Bangkok:The Ministry of Transport is advancing plans to roll out an integrated ticket system for eight electric train lines in Bangkok and its surrounding areas, with a maximum fare set at 45 baht per trip, effective January 1, 2027.

According to Thai News Agency, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, Mr. Pipat Ratchakitprakarn, chaired a meeting where the committee approved the principle of a unified fare structure. The system aims to alleviate the public's cost of living by setting a maximum fare of 45 baht, with an initial entry fee capped at 17 baht. Importantly, passengers will not incur duplicate initial entry fees when transitioning between train lines.

The comprehensive plan includes eight electric train lines the Red Line, Airport Rail Link, Blue Line, Purple Line, Yellow Line, Pink Line, Green Line, and Gold Line. Thai citizens who register through the "Paotang" application and use an EMV Contactless card for payments will be eligible for this fare system.

The Ministry expects the first year of operation to require approximately 5,850 million baht in compensation. To address this, a proposal will be made for approval from the 2027 central budget to cover the expenses as the regulations of the integrated ticketing system promotion fund are drafted.

Additionally, the meeting sanctioned the draft MOU for transferring the Green Line and Gold Line projects from the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to the Mass Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA), aiming to centralize the management of the city's electric train network.

Mr. Pichet Kunathamarak, Director-General of the Department of Rail Transport, highlighted the success of a trial using daily prepaid cards on the Red and Purple lines, which resulted in a 121% increase in passenger numbers. Plans are underway to extend this measure until the end of 2027 to support the transition to the integrated ticketing system.