Thailand’s State Railway (SRT) has announced plans to introduce a direct train service from Bangkok’s Bang Sue Grand Terminal to Penang, Malaysia, within the next two to three months. The initiative was confirmed by Ekkarat Sri-arayangpong, Chief of the Office of the Governor of SRT, following discussions at the 42nd KTMB-SRT Joint Conference in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia.
The new train service will run from Bangkok to Padang Besar and Butterworth in Penang, offering seamless connectivity for travelers between Thailand and Malaysia. This project aligns with the Thai government’s policy to expand transport links, aiming to boost tourism and economic growth.
SRT plans to launch the Bangkok-Penang service with an initial six-month trial period, supported by a joint working group to finalize the project details. Additionally, plans were discussed to extend Malaysia’s MySawasdee tourist train route from Hat Yai to Surat Thani, responding to high demand.
The conference also addressed enhancing cross-border freight transport, with SRT committing to support goods transportation across key routes, including Hat Yai and Padang Besar. The ASEAN Express train service, which connects Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, and China, will also see an increase in frequency due to its popularity.
These expansions are part of Thailand’s broader strategy to strengthen its position as a regional hub for tourism and logistics through improved connectivity within Southeast Asia.
