New Year holiday travel set to jump, with free M6 tolls and 24-hour roadside help
With a five-day break on the calendar, transport agencies are preparing for congestion hotspots on the main routes out of Bangkok.
- Travel for Thailand's New Year holiday is forecast to increase, with millions of additional journeys expected on public transport and major highways.
- To ease traffic, tolls will be waived on the entire Motorway M6 (Bang Pa-in–Nakhon Ratchasima) from December 26, 2025, to January 5, 2026.
- A 24-hour roadside assistance hotline (1586) will be available from December 30, 2025, to January 5, 2026, offering free help with issues like tyre changes and battery jump-starts.
- Additional free services for travellers will include service points on Motorways M7 and M9 and designated camping areas with 24-hour staff.
Thailand’s New Year 2026 break will run for five consecutive days from Wednesday (December 31, 2025) to Sunday (January 4, 2026), with the Ministry of Transport forecasting that people will begin travelling in large numbers from December 26, 2025.
The ministry expects 21.55 million passenger journeys on Bangkok’s public transport network during the New Year period, up 2.83% from the New Year 2025.
Interprovincial public transport is projected at 3.99 million passenger journeys, an 8.57% increase.
Over the wider 11-day New Year travel window, traffic in and out of Bangkok on major highways and motorways is forecast at 11.28 million vehicles, while traffic on expressways is expected to reach 17.87 million vehicles.
On five main highway corridors, North (Highway 32), Northeast (Highway 2), East (Highway 7), and West/South (Highway 4 and Highway 35), the ministry projects 3.65 million outbound vehicles (up 3.67% from New Year 2025) and 3.48 million inbound vehicles (up 6.60%).
To improve convenience and reduce accidents, the Department of Highways will provide four free services throughout the holiday travel period:
1) Free tolls on Motorway M6 (Bang Pa-in–Nakhon Ratchasima)
The department plans to open the full 196-kilometre stretch of Motorway M6 and waive toll fees from Friday (December 26, 2025) to Monday (January 5, 2026).
Motorists can enter and exit at seven points:
- Bang Pa-in (links to Motorway M9, Highway 9 western ring road, and Highway 1 Phahonyothin Road)
- Hin Gong (links to Highway 33)
- Saraburi (links to Highway 1 Phahonyothin Road)
- Kaeng Khoi (links to Highway 3222)
- Pak Chong (links to Highway 2090)
- Sikhio (links to Highway 201)
- Kham Thale So (links to Highway 290)
2) Service points on Motorways M7 and M9
Eight service locations will operate during the New Year holidays, offering support such as drinks (tea and coffee), cooling towels, clean toilets and other basic items for travellers on Motorway M7 and Motorway M9:
- Lat Krabang Rest Area 1 (inbound to Bangkok)
- Lat Krabang Rest Area 2 (outbound from Bangkok)
- Bang Pakong Highway Service Area 1 (inbound to Bangkok)
- Bang Pakong Highway Service Area 2 (outbound from Bangkok)
- Nong Ree Rest Area 1 (inbound to Bangkok)
- Nong Ree Rest Area 2 (outbound from Bangkok)
- Thap Chang Rest Area 2 (outbound from Bangkok)
- Khlong Luang Rest Area (outbound from Bangkok)
3) 24-hour roadside assistance hotline (1586)
Roadside support, including tyre changes, battery jump-starts and emergency fuel, will be available 24/7 via 1586 from Tuesday (December 30, 2025) to Monday (January 5, 2026).
4) Free camping areas for travellers
The department will open free tent areas with staff on duty 24 hours a day, along with free drinking water and toilets, from Tuesday (December 30, 2025) to Monday (January 5, 2026).
