After a year of frustration, the notorious 1.2-kilometer "missing link" between the MRT Purple and Blue lines has finally been completed. 

Opened last Friday (Aug 11), the extended rail service between the Purple Line's Tao Pun and Blue Line's Bang Sue stations eliminates the need for a 30-minute shuttle bus ride between the two stations.

The new service has been greeted with overwhelming positivity, with a review thread on Pantip mostly praising the service's efficiency. 

“Since the start, using the MRT Purple Line to travel from Talad Bang Yai to Ratchadapisek took 1.5 hours due to waiting time at Bang Son station, then more time wasted traveling to Bang Sue. Now, it only takes 50-55 minutes,” one user wrote.

Another user echoed the sentiment, "Since the connection opened, things are so much better. My journey has been cut down to 20 minutes. P.S. Customer service is better than usual too.” 

The new connection is being credited with shaving 20-40 minutes off commuters' trips, though many are still questioning why it took so long to happen. 

In an attempt to increase commuter numbers on the Purple Line, fares are currently being capped at B14-29 on weekdays and B15 baht on weekends, though these will rise after Jan 31. 

In fact, some people are already complaining of over-crowded trains at peak hour, with one user saying, “I visited a friend whose condo sits next to the MRT Purple Line. Every single carriage was packed with no room to stand.” 

Yet while the "missing link" is now a thing of the past, some things seemingly never change, like our endless wait for the Mangmoom all-in-one card connecting MRT, BTS and Airport Rail Link services.

Originally scheduled for Apr 2016, the card is currently slated for launch this Oct. But word is it'll initially only work at transfer stations between transport systems, such as BTS Asok and MRT Sukhumvit. Time is ticking and our wallets are still bulging with cards. 

See also: 8 things the BTS should have done by now