On the construction site in the outskirts of Nakhon Ratchasima, the bridge piers are climbing up step by step, and most of the 252.3 kilometer line has been raised. In a bidding announcement in Bangkok, six trains of the 250 kilometer per hour Fuxing were included in the procurement list, with both civil engineering and vehicle lines running at the same pace for the first time.

Six trains of Fuxing are waiting on the way

CR recently released a bidding announcement for the procurement of the Fuxing high-speed train with a speed of 250 kilometers per hour on the Bangkok Nakhon Ratchasima section of the first phase of the China Thailand high-speed railway project. The plan is to purchase 6 sets, including supporting onboard electrical equipment. All procurement funds come from the Thai government budget, and the vehicles will be delivered within Thailand with a planned delivery date of June 2030.

This bidding is not just about buying a car. It covers the manufacturing and supply of high-speed trains, factory testing and acceptance, transportation logistics, on-site installation and debugging, software installation, as well as a two-year warranty service from the date of acceptance. This means that the first phase of the online system project is moving from drawings to equipment procurement and implementation, and also leaves time for subsequent delivery, system installation, and joint debugging and testing.

The first phase of the main line is 252.3 kilometers long, connecting Bangkok and Nakhon Ratchasima, with a designed speed of 250 kilometers per hour. It adopts Chinese high-speed rail technology standards and has 6 passenger stations along the line, supporting dispatch centers, high-speed train depots, and comprehensive maintenance bases. Among the 14 civil engineering contracts currently divided, 2 have been completed, 10 are under construction, and 2 are still awaiting bidding. Some sections still have connection and progress issues. Thai Transport Minister Phipa stated that the relevant contract issues are expected to be resolved within a year, and the Thai side still aims to complete and open the project by 2030.

The schedule for Phase 2 is being compressed

While the first phase is pushing forward, the second phase is also accelerating its preparation. Thailand plans to launch a tender for the Nakhon Ratchasima Langkawi section in 2027, with a total length of 357.12 kilometers and a budget of 341.35 billion Thai baht, approximately 72.5 billion yuan. Currently, technical preparation and standard certification are underway and have been approved in principle by the Thai Cabinet. The Thai side plans to open for operation in 2033, which is expected to shorten the railway travel time from Bangkok to Langkawi to just over 5 hours. Keywords: China Thailand High speed Railway, Fuxing Express Going Global

After the two sections are connected, a China Thailand high-speed railway corridor with a total length of about 610 kilometers will be formed, and it will be connected to the railway network in Laos at Langkai. Passengers and goods can further connect to Yunnan, China through the Laos railway, and the railway transportation links between China, Laos, and Thailand will be linked into one line.Editor/Min Jing