Trade in Those MRT Cards or Lose the Money

[webfact]

Trade in Those MRT Cards or Lose the Money
By Sasiwan Mokkhasen
Staff Reporter


The current version of MRT stored value cards Photo: Bangkok Expressway and Metro

BANGKOK — Those with an MRT stored value card in their pocket have until the last day of June to trade it in for the new one needed to ride future routes.

The new cards, which are available now, can be used for the current MRT line and the upcoming Skytrain Purple Line, which will start running in August, and the Blue Line expected by 2021, according to the Bangkok Expressway and Metro Public Co. Ltd.

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1453292311


-- Khaosod English 2016-01-21

[saakura]

Where does the Purple Line run from/to?

[Crossy]

Where does the Purple Line run from/to?

Khlong Bang Phai (just south of Bang Bua Thong) 13.892963, 100.408062 to Tao Poon 13.806162, 100.530939 (there will be a link to Bang Sue MRT early next year)

Existing discussion here http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/855862-bts/

EDIT Added GPS co-ordinates.

[Mango Bob]

Is the card shown in the picture the new card or the old card?

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

so this new card is for the MRT and ONLY for BTS Purple and Blue lines?

How ridiculous is this?

Have one card that works everywhere, how long does it take for them to get this right already.

[Crossy]

Is the card shown in the picture the new card or the old card?

New

[Crossy]

so this new card is for the MRT and ONLY for BTS Purple and Blue lines?

How ridiculous is this?

Have one card that works everywhere, how long does it take for them to get this right already.

Tell me about it, I've been working on fare collection systems in Thailand for the last 11 years or so.

There are a few technical issues but nothing insurmountable, the problems are mainly commercial and political.

The card in the OP will work on the Purple Line, Blue Line (and the Orange Line and Blue Line Extension plus others when they are built) under the control of MRTA. It will NOT work on the lines under the control of BMA (Green Line).

The new Mangmoom (Spider) Card being promoted by OTP is intended to work everywhere but it's shackled by being controlled by a government office with the inordinate amount of bureaucracy that goes with it. I'm not going to hazard a guess when it will be operable.

[Jonmarleesco]

Is the card shown in the picture the new card or the old card?

Well, it doesn't match my card, so presumably the new one.

[swampdonkey]

so this new card is for the MRT and ONLY for BTS Purple and Blue lines?

How ridiculous is this?

Have one card that works everywhere, how long does it take for them to get this right already.

Yes it is ridiculous. But I am not surprised

Will be interesting to hear the logic behind it.

[William C F Pierce]

They could try and study the London Underground and see how a fully integrated system works with its fare structure.