Nakhon Ratchasima – Nong Khai railway line

Nakhon Ratchasima – Nong Khai
Nakhon Ratchasima Railway Station
Route length:	359 km
Gauge :	1000 mm ( meter gauge )
Legend Nordostbahn of Bangkok 263.65 Nakhon Ratchasima 266.28 Thanon Chira Junction after Ubon Ratchathani 272.50 Ban Ko 277.50 Sa Thammakhan 284.67 Ban Kradon 288.13 Ban Nong Kan Nga 289.78 Nong Maeo 295.08 Non Sung 302.19 Ban Dong Phlong 308.20 Ban Makha 167 m 311.38 Noen Thua Paep 315.65 Phon Songkhram 320.35 Ban Don Yai 326.80 Mueang Khong 333.67 Ban Rai 335.71 Non thong long 342.50 Huai Rahat by Kaeng Khoi Junction 345.50 Bua Yai Junction 351.20 Noen Sawat since 1960 357.36 Nong Bua Lai 362.44 Sala Din 370.04 Nong Makhuea 377.66 Mueang Phon 385.97 Chot Nong Kae 396.82 Ban Hat 407.72 Ban Phai 422.60 Ban Haet 431.59 Nong Mek 439.81 Tha Phra 441.61 Mae Nam Chi (110 m) 444.06 Kut Kwang 449.75 Khon Kaen 460.71 Samran 467.00 Huai Hai 474.93 Non phayom 476.46 (140 m) 480.45 Ban Wang Chai 484.21 Nam Phong 489.95 Huai Siao 500.51 Khao Suan Kwang 514.45 Non Sa-at 523.40 Huai Koeng 532.50 Kumphawapi 537.75 Ban Dong Ruan 542.75 Huai Sam Phat 550.65 Nong Takai 562.05 Kham Kling 565.40 Nong Khon Kwang 568.84 Udon Thani 575.75 Nong Tum 584.50 Ban Khao 593.00 Well Phu 598.10 Khok Chang 602.00 Nong Bua Ngoen 610.95 617.84 Well Tha 621.10 Nong Khai until 2000: Nong Khai Mai 621.91 623.58 Talat Nong Khai until 2000: Nong Khai 623.76 Mekong , Friendship Bridge (1170 m) Laos : Nong Khai – Thanaleng railway line

The Nakhon Ratchasima – Nong Khai railway was the second extension of the Thai Northeast Railway after the Nakhon Ratchasima – Ubon Ratchathani railway . Your mileage counts from Bangkok Hua Lamphong .

construction

Train platform in Nakhon Ratchasima

Construction of the line began in 1924. Originally the intended terminus was Khon Kaen , but it was decided in 1930 to run the line to the Mekong and Nong Khai . However, construction progress was slow: in the 1930s, railway construction suffered from the global economic recession. In 1932, Thailand was overthrown by progressive forces that put an end to the absolute monarchy . This was then answered with a counter-coup by conservative forces. It was not until 1941 that Udon Thani was reached due to military needs: In 1940/1941 Thailand waged a war around its border with French Indochina with France , which was occupied by Germany in World War II , over areas in northern Cambodia , which it had to cede in 1904 and 1907.

Further projects

Udon Thani reception building

With the expansion of the construction program in 1930, a branch line was planned that would lead from Kumphawapi east to Nakon Phanom and ultimately aimed at a rail connection to French Indochina, Laos and Vietnam . But neither this Thai route nor the Indochinese was ever completed.

The Japanese , with whom Thailand was allied during World War II, were also very interested in a railway line that would connect the Thai and Vietnamese rail networks. Ultimately, the Udon Thani line head that existed in 1943 was chosen as the starting point . In the final phase of the war, however, the resources were no longer sufficient for construction, so that in 1945 the decision was made to take the shortest route to the Mekong, to Nong Khai . From there the transport line was to be continued on the river by ship. The end of the war initially prevented the implementation of this plan.

renewal

Entrance building of the new train station in Nong Khai (formerly Nong Khai Mai)

After the war, the first thing to do was to repair the railway infrastructure , which had been badly damaged by Allied bombings , and new buildings had to stand back. But with the emergence of the Cold War , the new US protective power now had considerable strategic interest in building the route to Nong Khai. Thailand received appropriate support. So the route could be opened in two stages: in 1958 it reached Nong Khai.

Ready 1994 a branch was laid from Nong Khai to and on the First Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge . However, this was only extended to Laos 15 years later and put into operation in 2009.

→ Main article : Nong Khai – Thanaleng railway line

For this purpose, the previous terminus of the line, which was too far to the east to connect the new line, was renamed from Nong Khai to Talat Nong Khai in 2000 , but then closed in 2008 - not in use for a long time. The nearest train station on the route to Bangkok, which is also the branch station for the route to Laos, was renamed from Nong Khai Mai to Nong Khai and now functioned as the “main station” for Nong Khai.

Bangkok – Nong Khai traffic

Three pairs of trains are offered daily between Bangkok and Nong Khai over the entire route of the Northeast Railway and the Nakhon Ratchasima – Nong Khai railway line . In Bangkok they use the Hua Lamphong train station . In the north these are exclusively night trains, one a DRC express train . This is the only train traveling the entire route in the opposite direction during the day.

In addition, the luxury train Eastern and Oriental Express occasionally runs the route on the way to Thanaleng in Laos .

literature

• BR Whyte: The Railway Atlas of Thailand, Laos and Cambodia . White Lotus Co Ltd, Bangkok 2010, ISBN 978-974-480-157-9

Remarks

1. ↑ highest station on the route.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Information from Whyte: The Railway Atlas , pp. 62f, map 6a, 7b, 8.
2. ^ Whyte: The Railway Atlas , p. 60.
3. ^ Whyte: The Railway Atlas , p. 60.
4. ^ Whyte: The Railway Atlas , p. 61.
5. ^ Whyte: The Railway Atlas , p. 61.
6. ^ Whyte: The Railway Atlas , pp. 61f.
7. ^ Whyte: The Railway Atlas , p. 62.
8. ↑ Information from: The Man in Seat 61: Train Travel in Thailand .