INTERMODAL ASIA B ack in 2001, Airport W orld ran a story about how Asia-Pacific airports
were leading the way in terms of intermodal innovation, and almost a decade on, nothing has changed.
For now the region’s airports boast the world’s only high-speed maglev
train link (Shanghai Pudong), the most modern international ferry terminal (Hong Kong), one of newest downtown rail services (Bangkok Suvarnabhumi) and some of the most impressive ground transportation centres on the planet at Incheon and Beijing–Capital. If you add the ability to check-in downtown either at remote terminals or
rail stations (Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong and now Bangkok) and an ever-rising number of rail links and water connections, then the Asia-Pacific region really is a multi-modal trendsetter. Without doubt, the standout airport ‘rail link’ of the Asia-Pacific region is
the Shanghai Transrapid, a magnetic levitation (maglev) train that reaches speeds of up to 432km/h on its seven-minute journey between Shanghai– Pudong and China’s largest city, some 30 kilometres away. It was the world’s first commercial high-speed maglev railway when
inaugurated in 2004 and it remains in a class of its own, because although other airports want something similar, none have successfully managed it to date. And they could soon be even more envious as the Chinese government
recently confirmed plans for a $3.2 billion extension to the line that will connect Pudong with Shanghai’s domestic gateway, Hongqiao, and the city of Hangzhou nearly 200 kilometres away. Work on the expansion project is already underway and, when complete,
it will be possible to travel between the two cities in 30 minutes as opposed to the one-and-a-half hours it takes today. Professor Sun Zhang, an expert on China’s railway system and staunch
maglev supporter, recently told China Daily: “For a country with 1.3 billion people and an economy growing at about 8% every year, the need for transport and speed seems obvious. Just compare China and Germany: Germany is one-27th the size of China, but its railway network is 13.5 times longer than ours. “People are questioning why China insists on introducing maglev lines
while countries like Germany and Japan don’t. If you look at China’s sheer size, you’ll know why. There just needs to be further agreement on the best way forward.” A ground transportation centre located between Shanghai–Pudong’s
terminals houses the airport’s maglev station and provides bus, rail, coach and taxi links to downtown Shanghai and beyond.
Maglevs and monorails Although nothing like the Shanghai Transrapid in terms of distance and speed, Incheon International Airport is on target to open its very own maglev service in 2013. The service, set to be operated by unmanned Hyundai Rotem designed
maglev trains with a top speed of 110km/h, will connect the gateway with Korail Korea Railroad’s station on neighbouring Yongyu Island. Although official journey times have yet to be announced, it is expected
that the trains will take only a few minutes to complete the 6.1 kilometre distance, despite stops at up to four stations en route. The high regards in which it holds Incheon International Airport ensures
that the project is being underwritten by the Korean government. Elsewhere across the region, Tokyo’s airports are set for an intermodal
boost in 2010 with Haneda’s new terminal gaining its own direct connection to the city’s monorail system and Narita finally getting its long awaited rapid rail link to the Japanese capital.
Haneda, which has set an October 21, 2010 opening date for its third
terminal, has had a Tokyo Monorail link to downtown Hamamatsucho Station since 1964 (see page 84 for more information). It is also served by a handful of rail lines. Narita has no need to be jealous though, as its newly opened $1.3 billion
Keisei Narita Airport Line allows express trains to travel the 66 kilometre distance between the airport and Nippori Station in downtown Tokyo in 36 minutes. The service, operated by Keisei Electric Railway, will have a top speed of 160km/h. Narita’s ongoing efforts to encourage new off-airport initiatives that will
enhance passenger processing and reduce potential congestion in its terminals include the home pick-up and airport security clearance of baggage provided by a handful of private companies. Downtown check-in for specific airlines is also possible for passengers
boarding buses at both Tokyo City Air Terminal (TCAT) and Yokohama City Air Terminal (YCAT). In addition to the new rapid rail service, Narita boasts two rail links to the
capital – JR East’s Narita Express services to Tokyo Station and Keisei Electric Railway’s Skyliner departures to Ueno. Both take around 60 minutes.
Downtown terminals The honour of being the region’s newest airport rail service belongs to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi’s new rapid transit system, which allows 160-km/h express trains to cover the 28.6-kilometre distance between the gateway and the capital’s Makkasan Station (City Air Terminal) in just 15 minutes. Built by a consortium of B Grimm, STECON and Siemens for an
estimated cost of $860 million and owned and operated by the State Railway of Thailand (SRT), the Suvarnabhumi Airport Rail Service officially rolled into action for the first time on August 23. It offers two types of service – a non-stop Express Line (known locally as
the Pink Line) and a slower City Line (the Red Line), both of which operate on an elevated track for most of the journey. The City Line, which is aimed at commuters, makes eight stops across
the capital, starting at downtown Phaya Thai Station, on its way to and from the airport. Both train lines operate from 6am until midnight with City Line services
departing every 15 minutes and Express Line services every 30 minutes. At Makkasan Station, a series of Flight Information Display System (FIDS)
screens provided by UFIS Airport Solutions ensure that passengers checking in at the ‘City Air Terminal’ receive accurate, up-to-the-minute information on the status of their flights. Its FIDS screens – which display exactly the same information that is being
shown in the terminal at Suvarnabhumi, courtesy of an interface with the Airport Operational Database – are also located above all 28 check-in desks at Makkasan Station. Like other downtown terminals elsewhere across the Asia-Pacific region,
Makkasan Station provides passengers with the opportunity to check-in luggage for flights before boarding the train to the airport. Transport Minister, Sohpon Zarum, says the new airport train link
can carry up to 50,000 passengers daily, generating over $30,000 a day in revenue. “I believe this rail link will help ease traffic, lower pollution and make it
easier for the public to get to Suvarnabhumi,” says Sophon. Meanwhile in Canada, Vancouver International Airport (YVR) believes
that its new C$2 billion rapid rail service has significantly increased its appeal to passengers.
AIRPORT WORLD/OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2010 77
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