Attempting the Bangkok Train Challenge

This is a live post of my attempt to set the benchmark time for people to do The Bangkok Train Challenge. You can find the rules and notes on this page: https://www.thaitrainguide.com/the-bangkok-train-challenge. My starting point for the train challenge is BTS Keha Station at the southern end of the Green Line. The Timestamp for my first photo is 6:20am. This might not be the best place to start but it is the nearest terminal station to my house.

I started at BTS Keha Station which is the southern terminal station of the Dark Green Line, sometimes called the Sukhumwit Line. From here to the northern end of the line at BTS Khu Khot Station it is 54.25 kilometres. Travel time is around 90 minutes. This is the longest line in Greater Bangkok. It stretches from Samut Prakan to Pathum Thani.

I reached the end of the Green Line at BTS Khu Khot at 7:52am. I will next backtrack one stop to BTS Yæk Kor Por Aor Station to catch a bus to my next station which is SRT Rangsit on the Red Line.

At BTS Khu Khot Station I switched to the opposite platform to go back one stop to BTS Yaek Kor Por Aor Station. I took Exit 3 from the station (keep right at the fork) and you will see the bus stop at the bottom of the steps. Bus No. 185 is a red non-air bus. The ticket to Rangsit Bus Terminal, near the railway station is 8 Baht. Journey time is about 12 minutes. I then had a 12 minute walk to Rangsit Railway Station.

I missed a train at Rangsit Raikway Station by seconds. I then had to wait 12 minutes for the next train. The Red Line train arrived at 8:32am as you can see from the Timestamp and left at 8:36am. I’m now just over two hours into my challenge. I’m now just over two hours into my challenge. I’ve finished one line and I’m about to do the Dark Red Line to the terminal station at Bang Sue. Going well so far. But I’m changing my route plan on the fly and so I hope I don’t make a mistake!

I completed the Dark Red Line between Rangsit and Bang Sue at 9:00am exactly. That was my favourite ride so far as the Red Line trains have large unobstructed windows with some great views. I now have to cross to Platform 9 for the Light Red Line train to the end of the line at Taling Chan. There’s no need to exit the station for this transfer unless you need to use the toilets.

The Light Red Line train on Platform 9 at Bang Sue Station wasn’t due to leave until 9:20am. Which incidentally, is three hours into my challenge. I had a 20 minute wait.

I was hoping to have a quick toilet break but to do that I would have to exit through the turnstiles and then come back in. I think entry fee is around 17 Baht. I need to check that. The next chance for a toilet break is at SRT Taling Chan Station at the far end of the line.

I arrived at SRT Taling Chan Station at the southern end of the Light Red Line at 9:39am. It took about 30 minutes to finish that line.

So I’ve now completed the Dark Green Line, the Dark Red Line and the Light Red Line in three hours and twenty minutes. My plan was to get two buses from here to reach the northern end of the Purple Line to save me backtracking on two lines. But an old lady sweeping the footpath said the No. 79 bus doesn’t come often. She suggested to take a taxi but the rules don’t allow that. So I went back to the station to backtrack to the interchange with the Purple Line at SRT Bang Son Station.

Back at SRT Taling Chan Station I had of course missed the train and so I had to wait twenty minutes for the 10:00am train. I then had to backtrack 10 minutes to SRT Bang Son station which is the interchange to the Purple Line at MRT Bang Son. Heading north I miss one station on the Purple Line but I will do that when I backtrack.

It only took 5 minutes to walk between the Red Line station and the Purple Line Station at Bang Son. I was really lucky that the northbound Purple Line train to MRT Khlong Bang Phai arrived at the same time as me and so no time was wasted. I’m now heading to the end of the Purple Line.

I arrived at MRT Khlong Bang Phai Station, the northern end of the Purple Line, at 10:47am. I then crossed the platform so I could backtrack to Bang Son and then go one more stop to MRT Tao Poon Station where I arrived at 11:27am. I have now completed four lines in just over five hours. Next up the Yellow Line via the Blue Line.

There are two MRT stations at Tao Poon. It’s like a crossroads for the Purple and Blue lines. I only had to go down one level to the Blue Line. They both have the same operator so no need to cross the ticket barrier. I then took the Blue Line five stops to MRT Lat Phrao Station to connect to the Yellow Line. I will do the Blue Line loop later. Platform to platform, it only took 8 minutes to walk between the two stations. I only had to wait a few minutes for a Yellow Line train. I’m glad I brought some snacks and drinks. Getting hungry now. But you cannot eat on the trains.

The walk between MRT Lat Phrao Station and MRT Lat Phrao Station is only 5 minutes and between platforms 8 minutes. Yes it’s confusing. Same name but different building. One is underground and is for the Blue Line and the other is elevated and is for the Yellow Line. The Timestamp for starting the Yellow Line was 11:55am. It arrived at the terminal station at MRT Samrong one hour later. I had to stand all the way. I didn’t get off as people going the opposite way got on straight away. I am now backtracking to MRT Hua Mak station which is an interchange with the Airport Rail Link. That’s now five lines completed in six and a half hours! About four more lines to go I think. Fatigue setting in. I need a toilet break too.

At MRT Hua Mak Station on the Yellow Line I had to transfer to the Airport Rail Link Line at ARL Hua Mak Station. Platform to platform it took 11 minutes. Most of the way is on a skybridge then the last 5 minutes is on ground level including walking over a railway crossing against traffic. No footpath or bridge! I managed to get a toilet break at the ARL station. I’ve been going 7 hours now. I will be taking the train to Suvarnabhumi Airport and then come straight back to the western end of the line. You are allowed to be inside the system for 90 minutes which will be fine. For the record, this was the only station I had to buy a ticket. Up to now I used my contactless credit card and my Rabbit card as a tap and go travel card.

I did the full Airport Rail Link in around 30 minutes. I left Suvarnabhumi Airport at 1:59pm and arrived at the western end of the line at Phayathai at 2:30pm. I’ve now been on the challenge for just over eight hours riding trains non stop in Bangkok. I still have the Light Green Line, the Gold Line and the complete Blue Line loop to go.

ARL Phaya Thai Station interchanges with BTS Phaya Thai Station on the Dark Green Line. I’ve completed this line already. I’m just using it to reach the Light Green Line that starts from BTS National Stadium Station. I have to change at Siam Station. Platform to platform, from the ARL to the BTS, it only took me five minutes to walk. I didn’t have to wait too long for a train. I went south to BTS Siam Station and then up one floor to catch the train one stop to BTS National Stadium. This is the start of the Light Green Line. Along the way I will do a diversion for the short Gold Line.

The next line to do is the Silom Green Line. This starts at BTS National Stadium Station and goes all the way to BTS Bang Wa Station. But I will get off at BTS Krung Thon Buri Station to do a side trip on the Gold Line. The Timestamp at the station at the start of this line says 2:50pm., eight and a half hours after the start of the train challenge.

[20] From BTS Krung Thon Buri Station it is a very short walk to the station of the same name on the Gold Line. This uses a “people mover” to transport people to Icon Siam. There are only three stations. The last one is Khlong San. It only took 7 minutes! Then I went back to the BTS station to complete the Silom Green line.

I reached BTS Bang Wa Station at 3:51pm. From there it was only a 3 minute walk from platform to platform to reach MRT Bang Wa Station on the Blue Line. From there I took the train to the end of the line at MRT Lak Song Station where I will start the Blue Line Loop.

The Timestamp at MRT Lak Song was 4:05pm. From here the train will do a loop via Silom and Bang Sue and finish back at MRT Tha Phra Station. That is my last station! The end is in sight. But it might take an hour to do the loop.

I have finally reached the end of my Bangkok Train Challenge at 5:24pm. I rode on trains on all the lines and stopped at all the stations in Greater Bangkok in eleven hours and 4 minutes! That was a very long day indeed. But I learned a lot about the train network in the city and suburbs.