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Bangkok–Nakhon Ratchasima-Nong Khai high-speed railway
The proposed high-speed railway that will put Korat within commuting distance of Bangkok, and will most likely become part of the first international high-speed railway service in Southeast Asia.
[Land for high-speed railway near Nakhon Ratchasima - 2018.]
Thailand has several high-speed railways planned for the future, though like most planned railway in Southeast Asia, there have been delays. At the moment there are two lines that are likely to be finished: The 3-airport rail link of Bangkok, and the Bangkok–Nong Khai high-speed railway.
Of these it appears that the Bangkok–Nong Khai line will open first (or at least half of the line from Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima). Even with only half of the line open it give a sneak preview of the transformative effect that a high-speed railway will have on Thailand.
Nakhon Ratchasima (Korat) is approximately 260km from Bangkok, yet it takes 5-6 hours by train. The new high-speed railway will reduce to trip to 77 minutes, making Korat a commutable distance.
If this line is the first high-speed railway in Thailand, then it will be the first high-speed service to operate from the new Bang Sue Grand Central station. Eventually when this line is completed to Nong Khai, it will become the first international high-speed railway in Thailand. The services aren’t known yet, but there could be direct services to Vientiane and Luang Prabang in Laos, and Kunming in China.
[Bang Sue Grand Station under construction in 2019.]
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The Bangkok–Nong Khai high-speed railway is a planned railway that will connect Bangkok to Nong Khai in northeast Thailand on the Laos border.
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