Passengers on Bangkok's Blue and Purple line trains will receive fare discounts of up to 32% if they buy 30-day passes issued from next month as part of government efforts to lower the cost of living.
The discount, which will be trialed for three months, is targeted at commuters who regularly travel long distances on both the Blue Line, which links Bang Sue, Hua Lamphong and Bang Khae, and the Purple Line, which runs from Tao Pun to Bang Yai in Nonthaburi.
Tao Pun is the interchange station between the two lines. A 30-day pass for 50 trips will cost 2,350 baht, earning passengers a discount of 23 baht on the full 70-baht fare. "They will pay only 47 baht a trip," Sarawut Songsivilai, chairman of the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA), said yesterday. The one-month card for 15-40 trips will cost less but fares will be slightly higher at 48-52 baht. The discounts will take effect from Dec 25, under the Transport Ministry's policy to reduce ticket prices for electric trains. "The price reductions will not affect the state budget," said Mr Sarawut, adding the move was a collaboration between the MRTA and the Blue and Purple line operators, Bangkok Expressway and Metro Plc. The board also approved an off-peak flat fare of 20 baht on the Purple Line.