Motorway M81 Bang Yai–Kanchanaburi to open for 24-hour free trial on October 31, 2025
The 96 km Motorway M81 from Bang Yai to Kanchanaburi will open for free 24-hour trial use on October 31 before full operation and toll collection in January 2026
The Department of Highways (DOH) under the Ministry of Transport will open Motorway Route No. 82 (M81) from Bang Yai to Kanchanaburi for a 24-hour free trial starting at 00:01 hrs on October 31, 2025.
The 96-kilometre motorway will be open at all toll stations with no charge to allow the public to experience the route before its full launch. The new motorway aims to make travel to western Thailand faster, safer, and more convenient and will be open to all types of vehicles permitted to use motorways.
During the trial period, the maximum speed limit will be 80 km/h for passenger cars, pick-up trucks, vans, buses, and freight trucks, and 65 km/h for trailer trucks. These temporary limits are in place while final construction and system testing are completed for safety.
The DOH expects to fully open the motorway with toll collection by January 2026, when speeds of up to 120 km/h will be permitted.
When fully operational, the M81 will support three payment systems — cash, electronic (M-Pass/Easy Pass), and barrier-free (Multi-Lane Free Flow) known as M-Flow.
Toll rates for the full route (96 km):
- Four-wheel vehicles: up to 150 baht (10 baht entry fee plus 1.5 baht per km).
- Six-wheel vehicles: up to 240 baht (16 baht entry fee plus 2.4 baht per km).
- Vehicles with more than six wheels: up to 350 baht (23 baht entry fee plus 3.45 baht per km).
The Department said the M81 motorway is a key part of Thailand’s transport development strategy to improve connectivity between Bangkok and the western provinces, strengthen logistics, and enhance travel safety and efficiency for all road users.
