First Common Ticketing System to be launched in Jan-Feb 2016



BANGKOK, 13 March 2015 (NNT) - The first common ticketing system is expected to be launched in Bangkok on a trial basis in next Jan or Feb, Transport Minister Prajin Juntong said on Thursday.

Prajin said that the Office of Transport Policy and Planning (OTP) has signed a 42-month long contract worth 388 million baht hiring the BSV Group comprising Bangkok Mass Transit System Plc, which operates BTS trains, Smart Traffic Co and Vix Mobility Co., to install the common ticketing system.

The system allows easier and faster transit and interchange in the capital which possesses multiple transit modes. Its first phase will cover BTS trains, expressways, BRT and NGV buses, MRT Purple Line (Bang Yai-Bang Sue) and will later be expanded to the rest including the Airport Rail Link, intercity motorways and passenger boats on the Chao Phraya River in 2017-2018. Ticket prices in all transit modes are also expected to be reduced due to the new system.

According to the minister, the Transport Ministry will propose to the cabinet an establishment of a committee to supervise the common ticketing policy. Meanwhile, a private company with 40% of its shares to be owned by the government, will be set up to ensure the efficiency of the clearing house management in revenue collection. Out of the 600-million-baht capital of the company, 244 million baht will be spent on the development of interchange facilities.

-- NNT 2015-03-13

"Out of the 600-million-baht capital of the company, 244 million baht will be spent on the development of interchange facilities."

Who gets the other 350+ million then?

I'm in the wrong job . . . .

about time you figured it out one pass good for all then less Queing or less crap in wallet to hunt for.

The MRT Blue Line isn't mentioned. I assume it's included in "the rest", but surprising it isn't specifically mentioned.

Great idea long time coming.

Less money in building an interoperable system - no wonder it's gone so slow...

Yes, it will include the Blue Line

But my project plan doesn't include that date

The engineering is the easy part, getting the commercial agreements in place will be much more interesting.

The MRT Blue Line isn't mentioned. I assume it's included in "the rest", but surprising it isn't specifically mentioned.

It's incredible to me that the existing MRT Blue Line subway isn't part of the initial roll-out of this, but then, neither is the ARL.

When I first came to Thailand more than a decade ago, I had friends who worked at BTS, and BTS and MRT have been talking about this and supposedly planning for joint ticketing, at least among themselves, for MANY YEARS...

The long delay on this is a good example of the incredible dysfunction that exists when you have so many different and separate entities running mass transportation systems in BKK -- BTS separate, MRT separate, ARL separate, etc etc.

I wonder what will happen to the over 60 foreigners. Currently you get the over 60s half price ticket on the MRT, but the BTS discriminates against foreigners and refuses them the over 60s ticket.

system said I post too often and then double posts

about time you figured it out one pass good for all then less Queing or less crap in wallet to hunt for.

Many cities in the 1st world west have not yet 'figured it out' or implemteded a common ticketing system for public transport, why should Bangkok be any different?

It's a difficult process to bring all these systems together or to completely overhaul them to 1 common system.

the common ticketing was supposed to happen with the RABBIT card.

never happened. now they think they can do a common card. i think not, to many varibles and too complicated. who is going to design and run the system and how many brown envelopes for a failed project.

the powers that be dream high, but it never happens. just like taxis taking passangers, motorcycle riders wearing helmets, police doing there job, dream on, never happen.