Bangkok’s Airport Rail Link (ARL) is operating at reduced frequency for a second consecutive day, with trains running every 15 minutes between central Bangkok and Suvarnabhumi Airport, compared with the usual nine-minute interval. Free replacement buses and additional State Railway of Thailand (SRT) diesel services have been deployed to support passengers.
The disruption comes amid repeated service problems and uncertainty over the line’s future operator. CP Group-linked Asia Era One has indicated that it intends to stop operating the ARL after September 30 while seeking to withdraw from its wider high-speed rail agreement with the government. SRT is negotiating a temporary extension, with a four-month extension under discussion, while also preparing for a possible takeover by its subsidiary that operates Bangkok’s Red Line.