Bangkok: Fare Cut To Boost B R T Passengers

[webfact]

Fare cut to boost BRT passengers
THE NATION



BANGKOK: -- The recent reduction of fares on the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system's Sathon-Ratchapruek route is expected to lead to a significant rise in passenger numbers.

"We believe the number of [passengers] on this route will likely rise to 20,000 a day," Deputy Bangkok Governor Amorn Kitchawengkul said.

On Monday, the fare for the 15-kilometre route was lowered to just Bt5 per trip - down from Bt10. The fare reduction was one of the policies Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra announced during his election campaign earlier this year.

During the Songkran holidays, the BRT's Sathon-Ratchapruek route saw about 5,000 passengers per day. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration also plans to construct a walkway to link the BRT to the Skytrain's Talad Phlu station, Amorn said.


-- The Nation 2013-04-18

[doctorproc156]

To make sure public transport is easier for people to use, they should introduce a single ticketing system (like the rabbit card) and charge 20 baht for unlimited transfers between bus,train,boat etc for 2 hours. All buses should be like the BRT as well and have stop announcements/display.

[rak sa_ngop]

Maybe they should do something about the buses. Although they are new the noise from the engine and transmission is incredibly loud and uncomfortable.

I have only travelled on the buses twice. First time I sat at the back and endied up with a raging headache. Second time I stood at the front. Slightly quieter but still unacceptable noise levels.

Who wants to get to work feeling like they have been through a washing machine spin cycle.

[huahinjoe]

Those BRT Buses are pretty good, why they cant make it as a citywide system to cope with the transport issues at least until they have more BTS lines...

[toastie]

It's a step in the right direction for Bangkok. I love that dedicated bus lane -- such a system can move a very high volume of people at a fraction of the cost of an underground/elevated train line. Curitiba, Brazil has pushed this concept farther than any other city in the world. Look them up if you are interested to see how it could potentially work out.

[huahinjoe]

Would be nice to see this on every major road around bkk, but they have only 1 route...

12-20 Baht, Peak hours comes every 5min

http://www.transitbangkok.com/brt.html

[asdecas]

Public transport in Bangkok is expensive for the mass of local people, generally uncomfortable and poorly planned. There is hopeless and piecemeal interconnectivity between the various networks (if at all) and no political will to develop, yet alone implement, a master plan for the capital that would address entrenched and chronic traffic problems. In twenty-seven years of living and visiting, and as much as I think Bangkok is a great city, I despair of any change in my lifetime. This is Thailand, accept it, seems the best attitude to this problem, as to most others.

[sprq]

Public transport in Bangkok is expensive for the mass of local people, generally uncomfortable and poorly planned. There is hopeless and piecemeal interconnectivity between the various networks (if at all) and no political will to develop, yet alone implement, a master plan for the capital that would address entrenched and chronic traffic problems. In twenty-seven years of living and visiting, and as much as I think Bangkok is a great city, I despair of any change in my lifetime. This is Thailand, accept it, seems the best attitude to this problem, as to most others.

So right. As for BRT, much preferable and much cheaper would be citywide bus lanes for all buses enforced by the police. Except that the police would never do that job with any consistency or determination, and the typical Thai driver would not respect the lanes, so we have a major metropolis with no bus lanes, and always will have.

[bangkokburning]

I think the barriers really state the issue plainly. If the road was not fenced off it would be breached with impunity by every motorcycle and Mercedes in the capital.

How much are spent on the walls?

Yes, what an expensive mash of transit! I think even Singapore is cheaper.