New City Bus Rates ?

[Gonzo the Face]

Can anyone verify or give any input to the fact/rumor that the new City Buses have raised the rates to 20 baht ??

Gonzo

[Rinrada]

Just spent a week there and didnt even SEE any of the so called new City Buses.

Might still need an MOT or something.....?

[Ajarn]

It makes zero sense to double their rates so soon after starting.

I would say that rumour is busted

I see the #2 route busses all the time... I think though, to the casual observer, they're not likely to notice a bus that comes by only every 15 minutes or so...

[SamSipEt]

... I think though, to the casual observer, they're not likely to notice a bus that comes by only every 15 minutes or so...

How true – I would definitely use them more if…

they travelled a useful route (the best seems to be number 10 which swings around the moat and loops back out to Airport Plaza)

and as suggested they are a lot more frequent (I wait and wait and after 10 minutes or so I get worn down by the persistent tooting from the song taews and swap a potential air-con 12 baht ride for a 15 - 20 baht open aired alternative).

Never mind I still get there so no problem just a shame about the buses.

[tchk]

Can anyone verify or give any input to the fact/rumor that the new City Buses have raised the rates to 20 baht ??

Gonzo

Wrong. I take Bus no. 6 all the time and it costs ten Baht; line 10 is 12B. The songthaew based lines (4, 8) seem to have vanished. For line 6 be prepared to wait at least 30 minutes.

It seems that they make every effort to discourage people from taking the bus. A 15 min frequency, as originally advertised, would represent an attractive transport system; thirty minutes is definitely too long, especially if the intervals are unpredictable. In most places you have to wait for the bus in full sunshine, and be careful: The bus will just speed by on the passing lane if you don't flag it down in time.

Despite all this, line 6 has become extremely popular with students, housewives, monks and a few farangs, and the buses are often nearly full during rush hours. I believe that a price hike to 15 Baht would be acceptable to most users, especially if the intervals wre reset to 15 minutes. I just have doubts about the integrity or intelligence of the management.

[Ajarn]

The songthaew based lines (4, 8) seem to have vanished

Or maybe, with thousands of them running around anyway, how is anyone to know who's the Route Vehicle? A case of not seeing the forest for the trees, perhaps?