MRT Blue Line max fare drops by one baht from July 3
Bangkok’s MRT Blue Line will lower its maximum fare by one baht from July 3, with the Royal Gazette publishing new fare regulations on May 26 that bring ticket prices in line with the concession contract’s pricing formula.
The adjusted range runs from 17 to 44 baht, down one baht from the current range of 17 to 45 baht.
Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) Governor Kajphajong Udomthammapakdi confirmed the change is a reduction, not an increase, noting that confusion had arisen after some readers interpreted the Royal Gazette announcement as a fare rise.
The adjustment follows a mandatory biennial review under the concession agreement, with fares calculated by reference to the Consumer Price Index. The latest review found the index had declined, triggering a downward adjustment under the formula.mrt
The current fare structure has been in place since July 2024. The new fare rates for the MRT Blue Line take effect on July 3 this year, with the next scheduled review due in 2027.
The starting fare of 17 baht remains unchanged, as do fares for journeys of one to five stations. Reductions apply from six stations onwards, as follows:
- Six stations: 29 baht (previously 30 baht)
- Eight stations: 34 baht (previously 35 baht)
- Ten stations: 39 baht (previously 40 baht)
- Twelve stations or more: 44 baht (previously 45 baht)
The concession rules published in the Royal Gazette also update the fare exemption and discount categories. Children up to 120 centimetres tall travel free, as do passengers with disabilities. Passengers aged 60 and over receive a 50% discount.
These represent changes from the previous concession terms, under which free travel applied to children up to 90 centimetres tall, a 50% discount applied to children up to 135 centimetres tall or aged up to 14, and a 10% discount applied to students aged up to 23.
The MRTA board also confirmed that the MRT Purple Line fare will remain unchanged at 14 to 42 baht per journey, despite the pricing formula allowing for an increase.
The board said fares on the Purple Line had not been adjusted since 2016 and that the decision to hold prices reflected the current cost-of-living pressures faced by the public and the government’s policy of reducing household expenses.
Latest Thailand News
Follow The Thaiger on Google News:
