Status In operational Line length 751 km (467 mi) Owner State Railway of Thailand Operator State Railway of Thailand | Opened 26 March 1896 Electrification No Track gauge Metre gauge railway | |
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System State Railway of Thailand Terminis Chiang Mai Railway Station, Bangkok Railway Station, Sawankhalok Railway Station (Branch line) | ||
The Northern Line is a railway line in Thailand. The line heads north terminating at the northern port of Chiang Mai. The line is 751 kilometres (467 mi) between Hua Lamphong Railway Station and Chiang Mai Railway Station. It is the second longest railway line in Thailand. The line first opened in 1896. Major cities served by the line include Bangkok, Ayutthaya, Nakhon Sawan, Phitsanulok, Lampang, and Chiang Mai. The popular Nakhon Phing Express service operates on the line. The line was severely affected by the World War II.
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Stations
There are 132 railway stations and halts in operation on the Northern Line, some serve major cities and some serve local villages in distant locations where road access is limited. Some station buildings date back over a hundred years, such as Khlong Maphlap Station on the Sawankhalok Branch Line. Some station were rebuilt from wooden structures to modern thai styled buildings such as Nakhon Sawan Station. The other category of buildings is the small, ornate style of wood-built stations such as Mae Tha Station.
Services
Services on the Northern Line are mainly intercity trains, connecting major cities. More than a dozen trains run on the line in each direction each day. Major named service that use at least part of the line include the Nakhon Phing Express.
Operators and service providers
State Railway of Thailand operates passenger services on the Northern Line. State Railway of Thailand's most notable service on the line is the Nakhon Phing Express.
Infrastructure
The Northern Line is entirely single track, except at stations. Track gauge is 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) meter gauge. As train frequency increases, it is becoming increasingly challenging to operate trains running both direction on the single-line track.
The Northern Line is not electrified. Regular services run on diesel power. Current operating speed on the line is 100 km/hr. The section from Uttaradit to Chiang Mai is being rebuilt.