BTS to increase fare tomorrow, netizens cry out for better service

[rooster59]

BTS to increase fare tomorrow, netizens cry out for better service

By Coconuts Bangkok

 

 

Despite the inefficient number of trains during rush hour and ticket machines that don’t accept two baht coins, the BTS will increase certain fares by THB5 tomorrow.

 

Starting on April 1, you’ll have to pay THB5 more to access the outlying BTS stations . The charge applies to the five stations of the Silom Line (Pho Nimit to Bang Wa) and four stations on Sukhumvit Line (Bang Chak to Bearing).

 

This means the current maximum BTS fare will increase from THB52 to THB57, and for those who buy 30-day trips, the journey to the inner city from the outlying stations will cost them one trip credit and an additional flat fare of THB15 instead of the usual THB10.

 

Full story: https://coconuts.co/bangkok/news/bts-increase-fare-tomorrow-netizens-cry-better-service/

 

 

-- © Copyright Coconuts Bangkok 2017-04-01

 

[daveAustin]

The mass rail transit here is still cheap considering, but ever notice how prices rise here in big percentages? Typically at least 10-20% at a time as opposed to 1 or 2%, incrementally. 

[tonray]

4 minutes ago, daveAustin said:

The mass rail transit here is still cheap considering, but ever notice how prices rise here in big percentages? Typically at least 10-20% at a time as opposed to 1 or 2%, incrementally. 

 

That would be a weird amount...

Edited April 1, 2017 by tonray

[realenglish1]

Its still a good service People fast forget what it was like WITHOUT the BTS years ago

What a vast improvment  1.5 hours by car to MBK now  20 minutes by BTS How jaded we get 

[Eligius]

The BTS used to be very good when it first started - but nowadays you are lucky to get a seat, as it is always so crowded, even in 'off-peak' hours. They simply don't lay on enough rolling stock. More trains are desperately needed.

[impulse]

38 minutes ago, Eligius said:

The BTS used to be very good when it first started - but nowadays you are lucky to get a seat, as it is always so crowded, even in 'off-peak' hours. They simply don't lay on enough rolling stock. More trains are desperately needed.

 

I'm not aware of a mass transit system anywhere they would lay on more rolling stock just so everyone can have a seat.  

 

It's a typical problem- design for the worst times of the day, and you'll be running significantly under capacity the other 90% of the time, or design to maximize profit and you'll leave a few folks waiting through several trains during peak hours.  I'm sure they could do better than they are, but that takes years of data, months of planning and years of waiting for the new rolling stock.

[realenglish1]

43 minutes ago, Eligius said:

The BTS used to be very good when it first started - but nowadays you are lucky to get a seat, as it is always so crowded, even in 'off-peak' hours. They simply don't lay on enough rolling stock. More trains are desperately needed.

Your right more trains are needed Who is going to pay for them That is why they are raising rates

[dhind1]

Definitely more trains would be a huge help, and the stations can handle at least one more. 

 

To be fair they do a pretty good job of pushing trains through at peak times and you do not have to wait for the next train very long. Though sometimes you do wait for the 2nd or 3rd train.....

[DM07]

I still every day thank the idiot, who had the idea of making Saphan Taksin that eye of a needle, it is today!

"Oh...really...there might be people living on the Thonburi- side in the future? Who'd have thunk?!"

[whoareyou]

Beats the hell out of my train system back home 250 baht for a return ticket and dumped in suburbia so then another 500 baht taxi ride.

 

Stop crying cheap Charlie's it's still a good deal just avoid peak hours and your all good

 

 

[siam2007]

6 hours ago, daveAustin said:

The mass rail transit here is still cheap considering, but ever notice how prices rise here in big percentages? Typically at least 10-20% at a time as opposed to 1 or 2%, incrementally. 

 

 

I would rather say the BTS is BY FAR the most expensive public transport system in the world, in relation to average salary in the respective country

[whoareyou]

 

 

the percentage of high earners is a LOT lower than low income earners. Even in BKK. Which makes my numbers perfectly fine

That's why in my example of 10k to 100k I chose 25k as the average, because of the exact reason you just stated

 

You live in a poor area of bangkok And see poorer thais so your understanding of the cross section is tainted.

 

[seajae]

its not just Bangkokians that use the BTS, everyday there are people from all over Thailand in Bangkok so it has to be average of all the country not just the city which drops it quite a bit. Also has to be from the city to the outer most stations  as that is where those that earn less usually live

 

[siam2007]

1 minute ago, whoareyou said:

That's why in my example of 10k to 100k I chose 25k as the average, because of the exact reason you just stated

 

In other cities/countries such as Singapore, KL, Hong Kong, Manila, everyone can afford to use the MRT system, not just white collar workers. Whether the BTS could handle all of them, is another story

[whoareyou]

 
In other cities/countries such as Singapore, KL, Hong Kong, Manila, everyone can afford to use the MRT system, not just white collar workers. Whether the BTS could handle all of them, is another story

Blue collar workers in bangkok either get dropped off by a pick up or ride motor bikes because they live no where near a bts, that's gotta be obvious.

You one size fits all does not work in Thailand

[DM07]

Beats the hell out of my train system back home 250 baht for a return ticket and dumped in suburbia so then another 500 baht taxi ride.
 
Stop crying cheap Charlie's it's still a good deal just avoid peak hours and your all good
 
 

Just avoid peak hours? So you won the lottery and are not working, I assume?!


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[whoareyou]

Just avoid peak hours? So you won the lottery and are not working, I assume?!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

Most of us are retired. However if I was working then the very first thing I would check out is public transport in bangkok and how I would get to work

 

Peak hour madness on the bts would have been observed.

 

[gdgbb]

58 minutes ago, siam2007 said:

I would rather say the BTS is BY FAR the most expensive public transport system in the world, in relation to average salary in the respective country

Based on what statistics?  Let's see them.

[gdgbb]

36 minutes ago, siam2007 said:

 

In other cities/countries such as Singapore, KL, Hong Kong, Manila, everyone can afford to use the MRT system, not just white collar workers. Whether the BTS could handle all of them, is another story

Not everyone in SG, KL, HK and PI can afford to use those countries'  transport systems, where did you get that statistic from? 

 

Millions of non-white collar workers use the BTS everyday!

[theguyfromanotherforum]

 

 

I used to moan about public transport in Toronto which was $3, but that's 3 bucks on much higher wages and unlimited transfers. With BTS you don't get that. 

 

It doesn't affect me whatsoever, but it's expensive.

[gdgbb]

1 minute ago, theguyfromanotherforum said:

 

 

I used to moan about public transport in Toronto which was $3, but that's 3 bucks on much higher wages and unlimited transfers. With BTS you don't get that. 

 

It doesn't affect me whatsoever, but it's expensive.

It's not expensive unless you're only looking at the longest journeys, then you've got to ask yourself how many passengers go from terminus to terminus everyday.

[tropo]

 

40 minutes ago, DM07 said:

Just avoid peak hours? So you won the lottery and are not working, I assume?!


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

 

It's called "retirement". Most expats will easily be able to avoid peak hours most of the time.

[gdgbb]

The most interesting thing about this Coconuts article about

"BTS to increase fare tomorrow, netizens cry out for better service"

was that not one of the quotes in it made any reference to "netizens crying out for better service" as the headline stated!  Not one.

[theguyfromanotherforum]

11 minutes ago, gdgbb said:

It's not expensive unless you're only looking at the longest journeys, then you've got to ask yourself how many passengers go from terminus to terminus everyday.

 

But BTS is very limited in Bangkok. How many passengers find it completely useless? Once you finish your ride, you will have to pay again for another journey instead of getting a free transfer. 

 

It's expensive.

Edited April 1, 2017 by theguyfromanotherforum

[tonray]

3 hours ago, DM07 said:

I still every day thank the idiot, who had the idea of making Saphan Taksin that eye of a needle, it is today!

"Oh...really...there might be people living on the Thonburi- side in the future? Who'd have thunk?!"

The Thonburi side was populated before the other side,in fact it is the side where the original city of Bangkok began

[gdgbb]

26 minutes ago, theguyfromanotherforum said:

 

But BTS is very limited in Bangkok. How many passengers find it completely useless? Once you finish your ride, you will have to pay again for another journey instead of getting a free transfer. 

 

It's expensive.

It's inexpensive.

 

You seem to be suggesting that if a passenger wants to go from, say, Bearing to Siam Sq he should be able to but a ticket to Onnut and then get free travel from there to his destination.

[theguyfromanotherforum]

14 minutes ago, gdgbb said:

It's inexpensive.

 

You seem to be suggesting that if a passenger wants to go from, say, Bearing to Siam Sq he should be able to but a ticket to Onnut and then get free travel from there to his destination.

 

It's inexpensive to you, it's expensive for the average Thai.

 

BTW, my wife works for the Simenes BTS project, so you can imagine she has a good salary.

 

She thinks the pricing is outrageous.

[irwinfc]

as in most cases, saying something is cheap or expensive is arbitrary. the only relevant fact is that the BTS management can charge whatever they want.

[snooky]

It's not only peak hour that the trains are full - it seems to be all hours now.  They need more cars (carriages) on each train to say the least - the stations are built for six car lengths but the government does not want to seem to budge.  Hopefully, they will not purchase any more train sets from China - those still are unable to stop properly without trying to knock everyone over with several applications of the brakes.  And why it takes so long to complete each new section is beyond my thinking.  Plus the debacle at Bang Su connecting two train lines - probably better the whole system is under one management so that there is no fighting about where the money is coming and going.  As they say - 'Too many cooks spoil the broth'.

[mogandave]

I'm not clear what average salary has to do with the the cost of a BTS ticket. The cost of the ticket should at minimum cover the cost of operations.

That the trains are packed is a good reason to raise the price.


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