SRT Ordinary 201 from Bangkok Hua Lamphong to Rangsit Train Review

SRT Ordinary 201 is the longest-distance Northern Line train to depart from Bangkok Hua Lamphong Railway Station, travelling all the way to Phitsanulok 389.291 kilometres away, stopping at all stations and some halts in between. For this trip, I won’t be taking SRT Ordinary 201 for the full route, but I’ll just be using it as a cheap commuter train to get me to Rangsit for a joyride on the SRT Dark Red Line.

Bangkok Hua Lamphong Railway Station

The façade of Bangkok Hua Lamphong Railway Station.

I was surprised to see that the entrance at the original station driveway is now open for passengers to enter the main waiting hall. This is a much welcome change as passengers no longer need to detour around the station to use the MRT entrance to the station, plus it feels more grand to use the main car porch to enter the main waiting hall instead of a crowded side entrance.

The welcome view of Bangkok Hua Lamphong Railway Station when entering from the reopened main car porch entrance.

Tickets are sold at the usual ticket counters, though now most are not staffed with the much lesser number of trains, and Ordinary and Commuter train passengers tend to only buy tickets on the spot just before departure.

The next train on the Northern Line for me to get to Rangsit is the Ordinary 201.

My ticket for the Ordinary 201 from Bangkok Hua Lamphong to Rangsit. This costs only 6 Baht.

The central platforms at Bangkok Hua Lamphong Railway Station is now a living museum with old locomotives repainted and restored, and now on public display on live tracks.

My Ordinary 201 will be departing from Platform 8.

The Ordinary 201 is formed fully of Bogie Third Class Carriages (BTC76).

The destination sign of the Ordinary 201.

Alsthom AHK 4212 will be leading my Ordinary 201.

Bogie Third Class Carriage (BTC76)

The exterior of the refurbished Bogie Third Class Carriage (BTC76).

The interior of the refurbished Bogie Third Class Carriage (BTC76) with 76 seats, laid out in sections of 4 seats each.

A sitting toilet is available on board this refurbished Bogie Third Class Carriage (BTC76). This is an upgrade to the former squat toilet.

A squatting toilet is also still available on board this refurbished Bogie Third Class Carriage (BTC76).

The legroom available on board the Bogie Third Class Carriage (BTC76).

Every seat section of the Bogie Third Class Carriage (BTC76) was filled upon departure from Bangkok Hua Lamphong Railway Station, and will fill up more along the way as passengers come on board from other stations and halts.

The Ordinary 261 to Suan Son Pradipat departed first at 9.20am from Platform 7.

My Ordinary 201 departed from Bangkok Hua Lamphong on time at 9.30am.

Passing by the junction to the Eastern Line.

Tickets are checked by the conductor upon departing from Bangkok Hua Lamphong. A handheld device was also on standby for those without tickets yet, or for those boarding from Ramathibodi Hospital Railway Halt coming up in a few seconds.

Ramathibodi Hospital Railway Halt

Making a brief stop at Ramathibodi Hospital Railway Halt.

Sam Sen Railway Station

Making a brief stop at Sam Sen Railway Station.

Local hawkers came on board the Ordinary 201 from Sam Sen Railway Station, and I bought myself a sandwich for a light brunch. This costs 8 Baht.

Heading under the Red Line tracks overrun from Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal.

Passing by Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal from afar on the ground level tracks to Bang Sue Junction.

Bang Sue Junction Railway Station

Making a longer scheduled stop at Bang Sue Junction Railway Station, where surprisingly many passengers boarded, including foreign tourists to Ayutthaya. Maybe everyone assumed that all trains depart from Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal now, which is untrue.

Passing by Bang Sue Diesel Locomotive Depot.

Passing under the towering railway viaducts heading out of Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal near the former KM.11 Railway Halt.

Passing by the ground level electrified Red Line tracks for trains stabling or going on and off duty.

Heading up to the elevated Red Line tracks on the fast long-distance middle tracks to Don Mueang Railway Station.

Don Mueang Railway Station

Making a brief stop at Don Mueang Railway Station.

Rangsit Railway Station

My Ordinary 201 arrived at Rangsit Railway Station at 10.39am – 1 minute early.

Heading out of the long-distance trains area on the concourse level.

New ticket gates are installed at Rangsit Railway Station, but still covered in plastic and not in use yet. Looks like platform access will be regulated by these gates in the near future.

The concourse for long-distance and Red Line trains are just beside each other.

The façade of Rangsit Railway Station.

Conclusion

While the frequency of trains departing from Hua Lamphong towards Rangsit is now greatly reduced with Rapid and above trains now departing from Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal, if travelling from Bangkok Hua Lamphong to Rangsit, it may work out to be the same travel time to wait for a Northern or Northeastern Line Ordinary train instead of taking the MRT Blue Line and SRT Dark Red Line, since the Ordinary from Bangkok Hua Lamphong would head directly to Rangsit on the same train, with no transfers needed, for a shorter travel time to Bang Sue Junction, and at a much cheaper fare of only 6 Baht.