Pink Line (Bangkok)


The MRT Pink Line is an elevated mass rapid transit line currently under construction in Bangkok and Nonthaburi Province, Thailand.
The monorail will be 34.5 km long with 30 stations. It will run in the northern part of the city from east Bangkok in Minburi, Bangkok along Ram Inthra Road to northwest Bangkok, Chaeng Watthana Road and Tiwanon Road ending at the Nonthaburi Civic Center. At the terminus there will be an interchange with MRT Purple Line and the proposed MRT Brown Line which is currently under evaluation. The BSR joint venture won the bid to construct and operate the MRTA Pink Line.
The line will also transfer with the SRT Dark Red Line which is under construction, the BTS Sukhumvit Line extension to Khu Khot, the planned BMA Grey Line in the future and interchange with the MRT Orange Line which is under construction. As such, it will be an important cross city link in the northern area of Bangkok & Nonthaburi linking 5 lines along a major transport corridor. The line is scheduled to open in 2022.
Construction commenced in December 2017. By the end of May 2020, construction had progressed to 58.78%
The BSR joint venture has proposed a 2.8km, 2 station spur monorail route to link to Impact, Muang Thong Thani from Si Rat station which was subsequently approved by the MRTA.. The spur line proposal is pending the finalisation of an Environmental Impact Assessment which should be completed by the end of August 2020. The proposal will then be presented to Cabinet for approval with a view to commence construction before the end of 2020.

History

The Pink Line was originally intended to be a heavy rail line but this was changed to dual-track monorail in 2008 on the basis that construction costs would be cheaper. The director-general of the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning had previously stated in an interview that the Pink Line was considered a priority scheme to be completed by 2017-18, as it ran past the then recently opened Government Complex. A review in early 2012 was undertaken to consider the heavy rail option again. However, it was decided to proceed with the monorail plan on the basis that the overall cost would be cheaper than heavy rail. The review of the line also resulted in the addition of 6 extra stations. The environmental impact assessment for the Pink Line was finalised in late 2012. In late 2012, a request to extend the planned line east by 3.4 km from the Minburi terminus along Suwinthawongse Road to Nong Chok was submitted. However, this was not implemented. The expected cost of the line in 2012 with the additional 6 extra stations was 55 billion baht.
The MRTA Pink line was then due to be tendered in the 3rd quarter of 2013 with construction due to commence in early 2014. However, delays in preparation of the tender in relation to the selection of monorail rolling stock and subsequent political protests resulting in a snap national election in early Feb 2014, further delayed the Pink Line tender. A subsequent coup in May 2014 resulted in a new military administration and the tender being deferred for 2014. The MRTA tender was subsequently not released until mid-2016 as a PPP tender.
In early December 2016, BSR Joint Venture, won the bid for the project and a 30 year concession to operate the line. The BSR also won the bid for the Yellow Line project.
On 16 June 2017, the MRT Pink Line project contracts were signed with the BSR consortium by the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand with a scheduled operational date of 2022.
The BSR has established Northern Bangkok Monorail Company Limited to operate the monorail.

Construction Progress

Construction of the MRT Pink Line began in December 2017 with the BSR consortium establishing a number of preparation work sites along the Chaeng Wattana rd/Ram Inthra rd corridor with the closure of lanes along this busy east-west corridor. By 30 September 2018, overall construction had progressed to 10.37%
Construction work on Tiwanon Rd. Nonthaburi began at the end of October 2018 closing long stretches of the middle lanes between Khae Rai and Pak Kret intersections. At the end of March 2019, construction has progressed to 31.46% By the end of July 2019, civil construction had further advanced to 40.13% At the end of November 2019, construction had progressed to 48.15% By the end of January 2020, construction had progressed to 51.96%
By the end of May 2020, construction had progressed to 58.78%

Rolling stock

BSR has selected Bombardier INNOVIA 300 monorail rolling stock for the Pink line. The BSR has announced that they will purchase 42, 4 car sets to operate the Pink line.

Muang Thong Thani Spur Line

In 2016, Bangkok Mass Transit System PLC. received a fund for an extension to link Impact, Muang Thong Thani and the Muang Thong Thani condominium buildings, from Bangkok Land Public Company Limited. Accordingly, the BSR joint venture proposed a 2.8km, 2 station spur monorail route to link to Impact, Muang Thong Thani from Si Rat station. Pending final site approval, the two stations will be located adjacent to Impact Challenger building and near Muang Thong Thani Lake and Impact Forum. In early August 2018, a second public hearing was conducted by the MRTA into the extension proposal.
The spur line has been approved by the MRTA and the proposal is pending the finalisation of an Environmental Impact Assessment which should be completed by the end of August 2020. The proposal will then be presented to Cabinet for approval with a view to commence construction before the end of 2020.
The MRTA may also consider a further 2km extension from Muang Thong Thani to Tiwanon rd.

List of planned stations

Originally, the line was to have 24 stations, 4 of which will be transfer stations and 2 of which will be "park & ride" stations. However, 6 new stations were added in mid-2012 for a total of 30 stations.
The line will also have 2 additional service stations for train maintenance.
CodeNameNo. of PlatformTransferProvince
PK01Nonthaburi Civic Center2 Nonthaburi
PK02Khae Rai2Nonthaburi
PK03Sanambin Nam2Nonthaburi
PK04Samakkhi2Nonthaburi
PK05Royal Irrigation Department2Nonthaburi
PK06Yeak Pak Kret2Nonthaburi
PK07Pak Kret Bypass2Nonthaburi
PK08Chaeng Wattana-Pak Kret 282Nonthaburi
PK09Muang Thong Thani2Nonthaburi
PK10Si Rat2 Impact Link Nonthaburi
PK11Chaeng Watthana 142Bangkok
PK12Government Complex2Bangkok
PK13TOT2Bangkok
PK14Lak Si2 Bangkok
PK15Rajabhat Phranakhon2Bangkok
PK16Wat Phra Sri Mahathat2Bangkok
PK17Ram Inthra 32Bangkok
PK18Lat Pla Khao2Bangkok
PK19Ram Inthra Km.42Bangkok
PK20Maiyalap2Bangkok
PK21Vatcharaphon2 Bangkok
PK22Ram Inthra Km.62Bangkok
PK23Khu Bon2Bangkok
PK24Ram Inthra Km.92Bangkok
PK25Outer Ring Road - Ram Inthra2Bangkok
PK26Nopparat2Bangkok
PK27Bang Chan2Bangkok
PK28Setthabutbamphen2Bangkok
PK29Min Buri Market2Bangkok
PK30Min Buri2 Bangkok
Impact Link 'Impact Link 'Impact Link 'Impact Link 'Impact Link
PK10Si Rat2 Main LineNonthaburi
PK41Impact Challenger2Nonthaburi
PK42Mueang Thong Lake2Nonthaburi