Common Ticket For Bangkok Skytrain And Subway Coming Soon

[george]

Common ticket for Skytrain and subway

Trials in April aimed at future integrated fares

Bangkok commuters will soon find travelling through

the central areas of Bangkok more convenient.

BANGKOK: -- By April this year, the operators of Bangkok's biggest inner-city mass-transit systems, the Skytrain and the subway, will begin offering one card covering fares on both systems.

A director and advisor to the board of Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTS), Anat Arbhabhirama, said the common-ticket system resulted from collaboration between BTS, which operates the Skytrain, Bangkok Metro Company (BMCL), which oversees MRT, the subway operator, and Bangkok Bank (BBL).

The idea of a common ticket has been under development for several years, following the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Transport Minister, BTS and BMCL. The memorandum provides not only for common tickets, but also for eventual integration of fares.

Two years ago, BTS and BMCL partnered with Bangkok Bank to set up a joint venture called Bangkok Smart Card. This company's job is to become the operator and clearing house, taking care of all the common Skytrain-subway tickets.

Studying and developing the system has taken two years, and it is expected to be complete by end of the first quarter of this year. In April, BTS and MRT will trial the common ticket with a pilot group of 10,000 passengers.

"The pilot test will take two months - April and May. Then, we will receive feedback and adjust the system before a commercial launch in September," Anat said.

He said the move was an attempt by BTS and MRT to enable passengers to travel through Skytrain and subway routes seamlessly, carrying only one ticket. However, the two organisations are planning beyond the common ticket to introduce fully integrated fares, aimed at avoiding the need for passengers to pay minimum charges at interchange stations between the BTS and MRT systems.

The collaborative effort is also seen as a first step towards eventual extension to other mass-transit systems, including public buses, public boats, expressway tolls and car-parking systems. However, the plan is being implemented step by step, and the first phase is combining MRT and BTS tickets into one card, but without an integrated-fare system, Anat said.

The new card system will allow passengers to buy, to refill and to use the cards at any BTS or MRT stations, and also to buy and refill via Bangkok Bank's channels.

"The beauty of the system is passengers will need to carry only one card to travel on both Skytrain and subway services and they can top-up the value of the cards at all BTS and MRT stations or at bank branches or ATMs," Anat said, adding that the collaborating partners had yet to set a limit on the total amount that could be stored in the cards.

Anat admitted that the common-ticket system would not offer the benefits of integrated fares, but it would be a good start for further development, providing for trials of an integrated system between BTS and MRT and the eventual introduction of fully integrated fares.

In preparation for trials of the common ticket in April, both mass-transit operators will need to adjust the back-end and front-end IT systems. BTS and MRT will have to deploy clearing-house software in their back-end systems and their front-end systems will have to be adjusted to accept the new combined tickets.

"This common ticket will also help to reduce the number of cards being issued," Anat said. "Currently BTS has around 1 million cards with 500,000 transactions per day, while MRT has around 500,000 cards. The common ticket is designed to combine all types of tickets together. For example, BTS has single-journey tickets, student cards, monthly tickets, and refill cards."

As well as preparing for the BTS and MRT common tickets, Bangkok Smart Card is now negotiating with several potential partners for future extension of the card system. These include Chao Phya Express Boats and Bangkok Bus Rapid Transit, as well as convenience stores like 7 Eleven and CP Mart, shops at BTS and MRT stations, car parking stations and restaurants.

The card company is also planning to serve the planned rail routes of the Mass Rapid Transit Authority (MRTA), the bus routes of the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA), and provincial bus services.

"Eventually, we want to see a common ticket in Thailand with integrated fares, like Hong Kong's famous common ticket called the 'Octopus Card'," Anat said.

-- The Nation 2011-01-03

[kurnell]

That was quick

[theoldgit]

That was quick

Indeed, I believe the Octopus Card in Hong Kong had an integrated system a little over 13 years ago with the EZ Card in Singapore being introduced, I think, in 2002.

Still better late than never, at least they are giving it a go, really hope it works.

I get 50% discount on my MRT travel, just hope I get it on the BTS as well.

Edited January 3, 2011 by theoldgit

[Humphrey Bear]

And the HK and Singapore cards,as well as similar system in Tokyo, also offer a debit card facility for most other services.

This idea is twenty years behind the thinking of first world locations, such as those mentioned.

I wonder if any of these senior administrators haveever left their cosy little nest in Thailand and seen how the rest of the world operates?

[Eileenchog]

On the Underground I get 50% discount due to old age On the Skytrain I do not. How are they going to deal with this?

[whybother]

On the Underground I get 50% discount due to old age On the Skytrain I do not. How are they going to deal with this?

Initially, they're not. One new card, but same fare structures ... at least until later.

[joboss]

On the Underground I get 50% discount due to old age On the Skytrain I do not. How are they going to deal with this?

Try running up the stairs....

[theoldgit]

On the Underground I get 50% discount due to old age On the Skytrain I do not. How are they going to deal with this?

Try running up the stairs....

Sooner or later somebody always comes along and makes a childish remark.

[Englander]

On the Underground I get 50% discount due to old age On the Skytrain I do not. How are they going to deal with this?

Try running up the stairs....

Sooner or later somebody always comes along and makes a childish remark.

But why should people have to subsidise the elderly to travel, especially when theyre foreigners.

Another babyboomer suffering from entitlement syndrome.

[bkkjames]

On the Underground I get 50% discount due to old age On the Skytrain I do not. How are they going to deal with this?

Try running up the stairs....

Sooner or later somebody always comes along and makes a childish remark.

But why should people have to subsidise the elderly to travel, especially when theyre foreigners.

Another babyboomer suffering from entitlement syndrome.

Ok maybe not subsidy but if you have a young kid with a stroller or are physically impaired (wheel chair etc) forget about the bts. About half the stations (or less) have a lift. Funny enough Phrom Pong - nope, Taksin - nope, Siam Yes, MBK nope, Krung Thonburi yes. What was the thought process behind which stations got lifts?

Even notice at the subway at Silom the lifts are always out of order (closed for security reasons).

[theoldgit]

On the Underground I get 50% discount due to old age On the Skytrain I do not. How are they going to deal with this?

Try running up the stairs....

Sooner or later somebody always comes along and makes a childish remark.

But why should people have to subsidise the elderly to travel, especially when theyre foreigners.

Another babyboomer suffering from entitlement syndrome.

No entitlement syndrome at all, the MRT already offer a 50% discount for children and seniors who purchase their pre-paid smart cards, presumably as part of their business model, people understandably wonder if this concession would continue, to all users of the system when the ticket system is improved..

[zaphodbeeblebrox]

How long will it take them to put all 3 systems (BTS, MRT and Airport Link) on a single smart card system? This isn't rocket science.

[barryFunk]

And the HK and Singapore cards,as well as similar system in Tokyo, also offer a debit card facility for most other services.

This idea is twenty years behind the thinking of first world locations, such as those mentioned.

Can't we be glad that they're finally doing something about it rather than complaining?

There are plenty of 'first world' without fare integration. Take a quick trip to Toronto (or most places in North America) if you're interested in horrible integration of transport... Bangkok's well above average when it comes to public transport compared to its peers in the developing world (outside China at least). Take a trip to Jakarta, Ho Chi Minh City, Phnom Penh, Manila, Dhaka or Yangon and you might realise how good we have it here.

It seems like a lot of people on these forums expect the best of both the developed (perfect infrastructure, less corruption, etc) and developing (cheap) worlds. Perhaps instead you should just appreciate how good Bangkok can be and appreciate developments such as this even if they take a bit longer to implement than we'd all like.

[barryFunk]

How long will it take them to put all 3 systems (BTS, MRT and Airport Link) on a single smart card system? This isn't rocket science.

Well... it took five years to get the Oyster Card up and running in London. Much of the delay seems to have been caused by the Public Private Partnerships (much like the BTS) so I guess that's a reasonable estimate of how long from start to finish it would normally take.

Source: http://www.ciltuk.org.uk/download_files/ltfapr06underground.pdf (quite an interesting read for any transportation geeks out there)

It took a further four or five years to get the commuter train companies on board.

[Bakseedaa]

On the Underground I get 50% discount due to old age On the Skytrain I do not. How are they going to deal with this?

Thats easy to answer, you will not be able to buy a card and keep your discount... you see....easy..!! and you will probabally be dead before it comes into service for mainstream users anyway... that thought should cheer you up..!! Happy New Year..!!

[Thai at Heart]

I wonder if this extends to naming the stations with unified names too, instead of expecting tourists to realise that Saladaeng is in Silom and that Asoke is in Sukhumvit?

[wayfarer108]

That was quick

Indeed, I believe the Octopus Card in Hong Kong had an integrated system a little over 13 years ago with the EZ Card in Singapore being introduced, I think, in 2002.

Still better late than never, at least they are giving it a go, really hope it works.

I get 50% discount on my MRT travel, just hope I get it on the BTS as well.

Thirteen years behind Hong Kong and eight years behind Singapore sounds about right. May it remain so!

I have never found it that much of an inconveninece, and I use both systems regularly. I simply carry two stored value cards, one for each.

[Rinrada]

Sounds good and all that but how about pulling out the five digits and start getting the White Elephant extension from On-Nut to Soi Baring up and running FIRST..and also maybe extending it by the "Chiang Yai" to my place in/near Paknam.... ...another year ....2...3....or WOT?

[Carib]

Progress cannot please everybody instantly, never could and never will.

What always amazes me are the comments about the speed of some projects. There seems to be a `forget button` pushed together with the hand out of rose-tinted glasses when passing the Thai border, about how long some things took back home.

Appreciate what you got and if you cannot, don't forget to return the before mentioned glasses on the way out. this ain't kansas nor blighty and thank Buddha for that.

[whybother]

I wonder if this extends to naming the stations with unified names too, instead of expecting tourists to realise that Saladaeng is in Silom and that Asoke is in Sukhumvit?

Which way do you want it? When on the BTS getting to Suhkumvit station - which of the 10 (?) stations on Suhkumvit is Suhkumvit? When on the MRT getting to Asoke station - which end of Asoke?

[bkkjames]

The question that I have is this: one stop on the bts is how much>? Is it the same on the mrt - I don't think so.

Therefore, will my little 35 trip card be applicable on both?

(List below the conditions you think will be rolled out)

1. Only valid for cash paying customers or those with stored value cards - gone are the pay per trip cards

2. It will cost 60 Baht to go from Lad Prao MRT to Wong Win Yai Bts

3. If you go more than 3 stations on the MRT and only 1 on the bts, you shall be charged the MRT equivilent for 4 stations

4. Children over 90 cm will have to pay on the BTS but are free on the MRT

5. No plans in the works to purchase a monthly pass (with photo to prevent sharing)

6. ......

[whybother]

The question that I have is this: one stop on the bts is how much>? Is it the same on the mrt - I don't think so.

Therefore, will my little 35 trip card be applicable on both?

(List below the conditions you think will be rolled out)

1. Only valid for cash paying customers or those with stored value cards - gone are the pay per trip cards

2. It will cost 60 Baht to go from Lad Prao MRT to Wong Win Yai Bts

3. If you go more than 3 stations on the MRT and only 1 on the bts, you shall be charged the MRT equivilent for 4 stations

4. Children over 90 cm will have to pay on the BTS but are free on the MRT

5. No plans in the works to purchase a monthly pass (with photo to prevent sharing)

6. ......

At this stage, it is just using the same card. There is no integration of fares.

edit: I have no idea how they plan to integrate the fares. There would still need to be single trip cards, and these probably wouldn't work between systems.

Edited January 5, 2011 by whybother