Missing Link railway could end Bangkok crossing crashes
SRT plans to revive the Red Line Missing Link project to remove 27 rail-road crossings in Bangkok after the Asok-Din Daeng crash
- The "Missing Link" railway project is being advanced to eliminate all 27 of Bangkok's dangerous rail-road crossings, a goal highlighted by a recent fatal collision.
- The project will prevent future accidents by constructing a 25.9 km route of elevated and underground tracks, which will physically separate trains from road traffic.
- Spurred by the recent crash, the State Railway of Thailand is aiming to accelerate the project, targeting a 2034 completion date to permanently end crossing incidents.
A deadly collision between a State Railway of Thailand freight train and a Route 206 bus at the Asok-Din Daeng rail crossing on May 16 has brought renewed attention to Bangkok’s long-discussed “Missing Link” railway project.
The project, formally covering the Red Line commuter railway sections from Bang Sue to Phaya Thai, Makkasan and Hua Mak, and from Bang Sue to Hua Lamphong, is expected to become a key piece of infrastructure aimed at resolving all 27 rail-road crossings in Bangkok.
SRT acting governor Anan Phonimdang said the agency was preparing to seek funding under the 2027 budget to update the project’s earlier study so it reflects current conditions.
The SRT expects to review the study and submit the project to the Cabinet for approval in 2028. Construction bidding could open in 2029, with completion and service launch targeted for 2034. Anan said the timeline remained an estimate, but the recent major crossing accident had prompted the SRT to try to move the project forward more quickly.
“Once construction is completed and services begin, we are confident the project will reduce traffic problems at rail crossings, as the route will be built using elevated and underground sections. It will solve railway crossing problems in Bangkok, making 2034 the year that closes the chapter on rail crossings,” he said.
An SRT source said the agency was seeking 110 million baht in tied-over funding for 2027–2028 to review the study and detailed design. The budget would be divided into 22 million baht in 2027 and 88 million baht in 2028.
The draft terms of reference and reference price for the consultancy contract have already been completed and are awaiting approval from the SRT governor. The source said the project could be accelerated for Cabinet approval and bidding within 2028 because it is considered urgent.
The Missing Link route is designed to cover 25.90 kilometres, comprising 22.40 kilometres of elevated track and 3.50 kilometres underground. It will include nine stations: Samsen, Ratchawithi, Yommarat, Yotse, Hua Lamphong, Phaya Thai, Makkasan, Ramkhamhaeng and Hua Mak.
Most construction will take place on railway land. Two land plots covering a combined 78 square wah will need to be expropriated around the Phaya Thai crossing. The railway design has a track gauge of 1.00 metre and will share infrastructure with the high-speed rail project linking Don Mueang, Suvarnabhumi and U-Tapao airports along the Samsen–Yommarat section.
An earlier SRT study was approved by the Cabinet on September 13, 2024, with the project budget adjusted from 44.15776 billion baht to 44.57385 billion baht.
The study estimated that the line would carry about 211,000 passenger trips per day in its early stage of operation, rising to 330,000 trips per day in the future. It also projected an economic internal rate of return of 29.91% and a financial return of 13%.
The main benefit of the project would be to solve rail-road crossing problems in a concrete way. The Missing Link route currently passes 13 crossings: Pradiphat, Set Siri, Ranong, Nakhon Chai Si, Ratchawithi, Si Ayutthaya, Yommarat, Rama VI, Phaya Thai, Ratchaprarop, Asok, Ramkhamhaeng and Srinakarin.
