SRT Red Line Train from Don Mueang to Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal

The SRT Thani Ratthaya Line, formerly known as Dark Red Line or Red Line (North), is the current main trunk of the SRT Red Line suburban railway system serving the northern route between Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal and Rangsit on the electrified quadruple-track sector. Heading to the city from Bangkok Don Mueang Airport after arriving from my Thai AirAsia FD9515 flight, I chose to take the SRT Thani Ratthaya Line to try it out as an airport transfer.

Bangkok Don Mueang International Airport Terminal 1

International flights arrive at Bangkok Don Mueang International Airport Terminal 1.

Heading out of the passenger arrival area out to the public area.

A sign at the bridge to the old Don Mueang Railway Station and Amari Don Muang Airport Bangkok point passengers to the new Red Line station.

Signs out of the passenger arrival area also point to the SRT Red Line station.

Here, I followed the signs pointing the route to the new Don Mueang Railway Station.

Bangkok Don Mueang International Airport Terminal 2

The new Don Mueang Railway Station is located south of the domestic terminal, so it’s a walk through both Terminals 1 and 2 to reach the new station.

Walking through the entire length of the domestic Terminal 2.

Heading up to the 2nd floor for the linkway to the new Don Mueang Railway Station.

Linkway from Don Mueang International Airport Terminal 2 to the new Don Mueang Railway Station

The long path to the new Don Mueang Railway Station passes by a 7-Eleven and the Magic Food Park food court.

At the end of the terminal building, turn right to the Sky Walk to the new Don Mueang Railway Station.

Towards the end, both a slope and staircase are provided. I wonder why a slope isn’t simply installed throughout.

Heading out of the air-conditioned Sky Walk area.

A travellator is provided at the final stretch of the Sky Walk to the new Don Mueang Railway Station.

New Don Mueang Railway Station

The Sky Walk is open from 5.30am to midnight daily.

My walk from the arrival hall of Don Mueang Terminal 1 to the new Don Mueang Railway Station took 15 minutes. It’s a very long walk for an airport train service.

A commemorative sign for the completion of the Red Line project is put here.

I first headed to the long distance train counter to check if any trains were available to Bangkok Hua Lamphong Railway Station, but unfortunately there were none left for the day.

The path to the SRT Thani Ratthaya Line (Red Line) continues on the concourse.

Entering the SRT Thani Ratthaya Line (Red Line) area.

A single journey token on the SRT Thani Ratthaya Line (Red Line) from Don Mueang to Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal costs 33 Baht.

Heading through the ticket gates.

The departure board on the concourse level is quite useless as it only specifies the next train number, destination, and platform number, but not the departure time.

The escalator to the platform was out of service.

Heading up by elevator instead.

The station sign of Don Mueang Railway Station.

Unfortunately for me, I had just missed a train, and had 19 minutes to wait for the next one.

Looking back down at Don Mueang Airport, showing the great distance between the terminals and the new Don Mueang Railway Station.

SRT Thani Ratthaya Line 1124

My SRT Thani Ratthaya Line 1124 arrived and departed from Don Mueang on time at 9.27pm.

My Thai AirAsia FD9515 arrived at Bangkok Don Mueang International Airport at 8.31pm and I exited from customs out to the public area at 8.49pm, so this is quite a long while to get out of Don Mueang. Perhaps I should have just taken the A2 bus to Chatuchak Park MRT Station and Mo Chit BTS Station which was waiting for me the moment I got out of the arrival hall to the bus stop which would have gotten me there already even before I boarded the Red Line train.

The interior of the SRT Red Lines Hitachi AT100 EMU.

The route map of the SRT Red Lines Thani Ratthaya Line and Nakhon Withi Line.

Next station information is provided on screens and in announcements on board.

The SRT Thani Ratthaya Line train makes brief stops at Kan Kheha, Lak Si, Thung Song Hong, Bang Khen, Wat Samian Nari, and Chatuchak, along the way from Don Mueang to Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal.

Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal

My SRT Thani Ratthaya Line 1124 arrived at Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal on time at 9.44pm.

The journey on the SRT Thani Ratthaya Line from Don Mueang to Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal takes 17 minutes, but when combined with the walk and waiting time from Terminal 1 to the new Don Mueang Railway Station, this took almost an hour.

Heading down the escalator to the concourse.

Transfer information to the SRT Nakhon Withi Line or Light Red Line, and the Blue Line MRT are displayed on floor stickers.

Heading out of the fare gates.

The Bang Sue MRT Station on the Blue Line is located under Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal.

As I was going to Hua Lamphong, however, I decided to catch the SRT Hua Lamphong-Krung Thep Aphiwat Free Shuttle Bus instead since the departure time was nearing.

The SRT Free Shuttle Bus bus stop is located near to the Red Line south exit, so I walked over just in time to catch the 10pm SRT Free Shuttle Bus departure.

Conclusion

The SRT Thani Ratthaya Line may be useful for domestic arrivals from Don Mueang Airport Terminal 2, but the long walk from international arrivals from Don Mueang Airport Terminal 1 may cancel off this new time savings as a long 15-minute walk is required from arrivals to the station, followed by a long up-to-20-minutes wait for the next Red Line train. On the contrary, the Don Mueang Airport Bus Services A1, A2, A3, and A4 picks passengers up directly from the arrival halls immediately upon exit from customs, immediately hitting the tollway for a fast journey to the city.