Northern Line (Thailand)

{{Short description|Railway line in Thailand}} {{More citations needed|date=April 2014}} {{Infobox rail line | box_width = 300px | name = Northern Line | color = {{rcr|SRT|Northern}} | logo = | logo_width = | logo_alt = | image = File:Khun Tan Railway Station 20230225-3.jpg | image_width = 300px | image_alt = | caption = [[Chiang Mai Main Line]] in [[Mae Tha District, Lamphun|Mae Tha District]], [[Lamphun Province]] | type = {{ubl|[[Inter-city rail]]|[[Regional rail]]|[[Commuter rail]]|[[Freight rail]]}} | system = | status = Operational | locale = [[Northern Thailand|Northern]] and [[Central Thailand]] | start = [[Hua Lamphong railway station|Bangkok (Hua Lamphong)]] (ordinary and commuter services) <br/>[[Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal|Bangkok (Krung Thep Aphiwat)]] (long distance services) | end = [[Chiang Mai railway station|Chiang Mai]] <br/> [[Sawankhalok railway station|Sawankhalok]] | stations = | connectinglines = {{ubl|[[Chiang Mai Main Line]]|[[Sawankhalok Line]]|[[Den Chai–Chiang Khong Line|Chiang Khong Line]]}} | daily_ridership = | ridership2 = | open = {{Start date and age|1896|3|26|df=y}} | yearcompleted = {{Start date and age|1922|1|1|df=y}} | close =  | owner = [[Government of Thailand]] | operator = [[State Railway of Thailand]] | character = | depot = {{ubl|Bang Sue|Pak Nam Pho|Uttaradit|Lampang}} | stock = | linelength_km = 1,238.56 | linelength_mi = | linelength = | tracklength_km = | tracklength_mi = | tracklength = | tracks = 2–1 | gauge = {{Track gauge|1000 mm}} | old_gauge = | load_gauge = | minradius = | racksystem = | routenumber = | linenumber = | electrification = | speed_km/h = | speed_mph = | speed = | elevation_m = | elevation_ft = | elevation = | website = | map = {{SRT Northern Line RDT|inline=yes}} | map_state = collapsed }}

The '''Northern Line''' ({{langx|th|ทางรถไฟสายเหนือ}}) is a [[railway line]] in [[Thailand]], running between the capital [[Bangkok]] (at [[Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal]]) and the northern city of [[Chiang Mai]] ([[Chiang Mai railway station]]). It is the second longest railway line in Thailand at {{convert|751|km}} long, has 130 operational stations and halts, and is operated by the [[State Railway of Thailand]]. The line first opened in 1896. Major cities served by the line include [[Bangkok]], [[Ayutthaya (city)|Ayutthaya]], [[Nakhon Sawan]], [[Phitsanulok]], [[Lampang]], and [[Chiang Mai]].

==History==

===Timeline=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! No.<ref>100 ปี รถไฟไทย, การรถไฟแห่งประเทศไทย, 2540</ref> !! Segment !! Year opened<ref>[http://portal.rotfaithai.com/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=17 ตำนานแห่งรถไฟไทย]</ref> |- | 1 || [[Hua Lamphong railway station|Bangkok]]–[[Ayutthaya Railway Station|Ayutthaya]] || 26 March 1896 |- | 2 || Ayutthaya–[[Ban Phachi Junction|Ban Phachi]] || 1 November 1897 |- | 3 || Ban Phachi–[[Lopburi Railway Station|Lopburi]] || 1 April 1901 |- | 4 || Lopburi–[[Pak Nam Pho railway station|Pak Nam Pho]] || 1 November 1905 |- | 5 || Pak Nam Pho–[[Phitsanulok railway station|Phitsanulok]] || 24 January 1908 |- | 6 || Phitsanulok–[[Ban Dara Junction railway station|Ban Dara Junction]] || 11 November 1908 |- | 7 || Ban Dara Junction–[[Pang Ton Phueng railway station|Pang Ton Phueng]] || 15 August 1909 |- | 8 || Pang Ton Phueng–[[Mae Phuak railway halt|Mae Phuak]]|| 1 June 1911 |- | 9 || Mae Phuak–[[Pak Pan railway station|Pak Pan]] || 15 November 1911 |- | 10 || Pak Pan–Huai Mae Ta|| 1 May 1912 |- | 11 || Huai Mae Ta–[[Ban Pin railway station|Ban Pin]] || 15 June 1913 |- | 12 || Ban Pin–Pha Kho|| 1 May 1914 |- | 13 || Pha Kho–[[Mae Chang railway station|Mae Chang]] || 15 December 1915 |- | 14 || Mae Chang–[[Nakhon Lampang railway station|Nakhon Lampang]] || 1 April 1916 |- | 15 || Nakhon Lampang–Pang Hua Phong || 20 December 1916 |- | 16 || Pang Hua Phong–Pang Yang || 1 July 1918 |- | 17 || Pang Yang–[[Chiang Mai railway station|Chiang Mai]] || 1 January 1922 |- | 18 || Ban Klap - Khok Kathiam (Lopburi Bypass Line) || 5 December 2025 |} The line's operations were severely affected during [[World War II]].

Since January 2023, long-distance (Special Express, Express and Rapid) trains terminated at [[Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal]] in Bangkok replacing [[Hua Lamphong railway station|Hua Lamphong station]].

As part of the double- tracking project between Lopburi and Pak Nam Pho, the Lopburi Bypass line between [[Ban Klap Junction railway station|Ban Klap]] and [[Khok Kathiam Junction railway station|Khok Kathiam]] was opened on 5 December 2025, with one intermediate station: [[Lopburi 2 (Tha Wung) railway station|Lopburi 2 (Tha Wung)]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=เปิดเดินรถไฟทางคู่ "ลพบุรี-ปากน้ำโพ" เส้นทางใหม่เพื่อการเดินทางที่รวดเร็วขึ้น |url=https://www.thaipbs.or.th/news/content/352540 |website=Thai PBS}}</ref>

A new 323 kilometer-long branch line, from [[Den Chai railway station|Den Chai]] to the Lao border at [[Chiang Khong]], is under construction and is expected to open in 2028.<ref name="tim">{{citation |title=The History of Den Chai–Chiang Khong Dual-Track Railway Project |date=1 March 2023 |url=https://www.crbulletin.com/the-history-of-den-chai-chiang-khong-dual-track-railway-project/}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=2023-03-06 |title=Excavation Begin on 6.2-Kilometer Railway Tunnel in Chiang Rai |url=https://www.chiangraitimes.com/news/railway-tunnel-in-chiang-rai/ |access-date=2023-06-05 |publisher=Chiang Rai Times}}</ref>

===Name changes=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Name !! Old name<ref>[http://portal.rotfaithai.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=3627 Rotfaithai.Com]</ref> !! Year changed |- | [[Ayutthaya railway station|Ayutthaya]] || Krung Kao || 1917 |- | [[Nakhon Sawan railway station|Nakhon Sawan]] || Nong Pling || 1956 |- | [[Phrom Phiram railway station|Phrom Phiram]] || Ban Krab Phuang || {{n/a}} |- | [[Tron railway station|Tron]] || Wang Hin || {{n/a}} |- | [[Saraphi railway station|Saraphi]] || Pa Yang Loeng || 1961 |}

==Infrastructure== [[File:Chiang Mai Train Station.jpg|right|thumb|[[Chiang Mai railway station]] is the northern terminus of the line]] The Northern Line is entirely single track, except at stations. Track gauge is {{RailGauge|1000mm}} [[meter gauge]]. As the train frequency increases, it is becoming increasingly challenging to operate trains running both direction on the single-line track. Double-tracking has commenced between Lop Buri and Pak Nam Pho, and is planned for the rest of the line. {{Cn|date=March 2023}}

The Northern Line is not electrified. Regular services run on diesel power. The current maximum operating speed on the line is {{convert|100|km/h|abbr=on}}.

===Stations=== {{main|List of Northern Line (Thailand) stations}}

===Tunnels=== {| width=100% class="wikitable" |- ! Tunnel ! Image ! Length ! Location ! Note |- | [[Khun Tan Tunnel]] | align="center" | [[File:The north western portal at Khun Tan, Lampang-Lamphun .jpg|150px]] | {{convert|1352.15|m|ft|abbr=on}} | [[Lampang Province|Lampang]] and [[Lamphun Province]] | The longest tunnel in Thailand. |- | Khao Phlueng Tunnel | align="center" | [[File:North Portal - Khao Plueng Tunnel, Phrae.jpg|150px]] | {{convert|362.44|m|ft|abbr=on}} | [[Uttaradit Province|Uttaradit]] and [[Phrae Province]] | |- | Huai Mae Lan Tunnel | align="center" | [[File:Huai Mae Lan Tunnel, North, Phrae.jpg|150px]] | {{convert|130.20|m|ft|abbr=on}} | [[Phrae Province]] | |- | Pang Tub Khob Tunnel | align="center" | [[File:Northern portal of Pang Tub Khob Tunnel, in Uttaradit Province.jpg|150px]] | {{convert|120.09|m|ft|abbr=on}} | [[Uttaradit Province]] | The shortest railway tunnel in Thailand. |}

==See also== * [[Rail transport in Thailand]] * [[Lopburi Line]]: railway line of the [[Greater Bangkok commuter rail]] * [[Northeastern Line (Thailand)]] * [[Eastern Line (Thailand)]] * [[Southern Line (Thailand)]]

==References== {{Reflist}}

[[Category:Railway lines opened in 1896]] [[Category:Railway lines in Thailand]] [[Category:Metre-gauge railways in Thailand]]