Bangkok Expressway and Metro Public Company Limited, the operator of expressways and MRT, is planning to purchase 35 new electric trains for the second phase of its Blue Line extension. The company will buy the 35 trains from Siemens at a combined value of THB 20 billion. The first batch of three trains will be delivered in late 2018, the second batch of 15 trains in early 2019 and the last batch of 17 trains at the end of 2019.
The first phase of the MRT extension from Tao Poon to Bang Sue, which connects the Blue Line running from Tao Poon to Hua Lamphong, and the Purple Line running from Tao Poon to Khlong Bang Phai had begun operations in September 2017. The second extension of the MRT Blue Line running from Hua Lamphong to Lak Song is scheduled to commence operations in July 2019, ahead of its original deadline of September 2019. The third phase extension, from Tao Poon to Tha Phra, is scheduled to begin operations in March 2020.