Bangkok’s Red Line to extend 20-baht fare after ridership surge

The Red Line operator aims to extend its popular 20-baht flat-rate fare for another year following a significant increase in ridership during the current trial period, which expires in November.

Passenger numbers on the Red Line surged by approximately 50% since the 20-baht fare was implemented in October last year, according to Suthep Punthupeng, CEO of SRT Electrified Train Co, a subsidiary of the state-run State Railway of Thailand (SRT). The rise exceeded the initial estimate of a 10 to 15% increase, with a maximum projection of 20%, previously presented to the Cabinet.

The company plans to submit its annual report to the SRT board next Monday, September 30, before forwarding it to the Ministry of Transport and then to the Cabinet for approval of the fare extension.

“The extension should boost the number of passengers in 2025 by another 10%.”

The 20-baht flat rate was introduced by Transport Minister Suriya Junrungreangkit on both the Purple Line and Red Line to help Bangkok residents manage living costs and encourage the use of mass transit, thereby reducing pollution from fossil-fuel vehicles.

The Red Line, covering two sections — Bang Sue-Rangsit and Bang Sue-Taling Chan — has a capacity of up to 200,000 passengers daily. This year, the line has seen an average of 30,000 daily users, peaking at a record 42,000 at the end of last month.

“The number has also improved from last year’s average of 19,000, and we expect the average next year to reach 40,000 a day.”

The company is also introducing feeder bus routes to support Red Line commuters. The first-weekend trial run, scheduled for October 5, will operate between the Krungthep Apiwat station and Chatuchak Market.

Transport Minister Suriya mentioned that the government aims to implement a 20-baht cap across all rail lines in Greater Bangkok by March 2026. One possible approach to achieve this goal would involve the government buying back the concessions of some operators.

Currently, the 20-baht fare limit applies only to the Purple and Red lines operated by the Mass Rapid Transit Authority and the SRT, respectively. Fares on the two most widely used mass-transit systems in Bangkok vary by distance, ranging from 17 to 43 baht on the MRT routes and 15 to 62 baht on the BTS Skytrain system, reported Bangkok Post.