Bangkok’s BTS becoming too expensive for Thai passengers

[snoop1130]

Bangkok’s BTS becoming too expensive for Thai passengers

By The Thaiger

 

 

The ultra-useful BTS network around Bangkok is becoming too expensive for many Thais, and is more expensive than international equivalents.

 

The BTS Skytrain system is already too costly when compared to basic wages in Thailand, according to a recent research paper by the The Thailand Development Research Institute.

 

It says that low-income earners can only afford to pay 11.7 baht per trip, well under the BTS starting fare price of 16 baht. This is even less than the average of 28.3 baht fare for all three commuter rail services carrying passengers around Bangkok.

 

The reports says that, based on current fare schedules, rates could rise to over 100 baht for a ride between the Purple Line’s MRT Bang Yai, in the Bang Bua Thong district in the western outskirts, to a downtown station. In terms of cost-per-kilometre travelled by train, the average fare in Bangkok stood at 14.8 baht, as opposed to 12.4 baht in London, 2.3 baht in Singapore and 4.08 baht in Hong Kong.

 

The report also points out inconsistencies between the BTS (Skytrain) and MRT (Underground). A BTS passenger would be charged 37 baht when travelling from Sala Daeng to Asok, compared to 23 baht when commuting by MRT between Silom and Sukhumvit stations, an equivalent length journey.

 

Because of high fares the report says that fewer commuters could use the electric rail lines, and operators would have to shoulder high operating costs.

 

There are currently three electric rail systems traversing the capital: the BTS Skytrain, the MRT and SRT Airport link. They are operated by privately owned conglomerates under lucrative concessions granted by the Thai government.

 

Learn more about the Bangkok BTS HERE.

 

Source: https://thethaiger.com/hot-news/transport/bangkoks-bts-becoming-too-expensive-for-thai-passengers

 

-- © Copyright The Thaiger 2019-07-04

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[Briggsy]

"More expensive and/or lower quality" than international equivalents. That is the Thai consumer outlook in a nutshell.

 

The reason is corruption impacting the consumer in a number of ways. Stifling competition and consumer protection drives quality down. Allowing monopolies, endemic kickbacks and having an enormously bloated public sector feeding off the economy drives prices up.

[shady86]

No its not. Its overcrowded most of the time especially peak hours. Operating costs is not high as these operators are making lots of profit.

[Pilotman]

Technological development has vastly outpaced social development in Thailand.  The social and financial  divide is growing by the year and the government is doing very little to address this growing imbalance.  Fares in Bangkok, that only the middle class can afford, is just one more small but significant indicator or what could eventually pull this country apart; again. 

[notasmartassknowitallfarag]

Way too overcrowded, it needs a more frequent service and or longer carriages. 

 

Price is too high for the lower income local workers in Bangkok. 

 

But it is extremely clean and generally does not have many delays. 

 

 

[meand]

Ok. There are about a half dozen different ways to get anywhere from pretty much anywhere within bangkok. Bts is one of the most expensive. Also one of the slickest and most well run. So, everything is making sense here. 

[DrTuner]

Just about everything in BKK is soon more expensive than the international equivalents. And the quality of life is spiraling down at the same time. Can't fathom why any one would want to move there.

[Camillof]

30 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

There are currently three electric rail systems traversing the capital: the BTS Skytrain, the MRT and SRT Airport link

Airport Link is expensive too, and service sucks even worse than BTS: it is slow and overcrowded and cars and stations are not designed for a real international passengers service (passengers with light luggage).

 

37 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

the average fare in Bangkok stood at 14.8 baht, as opposed to 12.4 baht in London, 2.3 baht in Singapore and 4.08 baht in Hong Kong

One way to lower prices could be to introduce some sort of unitary ticket usable on all 3 systems, something very much needed in Bangkok IMHO.

[lkv]

46 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

In terms of cost-per-kilometre travelled by train, the average fare in Bangkok stood at 14.8 baht

Nobody show this to the taxi drivers, won't make them feel good at 5-6 baht per km, excluding start fare.

Edited July 4, 2019 by lkv

[trainman34014]

Wait until they see the fares on the new HST's; they will be running empty !    Mind you; if it ever gats built it will be some kind of miracle.

[Selatan]

In Kuala Lumpur, we have a 30-day unlimited pass option. Usable on all the MRT, LRT, Monorail and BRT lines as well as the RapidKL and MRT feeder buses. Price is 100 ringgit (approx 743 baht). But only Malaysian citizens can get the pass. What do you think? Is this inexpensive?

[wisperone]

Time to start charging the foreigners double so the Thais can ride.

[YTP]

I disagree.  For the same destinations, your other public transit options are:

-  Motorcycle taxi.  Faster but not exactly safe.  Approximately same price, but limited to a maximum distance of maybe 2 or 3 stations.

-  Tuktuk.  A bit more expensive than motorcys (for Thais).  Nobody really uses tuktuks except those with loads of groceries from Big C or shopowners carrying supplies.

-  Taxi.  Higher base charge and can get expensive over long distances, especially if stuck in traffic.

 

The only cheaper option is of course the bus, but wait times, and the stress of trying to get on/off packed buses, especially when they barely come to a full stop at bus signs make busing not very fun.  As you can imagine, riding the bus in rush hour is horrendous.

 

Getting across BKK is not easy, period.  BTS is a good value for what it is.

 

[josephbloggs]

4 hours ago, Camillof said:

Airport Link is expensive too, and service sucks even worse than BTS: it is slow and overcrowded and cars and stations are not designed for a real international passengers service (passengers with light luggage).

Airport link is expensive!??

 

It is many things but it is not expensive, neither is it slow.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I don't think the BTS and MRT systems have to worry to much about losing passengers due to high fares. They're already overcrowded right now....

 

And if passengers in the future started dropping off because of ever increasing fares, no problem, there's always the standard Thai solution. Just raise the fares even more to make up for the passengers who already were dropping off because the fares were going up...

 

At some point, I'll have the train all to myself -- but it will be a VERY expensive ride!!!  

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

5 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

In terms of cost-per-kilometre travelled by train, the average fare in Bangkok stood at 14.8 baht, as opposed to 12.4 baht in London, 2.3 baht in Singapore and 4.08 baht in Hong Kong.

 

Those are interesting comparisons.... I'm guessing part of the reason behind the divergence is Bangkok decided to operate its rail lines as for profit corporate ventures with the operators linked to real estate development and other related ventures...

 

Whereas I'm presuming, some of the other cities mentioned chose to build and develop their rail lines as government-run, public sector transit systems where the actual goal was to provide efficient, affordable transit for the public vs. making a lot of developers and corporate types even richer than they already were.

 

[madmen]

5 hours ago, DrTuner said:

Just about everything in BKK is soon more expensive than the international equivalents. And the quality of life is spiraling down at the same time. Can't fathom why any one would want to move there.

You do realise this thread is not about farang right? You suggesting 10 million Thais leave bangkok ????

[hotchilli]

13 hours ago, Pilotman said:

Technological development has vastly outpaced social development in Thailand.  The social and financial  divide is growing by the year and the government is doing very little to address this growing imbalance.  Fares in Bangkok, that only the middle class can afford, is just one more small but significant indicator or what could eventually pull this country apart; again. 

The government only care about the middle class as they are the office workers.

The high end drive Mercs around town after peek travelling times to do some shopping.

The Poor class can take the crap bus or walk!

[bangon04]

"the average fare in Bangkok stood at 14.8 baht, as opposed to 12.4 baht in London"

 

If the GBP keeps dropping against the THB (and others) ........

[Prairieboy]

A minimum wage earner (~300 baht/day) traveling twice daily at 16 baht each way spends 10% of his/her salary for transport on the BTS.

[Crossy]

24 minutes ago, Prairieboy said:

A minimum wage earner (~300 baht/day) traveling twice daily at 16 baht each way spends 10% of his/her salary for transport on the BTS.

 

But he will have a government welfare card which gives him 500 Baht a month for use on transit (yes, he can use it on the BTS).

 

[VocalNeal]

51 minutes ago, Prairieboy said:

A minimum wage earner (~300 baht/day) traveling twice daily at 16 baht each way spends 10% of his/her salary for transport on the BTS.

Have you been on the BTS? How far do you get for 16 baht? 

Answer = 1 station about 1km. Mr. 300 baht per day will walk that?

 

It is still the last mile that is the killer as BTS just dumps one in a district.  

 

It is a difficult problem as punters will pay 20 baht on a mocy taxi to go 1.5 kms to the BTS. If BTS was cheap then the mocy guys would come under pressure.

Edited July 5, 2019 by VocalNeal

[newnative]

9 hours ago, josephbloggs said:

Airport link is expensive!??

 

It is many things but it is not expensive, neither is it slow.

   It's slow and it's not really an airport link anymore. You wait forever for the train and when it finally comes it's packed because there are usually only 3 cars.  Forget sitting--feel lucky if you can find space for your suitcase.  Then it makes 4 or so stops on the way to the airport, while traveling at a not very fast pace.  Finally you get to the airport, the last stop on what has become just another commuter line for all the Thais living along the line and the airport is not a 'link' but just the last stop on this commuter line.

   In regard to the OP, we're probably lucky the fares are high because all the trains in the system are packed due to having only 3 or 4 cars and infrequent intervals.  They've taken out the seats--not sure what is next.  And here's a shout out for ONE fare card that will work on all 3 systems! And that's one of the problems in a nutshell--3 systems and no coordination among them. 

[Pilotman]

14 hours ago, lkv said:

Nobody show this to the taxi drivers, won't make them feel good at 5-6 baht per km, excluding start fare.

ha, if you can get them to use the meter.  They are the most unreliable of all the modes of Bangkok transport in terms of cost per km. Just a bunch of crooks. 

[Wilson Smith]

11 hours ago, YTP said:

I disagree.  For the same destinations, your other public transit options are:

-  Motorcycle taxi.  Faster but not exactly safe.  Approximately same price, but limited to a maximum distance of maybe 2 or 3 stations.

-  Tuktuk.  A bit more expensive than motorcys (for Thais).  Nobody really uses tuktuks except those with loads of groceries from Big C or shopowners carrying supplies.

-  Taxi.  Higher base charge and can get expensive over long distances, especially if stuck in traffic.

 

The only cheaper option is of course the bus, but wait times, and the stress of trying to get on/off packed buses, especially when they barely come to a full stop at bus signs make busing not very fun.  As you can imagine, riding the bus in rush hour is horrendous.

 

Getting across BKK is not easy, period.  BTS is a good value for what it is.

 

Yes good value if you can afford it. I think the point of the study is for the people in the society who are being forced into the last option (the horrendous bus) that you stated.  

[Lucius verus]

16 baht?? That figure could only be for a commuter who buys  a monthly pass and uses it constantly all day.

The trip cost of using BTS once a day or occasionally is far more expensive. I paid 54 b oneway for about 11 stops or 108 b return.

I think the minimum fare has gone up again to 35 b for one to three stops only. Ticketing machine prices are brutal.

People in groups are far better off taking a taxi. Much cheaper per person. Very long trip 130 baht fare divided by 4 passengers Is less than 35 b per Thai.

Obviously if its 4 farang tourists its 130 baht per person. LOL

Or 10 minutes tuk tuk ride 1500 baht for 3 tourists

..500 baht each.

BIB said later to angry  guide that 500 baht  total is a fair price.  That's nice of them !

I would pay same as Thais ....40 maybe 50 baht depending on traffic.

[owenm]

Travelling on MRT is half price if 60+ and show DL when purchasing token at window. From Bang Yai, purple line to Sukhumvit, blue line, about 60 min travel time I pay 35bht and GF pays 70bht.

 

If there was a multi transit card to use on BTS, MRT, Airport link, that could be used as daily, weekly or monthly card, with a stored value balance on the card would be a great initiative. The Pay As You Go system offers no incentive for frequent travellers to use multi forms of transport. 

[seancbk]

11 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Those are interesting comparisons.... I'm guessing part of the reason behind the divergence is Bangkok decided to operate its rail lines as for profit corporate ventures with the operators linked to real estate development and other related ventures...

 

Whereas I'm presuming, some of the other cities mentioned chose to build and develop their rail lines as government-run, public sector transit systems where the actual goal was to provide efficient, affordable transit for the public vs. making a lot of developers and corporate types even richer than they already were.

 

Hong Kong's MTR is a partial private corporation having gone public in 2000.  It started in 1972 as a Government owned corporation. 

MTR Corporation Limited (Chinese: 香港鐵路有限公司) is a Hong Kong company listed on the Hong Kong Exchange, and a component of Hang Seng Index. MTR runs Hong Kong's Mass Transit Railway (MTR), and is also a major property developer and landlord in Hong Kong. It also invests in railways in different parts in the world, and has obtained contracts to operate rapid transit systems in London, Stockholm, Beijing, Hangzhou, Macau, Shenzhen, Melbourne, and Sydney. 

At the time of the initial public offering, the company was operating with a budget surplus of HK$360 million ($46.1 million), which had increased from a surplus of HK$278 million ($35.6 million) in 1997. The MTR has continued to be one of the few profitable public transport systems in the world.

[PerkinsCuthbert]

11 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Those are interesting comparisons.... I'm guessing part of the reason behind the divergence is Bangkok decided to operate its rail lines as for profit corporate ventures with the operators linked to real estate development and other related ventures...

 

Whereas I'm presuming, some of the other cities mentioned chose to build and develop their rail lines as government-run, public sector transit systems where the actual goal was to provide efficient, affordable transit for the public vs. making a lot of developers and corporate types even richer than they already were.

 

That's the problem in a nutshell - connected, largely Chinese-Thai family business contracts versus publicly funded services for all citizens. 

We all know who wins in Thailand.

[flbkk]

Since the extra stations opened up at the end of the Sukumvit line,  it’s packed all the time. It’s still free to go the extra distance, but I suspect it will still get heavy use. If they add carriages or more trains, the Siam station will not hold all the people.