Bkk Airport Rail Link to officially commence on 23 Aug 2010

Another classic case of get it opened and fix the issues later.

So u cant check ur luggage in there, but u can check in yourself ! so how does ur luggage and ur flight get matched up.

Well Im sure ur told to take ur bags to Swampy and then stand in line again at ur airline check in counter, and have them check the bags in with ur already issued boarding pass, But wait, how do u get from the secure / sterile arrival area at the disembarcation at Swampy. Well that was the plan.

Good luck, for those who attempt it !!

Cant wait to here the stories from 23rd August.

The people using it now, are using it as a normal BTS line, NOT as the proposed function of check in at the staion for ur flight.

Pay the extra 150 odd baht and do it at Swampy urself !,

Something I don't understand about the rail link. If the fee is 150 per versus 350-ish for a taxi, why take the rail link? And, unless you stay at a hotel directly at the rail link stations downtown, wouldn't you have to take a cab from your hotel to the rail link station?
I've traveled the downtown-to-new airport via taxi a dozen or so times. Never had a problem finding a cab, never had a problem getting there in 20 minutes from the center of town, never had to wait but a minute to find a cab, the driver always loads/unloads my bags..........what am I missing? What's the rail link going to offer that will be better than a taxi?

"If the fee is 150 per versus 350-ish for a taxi"
Thinking, of course, of my wife and I x 150 = 300

All you are going to avoid are the Traffic Jams in Downtown Bangers.....I'll continue getting taxis,that is of course IF they turn on the meters....

A White Elephant, Khao Chang !

A glorified BTS for sure and the locals will use that part of it.

Once again hasnt been thought thru from the airport side,

A simple time n motion study would have solved that.

Sitting at the Nana hotel, 2 expat couples with 3 bags and 2 carry ons and 1 thai couple with 3 bags and 2 carry ons . Stop watches sync 'ed

2 Expats grab the taxi - cost 300 inc the tollway approx , approx time 40 mins - throw in a traffic jam on Sukhumvitt road at Soi 6, 45 mins

Thai couple , impressed that the new BTS is fantastic will then walk to the Nana BTS, with their 3 bags and 2 carry ons, get to the nearest MTS or BTS that is near. Then walk or taxi to the Rail link station . say 50-100 baht so far and at least 45 mins and at 40 degrees. check in, opps u cant, sorry u have bags, default to expat choice.

Option 2, they have fixed the check in luggage and they pay 200 for the express train . time to check in, unknow but then the travel time , assuming they dont get on the next train within minutes, then time is ticking away. BUT wait the express isnt due for 30 mins, so they default to the stopping at all stations and pay 300 . 1/2 way along the track, they regret not using the expat choice .

Im flying out of BKK on the 25th and staying in Sukhumvitt, Would love to test the system and report it, but dont wish to miss my evening flight and subsequent connections to work !