Chiang Mai's city bus network will return on August 31, after its operator suspended services in July amid soaring fuel costs and low passenger numbers. Regional Transit Cooperation (RTC), which has operated the service since 2018, said its four buses will again run on the Red, Yellow and Green loop routes. The July suspension was the first interruption to the service in eight years. "We're Back! Ready for service," RTC said in a Facebook announcement confirming the return date. Three routes from Chiang Mai airport All three services begin and end at Chiang Mai airport, operating from 7am until 6.30pm. The fare remains a flat 50 baht per journey. The airport connection is particularly useful for foreign residents, visitors and newly arrived travellers who want an inexpensive public-transport option to move around the city. However, passengers should note that the network has only four buses and operates within the stated daytime hours, rather than as an airport shuttle running late into the evening. RTC's current buses use compressed natural gas. The company plans to use electricity for its new fleet. Fuel costs and low ridership RTC decided to halt operations in July because of high gas prices and weak ridership, according to a June report by business news outlet Prachachat. The suspension left regular users without the service during a period when the operator was under pressure from rising running costs. Passengers responding to the return announcement welcomed the resumption, with many saying reliable arrival times mattered more than more frequent buses. They said an on-time schedule would allow them to plan journeys rather than wait indefinitely at stops. Join the discussion? 23 August 2026
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