Trains, stations to be scrubbed up for southbound ‘Go Riviera’ excursions
State Railway of Thailand SRT deputy governor Thanongsak Pongprasert said this week that “sprinter trains” designed for short express hops would be revamped to carry tourists on a planned new “Go Riviera” route.
Thanongsak said the new route would open in a few years, once the air-conditioned trains are ready and several stations along the route have been upgraded.
The 280-kilometre route would extend from Bangkok to Sam Roi Yod district in Prachuap Khiri Khan, hugging the coast of what’s being promoted as “the Thai Riviera”, after the Mediterranean holiday shoreline.
Thanongsak said the SRT had discussed the project with the Tourism and Sports Ministry.
The SRT plans to spend Bt200 million making the carriages used on sprinter trains more luxurious, akin to first-class and business-class passenger cabins on airliners.
It would also renovate smaller stations including Ratchaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan with an eye to making them tourist landmarks in their own right, he added.
Thanongsak said the SRT was considering partnering with airlines on joint tourism packages.