Purple Line set for August start

Thailand’s Ministry of Transport has confirmed the Purple Line electric train system is currently near completion and will be up-and-running by August next year.

Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith chaired the handover ceremony of the first two trains, which will be used on the Purple Line between Bang Yai and Tao Pun. The Japanese maker is scheduled to deliver all 21 trains with 63 carriages to Thailand gradually by early 2016.

The Minister indicated that Bangkok Metro Plc, the concessionaire of the Purple Line project, is planning to carry out an initial test on the test track in December before a more thorough system tests take place between February and April 2016.

The official test run is set for June while public service is expected to officially commence in August, some five months ahead of schedule.

The Purple Line electric train system stretches 23 kilometers and consists of 16 stations. Each train has three carriages and is capable of handling 921 passengers per trip.

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