French rolling stock manufacturer Alstom announced the entry into service of the MRT yellow line in Bangkok, a driverless system able to operate at speeds up to 80km/h.
The introduction of the 30 four-car monorail trains into service follows the 2017 agreement between the Eastern Bangkok Monorail and Alstom to deliver the turnkey Innovia monorail system.
The 30.4km yellow MRT line provides 23 stations along the heavily congested Lat Phrao and Srinagarindra road corridors and plans to link with six other rail lines across the north of the region.
Furthermore, Alstom is set to deliver the system for the MRT pink line, which is expected to enter service by 2024.
Alstom’s Managing Director in East Asia Toby Tiberghien attended the opening ceremony on 19 June 2023 and highlighted the transport advantages the MRT line will have across Thailand’s capital: “Alstom does more than simply deliver operationally functional rail systems.
"We transform mobility at large, by pioneering smarter and greener mobility solutions to the benefit of all. The inauguration of Bangkok’s Yellow Line is another step in transforming urban mobility in the densely populated capital and will provide passengers with a comfortable, safe and efficient journey, cutting journey times by a third.”
The Innovia monorail trainsets were manufactured at the Alstom joint venture CRRC Puzhen Alstom Transportation Systems in China and include a long-term maintenance plan of 20 years.
The MRT yellow line can carry over 200,000 passengers a day and includes interior monorail features such as spacious and open floor plans, low interior noise and large windows for a "bright atmosphere and comfortable passenger experience".
Alstom has emphasised that the features of the Innovia trainsets are set to enhance mobility and adhere to the challenges of Bangkok’s urban transportation, forming a system which avoids interference with road traffic and provides route flexibility.
This agreement extends Alstom’s relationship with Thailand which oversees previous agreements such as two engineering centres for rail signalling and system integration and the MoU agreement to strengthen Thailand’s rail development.
Alstom’s involvement in Thailand aims to drive regional employment, with over 900 employees currently delivering multiple mobility projects around the capital and beyond the Asia Pacific.
