The Department of Rail Transport (DRT) revealed that on the first holiday of Songkran 2026, over one million rail trips were made continuously. There were no rail accidents or train disruptions. Safety was strictly enforced along with crowd management at stations near event areas.
Mr. Pichet Kunathumrak, Director-General of the Department of Rail Transport (DRT). He provided an overview of daily rail travel on Saturday, 11 April 2026, the second day of the Ministry of Transport’s Songkran 2026 travel facilitation and safety plan running from 10 to 19 April 2026, and the first holiday of the Songkran festival. Travel activity remained lively, continuing from the previous day, with people using the rail system for returning home, tourism, and attending activities in many areas. Total travel volume was 1,008,625 trips (about 11.42% below projections), broken down as follows.
There were 95,309 trips made (about 13.19% below projections).
Among these, outbound passengers numbered 52,450 trips and inbound 42,859 trips, divided into commercial passengers at 43,365 trips and social passengers at 51,944 trips.
A total of 210 train services were provided, including 4 special additional services to assist passengers: one on the Northern route Chiang Mai – Krung Thep Aphiwat, two on the Northeastern route Krung Thep Aphiwat – Nakhon Ratchasima – Krung Thep Aphiwat, and one on the Southern route Yala – Krung Thep Aphiwat.
The routes with the highest passenger volumes were the Southern line, followed by the Northeastern, Northern, Eastern, and Mahachai/Maeklong lines, respectively, with details as follows.
• Southern line: 34,714 trips (outbound 17,204 / inbound 17,510) across 63 services.
• Northeastern line: 26,064 trips (outbound 15,910 / inbound 10,154) across 48 services.
• Northern line: 17,693 trips (outbound 9,990 / inbound 7,703) across 33 services.
• Eastern line: 10,157 trips (outbound 5,978 / inbound 4,179) across 24 services.
• Mahachai and Maeklong lines: 6,681 trips (outbound 3,368 / inbound 3,313) across 42 services.
There were 913,316 trips made (about 11.23% below projections). Overall, service operated according to plan with no disruptions. Details include:
• Green Line: 451,368 trips served by 1,088 services (Sukhumvit Line 750 services and Silom Line 338 services).
• Blue Line: 266,771 trips served by 318 services.
• Airport Rail Link (ARL): 52,150 trips served by 174 services.
• Purple Line: 35,357 trips served by 232 services.
• Yellow Line: 31,553 trips served by 216 services.
• Red Line: 25,409 trips served by 294 services (routes from Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal to Rangsit with 178 services and to Taling Chan with 116 services).
• Gold Line: 12,838 trips (about 60.48% above projections), served by 220 services including 3 additional trains to accommodate citizens and tourists participating in Songkran festival activities at Iconsiam shopping mall.
Mr. Pichet added that on the first holiday of Songkran, besides traveling home, fewer people traveled out of the province than expected. More citizens joined festival activities in various areas, especially in Bangkok and its metropolitan vicinity, causing some BTS stations near event sites to experience especially high passenger volumes at peak times. The DRT instructed all electric train operators to prepare strict crowd control plans focusing on orderly station entry and exit, increasing staff to assist passengers, and managing passenger flow to prevent overcrowding and reduce risks of accidents such as jostling or falling onto the tracks. Passengers were urged to avoid standing near platform edges or station boundaries and to wait behind the yellow safety line at all times. They were also asked to pour water into containers provided before entering the train system. If anyone noticed risky behavior or passengers unable to travel safely on platforms, they should immediately alert station staff for timely assistance and prevention, ensuring travel during the festival is safe and orderly.
Mr. Pichet further said that rail travel is expected to continue steadily today. The SRT has added extra carriages to crowded trains and prepared 3 additional special train services to support travel out of Bangkok, including:
• Train No. 973 Krung Thep Aphiwat – Nakhon Ratchasima at 09:20.
• Train No. 5 Krung Thep Aphiwat – Chiang Mai at 19:05.
• Train No. 983 Krung Thep Aphiwat – Yala at 19:30.
Monitoring of railway routes found some areas where debris such as stones, wood, or other objects were placed to obstruct the tracks, as well as incidents of grass fires or trash burning near railway areas. These dangerous behaviors can cause serious accidents including derailments. Smoke also impairs train driver visibility, and heat can damage signaling and roadside communication systems, all directly threatening passenger safety and property.
The DRT strongly warned to stop such behaviors immediately, including obstruction and fires near railway tracks, and urged cooperation in vigilance. Anyone witnessing such acts should report to authorities immediately, as these actions are illegal and subject to criminal penalties. The DRT has instructed the SRT to intensify inspections and monitoring at risk points continuously to prevent incidents that could compromise rail safety during the festival.
Mr. Pichet concluded by saying that the Department of Rail Transport has instructed all rail service providers to strictly maintain safety standards and prepare trains, personnel, and contingency plans to adequately support public travel throughout the festival period. He also asked the public to allow extra travel time, check train schedules in advance, stay hydrated and healthy to cope with the hot weather and prevent heat stroke, follow official advice strictly, and avoid actions that endanger rail safety, especially approaching railway tracks or placing objects on rails, which can cause serious accidents and are illegal. These measures aim to ensure safe, smooth, and pleasant Songkran travel for everyone to enjoy time with their families.
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