Thailand targets January 2027 launch for THB17-45 rail fares

Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn is targeting January 1, 2027 for the launch of a common ticketing system across all urban rail lines, with fares starting at THB17 and capped at THB45 per journey.

Phiphat said the Common Ticketing Policy Committee, meeting on Wednesday (September 16, 2026), approved the selection of Krungthai Bank to operate the central clearing house (CCH). The bank will manage the back-office payment system, including the handling of funds and settlement of fare-difference reimbursements, in preparation for the planned launch across all lines.

Legal and contractual issues under review

Draft committee notifications and ministerial regulations setting the common fare structure at THB17-45 per journey were discussed informally, as expert committee members and agency representatives raised concerns about legal issues and amendments to public-private partnership contracts.

The Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP), which serves as the committee’s secretariat, was instructed to compile comments, explanations and legal details and report back by Friday (September 18) at the latest. Another meeting will be held the following week to finalise the discussions, before the proposals are submitted to the Cabinet. Phiphat is aiming for Cabinet consideration in November.

Annual approval until Green Line concession expires

Phiphat said the Cabinet had already approved the THB17-45 fare policy in principle, providing the basis for implementation from January 1, 2027.

Approval for the measure would be requested on a year-by-year basis until the concession for the Green Line’s core section expires in 2029. A longer-term approach would then be reconsidered.

The government would cover the difference for passengers whose normal fares exceed THB45, with some journeys potentially costing as much as THB60. Phiphat stressed that this would compensate passengers, rather than constitute direct compensation payments to operators.

THB5 billion annual subsidy request planned

As the OTP’s common ticketing fund has no accumulated reserves, the government will be asked to allocate approximately THB5 billion a year from the central budget to subsidise the fare difference.

However, Phiphat said the final funding requirement could be higher or lower. Negotiations are still needed with private operators over additional revenue from passenger numbers, which are expected to rise by nearly 20%. The aim is to channel that additional revenue back into the common ticketing fund.

The request for central budget funding is expected to be submitted to the Cabinet in November.

Rabbit card changes proposed to meet launch deadline

With only three and a half months remaining before the planned launch, Phiphat said the installation of card readers using Europay, Mastercard and Visa (EMV) technology across all urban rail lines needed to be accelerated.

For the Green Line, however, representatives of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration warned that replacing all card readers would take approximately one to two years.

The committee therefore agreed on an approach under which the BTS Skytrain operator would adapt its system to incorporate EMV technology into Rabbit cards. This is intended to allow passengers to tap their cards in time for the planned launch at the start of 2027 and use EMV-enabled Rabbit cards across all urban rail lines. Further discussions with Krungthai Bank are still required.

Once the common ticketing system supports EMV cards across every urban rail line, the Ministry of Transport plans to extend it to Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) buses and passenger boats.