal in Bangkok on Wednesday from 5am to 8am, as there were not enough available taxis. Officials then instructed passengers to use public buses of the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority during the busy period.
To minimise crowding and congestion at Mo Chit 2, the company has instructed all interprovincial buses and vans heading back to Bangkok to make a stop at Gate 3 of Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal. This would allow passengers wanting to catch electric trains and buses to do so without having to go to Mo Chit 2 first.
The Transport Co is also holding a promotional campaign, offering a 10% discount on tickets for those who book a trip on any route from January 7-16, in a bid to encourage travels during the off-peak period.
The promotion is available only for bookings via E-Ticket application and https://tcl99web.transport.co.th
