Bts Direction Of Travel

[BigJohnnyBKK]

I think i'm more upset about people not being upset, lol

Perhaps most of us have long ago stopped expecting things in the Thai reality to be based on what we see as rational.

If you bang your head against a wall long enough and see you haven't even put a dent in it, best to move on to another project.

[soomak]

It doesn't matter where you buy the tickets, only the amount matters (35 baht, 30 baht, etc).

You can use the tickets at any bts station going to any station, as long as it's the correct amount (and even if it's not, you just go to the ticket counter when you arrive and pay the extra 5-10 baht).

[soomak]

I suspect you are confusing a ride/trip card with a stored value card?

Nope, looks like they've combined the two concepts into two separate "compartments" in the Rabbit card, see above three posts for details.

They have also compartmentalized profits. Being in Thailand, they probably could not come to an understanding, and decided to almost double the cost. If more people understood this it would be a good discussion. When farang need to travel down I guess we'll hear about it then. The cheapest you can go mo chit to on nut is for 20 baht. The cheapest you can go mo chit to bang chak (one stop past on nut) is 35 baht. It is ridiculous. But let me augment the point, it get more ridiculous....

you can go mo chit to on nut (a total of 16 stops) for 20 baht; that's 1.25 baht per stop.

if you go bang chak to ekkamai (a total of 3 stops) the cheapest is 35 baht; that's 11.7 baht per stop.

that is almost 10 times more on a per stop basis!

in short, if you just so happen to live in the wrong spot (bang chak for example), you're really screwed.

do people understand?? Anyway, forgive my redundancy.

You are correct about the scenario you described.

But for anyone living farther than Bang Chak and commuting to bkk center, the current situation is an improvement (faster and more convenient). Of course if they are very tight about money, they will use the bus, which takes maybe a hour and a half in the morning rush hour.

[StreetCowboy]

and if the "exorbitant" price of using the extension is what enables the infrastructure to continue to expand then that's a small price to pay in my book.

Well, if you just so happened to live in the wrong spot, and payed it everyday, you may be singing a different tune. Not to mention the poor thais that are stuck paying it (i'm not righteous, and admit it, i bring up the point for #1, me, ha). A person who lives a kilometer to the west of me pays 75% less for their daily commute of pretty much the same distance?!

I also agree with part of another thing you said, but to truly make it world class, they'd lose the ridiculosity (yes i know thats not a word)

So are you saying you'd rather not have the extension than pay 15 baht for it? If you're only one stop away, you could always walk to On Nut

SC

[isawasnake]

and if the "exorbitant" price of using the extension is what enables the infrastructure to continue to expand then that's a small price to pay in my book.

Well, if you just so happened to live in the wrong spot, and payed it everyday, you may be singing a different tune. Not to mention the poor thais that are stuck paying it (i'm not righteous, and admit it, i bring up the point for #1, me, ha). A person who lives a kilometer to the west of me pays 75% less for their daily commute of pretty much the same distance?!

I also agree with part of another thing you said, but to truly make it world class, they'd lose the ridiculosity (yes i know thats not a word)

So are you saying you'd rather not have the extension than pay 15 baht for it? If you're only one stop away, you could always walk to On Nut

SC

No. How in the world did you interpret it that way?

I'm just saying it would be nice if they would have somehow established a logical (or at least somewhat logical) pricing scheme.

The bts is going to expand the way I understand it. If things keep going the way they are now, each little segment you pass through in the future will want their own independent piece of the pie. It would get ridiculous if staying this way when people go one stop past these independent zones. I guess it was just too hard to get funding and have the "bts" be all under a single entity. But as I mentioned before, I like free markets and deep down don't mind the relatively "high" price too much on many levels. People simply will pay for it if it's worth it, they wont if it's not.

[StreetCowboy]

and if the "exorbitant" price of using the extension is what enables the infrastructure to continue to expand then that's a small price to pay in my book.

Well, if you just so happened to live in the wrong spot, and payed it everyday, you may be singing a different tune. Not to mention the poor thais that are stuck paying it (i'm not righteous, and admit it, i bring up the point for #1, me, ha). A person who lives a kilometer to the west of me pays 75% less for their daily commute of pretty much the same distance?!

I also agree with part of another thing you said, but to truly make it world class, they'd lose the ridiculosity (yes i know thats not a word)

So are you saying you'd rather not have the extension than pay 15 baht for it? If you're only one stop away, you could always walk to On Nut

SC

No. How in the world did you interpret it that way?

...

BJBKK: if the "exorbitant" price of using the extension is what enables the infrastructure to continue to expand then that's a small price to pay in my book

IWAS: if you just so happened to live in the wrong spot, and payed it everyday, you may be singing a different tune. ...A person who lives a kilometer to the west of me pays 75% less for their daily commute of pretty much the same distance?!

The original scheme was privately funded. The extensions were funded by city government and were not necessarily to be franchised to the existing operator, as I understand. Fortunately, common sense prevailed.

I've not actually been on the system since the new fares were introduced. It must be frustrating having to pump in 55 baht of coins.

SC

[isawasnake]

He may be signing a different tune in that it's not a "small price to pay."

I'm still not sure I understand your point, forgive me if dense. I mean they could triple the price tomorrow for a 3 stop stretch (or something ridiculous like that), and people may still want those 3 stops, how would they get around otherwise, but they would like a more reasonable price. I don't know, maybe this is just semantics, or me, or who knows

[snooky]

Available from ticket counter:

One-day Pass

Unlimited travel within the duration of a single day for 130 baht.

Standard Rabbit Card / Stored Value Cards

These are available for 100 baht plus 50 baht refundable deposit. The Standard Rabbit Cards are valid for 5 years and can be filled with a minimum of 100 baht and up to 4,000 baht.

30-Day Pass for Adults

- For 15 trips (use within 30 days), 25 baht per trip unlimited distance, it costs 375 baht.

- For 25 trips (use within 30 days), 23 baht per trip unlimited distance, it costs 575 baht.

- For 40 trips (use within 30 days), 21 baht per trip unlimited distance, it costs 840 baht.

- For 50 trips (use within 30 days), 20 baht per trip unlimited distance, it costs 1,000 baht.

Note that a Rabbit card can store trips as well as balance. If trips are available they will be used first. For the Skytrain Extension past On-Nut to Bearing Balance will be used up. (So if you have travel Siam-Bearing and have trips available you will use up 1 trip AND 15 Baht. If you only have balance you will use up 55 Baht)

Edited for new pricing and fonts/readability

I have been using the 30 day multi trip passes for many years. Today, I traveled past my usual points and went to Udom Suk from Saphan Kwai. When I tried to exit with my pass, I had to pay an extra 15 baht. Fine - then on the return trip, I was told I could either pay a full fare from Udom Suk to Saphan Kwai (55 baht) or buy a 15 baht ticket to On Nut, get off the train, go downstairs, exit the system, then re-enter using my 30 day pass. What a crock of shiite!

While I am used to the stupidity of operations and lack of customer service on the BTS, this struck me as a new height in ignorance. Is anybody at the helm of the BTS with any experience in running a so called transportation service?? I think not!

[planr]

I have been using the 30 day multi trip passes for many years. Today, I traveled past my usual points and went to Udom Suk from Saphan Kwai. When I tried to exit with my pass, I had to pay an extra 15 baht. Fine - then on the return trip, I was told I could either pay a full fare from Udom Suk to Saphan Kwai (55 baht) or buy a 15 baht ticket to On Nut, get off the train, go downstairs, exit the system, then re-enter using my 30 day pass. What a crock of shiite!

While I am used to the stupidity of operations and lack of customer service on the BTS, this struck me as a new height in ignorance. Is anybody at the helm of the BTS with any experience in running a so called transportation service?? I think not!

The reason for the extra fare past On Nut has to do with the revenue sharing agreement between the BTS and the BMA. There are in fact many people in management at the BTS who are very capable and have experience working with other world-class transit operators like MTR in Hong Kong, however they are forced to work with the BMA and other Thai government agencies who may be less concerned with consumer perceptions and more concerned with getting their piece of the pie.

[snooky]

I have been using the 30 day multi trip passes for many years. Today, I traveled past my usual points and went to Udom Suk from Saphan Kwai. When I tried to exit with my pass, I had to pay an extra 15 baht. Fine - then on the return trip, I was told I could either pay a full fare from Udom Suk to Saphan Kwai (55 baht) or buy a 15 baht ticket to On Nut, get off the train, go downstairs, exit the system, then re-enter using my 30 day pass. What a crock of shiite!

While I am used to the stupidity of operations and lack of customer service on the BTS, this struck me as a new height in ignorance. Is anybody at the helm of the BTS with any experience in running a so called transportation service?? I think not!

The reason for the extra fare past On Nut has to do with the revenue sharing agreement between the BTS and the BMA. There are in fact many people in management at the BTS who are very capable and have experience working with other world-class transit operators like MTR in Hong Kong, however they are forced to work with the BMA and other Thai government agencies who may be less concerned with consumer perceptions and more concerned with getting their piece of the pie.

No problem with anyone here getting their piece of the pie and having to deal with the local mentality, however making a person pay either full fare or go thru all the problems inherant with getting off and reentering the system - why not just charge the 15 baht when the passenger gets off again. Apparently each gets their share if you buy the full fare ticket so why not make it easier all the way around. They raised the fare about the same time as the extension was opened anyway..

And as for experienced operators - HA - did they take lessons from the New York City Transit and teach them to delibrerately slam the doors in the faces of transferring passengers from the connecting lines in Siam station especially during the final hours of operation, making people wait an extra 8 minutes for no other reason than that the operator of the train can laugh in the faces of those hurrying to catch his/her train? Waiting an extra 15 seconds will not affect the single track set up beyond Thaksin station - No personal offense to the above poster but anyone who thinks or says that is a fool making excuses or knows nothing about the business

Edited December 26, 2012 by snooky

[isawasnake]

I have been using the 30 day multi trip passes for many years. Today, I traveled past my usual points and went to Udom Suk from Saphan Kwai. When I tried to exit with my pass, I had to pay an extra 15 baht. Fine - then on the return trip, I was told I could either pay a full fare from Udom Suk to Saphan Kwai (55 baht) or buy a 15 baht ticket to On Nut, get off the train, go downstairs, exit the system, then re-enter using my 30 day pass. What a crock of shiite!

While I am used to the stupidity of operations and lack of customer service on the BTS, this struck me as a new height in ignorance. Is anybody at the helm of the BTS with any experience in running a so called transportation service?? I think not!

The reason for the extra fare past On Nut has to do with the revenue sharing agreement between the BTS and the BMA. There are in fact many people in management at the BTS who are very capable and have experience working with other world-class transit operators like MTR in Hong Kong, however they are forced to work with the BMA and other Thai government agencies who may be less concerned with consumer perceptions and more concerned with getting their piece of the pie.

Yes, even without knowing any of the intricacies of the entire situation, that seemed apparent to me. I mean there are obviously people that know what they are doing when it comes to the BTS (just look at it), and then there is the beaurocracy and financial gain surrounding it all - perhaps just like anything else.

On a positive note -- if you think about it, the ONE place you can get off the BTS and not pay a single baht more after reentering and continuing to your destination is ON NUT. So, you'd pay 20 baht with a rabbit card to get there, yo'd get off, go to say lotus and Mcdonalds, get back on the bts and continue onto the extension, and it would all be the same price as if you never exited. So that is one col aspect, I guess, ha. I actually have been doing this on my trip to Bang Na quite a bit now.

Edited December 29, 2012 by isawasnake