Purple Line discounts to be considered

Purple Line discounts to be considered

The carriages of the Purple Line are virtually private after its opening on Aug 6, 2016. Concerned authorities were considering fare reduction to woo commuters. (Photo by Wichan Charoenkiatpakul)
The carriages of the Purple Line are virtually private after its opening on Aug 6, 2016. Concerned authorities were considering fare reduction to woo commuters. (Photo by Wichan Charoenkiatpakul)

Operators will discuss sharp cuts in the fares and parking fees of the Purple Line on Wednesday afternoon to woo commuters to the newly opened mass transit link whose ridership has been far short of the target.

The board of the Mass Rapid Transit Authority (MRTA) and its electric train concessionaire Bangkok Expressway and Metro Plc (BEM) will consider the move two weeks after the Purple Line was officially opened, MRTA chairman Yodyuth Boonyatikarn said on Wednesday morning.

Ridership of the new link, which runs from Bang Yai of Nonthaburi to Bang Sue of Bangkok, has been short of the target because it has yet to connect with the popular Blue Line in central Bangkok.

The discounts should attract more commuters as the 23-kilometre Purple Line, which officially opened on Aug 6, has been serving about 20,000 passengers a day, far short of the target of 100,000, Gen Yodyuth said. He expected a 40% fare discount.

Present fares range from 14 to 42 baht and parking fees are 10 baht for two hours or 1,000 baht a month. Parking areas are at Khlong Bang Phai, Sam Yaek Bang Yai, Sai Ma and Yaek Nonthaburi 1 stations.

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