Bangkok’s expressway toll fees skyrocket starting today

Toll fees along Bangkok’s Chalong Rat and Burapha Withi expressways are seeing a steep increase starting from today, March 1.

The Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT) dropped this bombshell earlier this month, announcing a hefty hike in toll charges. For four-wheel vehicles traversing the Chalong Rat Expressway, be prepared to shell out an extra 5 baht, pushing the toll to 45 baht. Larger vehicles won’t be spared either, with fees for six to 10-wheelers climbing from 60 to 65 baht, and those with more than 10 wheels facing a 10 baht increase, totalling 90 baht.

“Motorists commuting from Ramindra 1 to Sukhapibal 5-2 toll booths will also feel the pinch.”

While four-wheelers will maintain the previous rate of 20 baht, charges for six to 10-wheelers will now stand at 35 baht instead of 30 baht, and vehicles with over 10 wheels will face a 5 baht bump, reaching 45 baht.

Not to be outdone, the Burapha Withi Expressway is also getting in on the act. For four-wheelers covering less than 20 kilometres, the old rate applies, but beyond that, fees will soar, starting from 5 baht and capped at 10 baht, reported The Nation.

Six to 10-wheelers will fork out an extra 5 baht for journeys under 20 kilometres, escalating to 10 baht, capped at 20 baht, for longer distances.

With the toll hike ostensibly aligning with EXAT’s contract with the Thailand Future Fund, commuters are left feeling the pinch. While initially proposed last year, delays pushed the implementation to today.

In related news, EXAT announced toll-free passage along three key Bangkok expressways last Saturday. From the stroke of midnight until the clock strikes 12, motorists were able to drive seamlessly through the Chalerm Mahanakhon, Srirat, and Udon Ratthaya expressways. This generous reprieve, comprising 19 gates, 31 gates, and 10 gates respectively, aligned with the Transport Ministry’s initiative to ease the capital’s congestion on national holidays.

In other news, EXAT is set to launch four expressway projects amounting to approximately 120 billion baht. The projects, once approved and operational, are anticipated to stimulate economic growth and create job opportunities across the nation.