Bangkok commuters required to register for 20-baht railway fare in August
Thai commuters must register in August to enjoy 20-baht electric rail fare, starting 30 Sept; cash payments and tourists not eligible for the discount.
The government will begin accepting applications from Thai commuters in Bangkok and nearby provinces in August to grant them the right to travel on electric railway services for just 20 baht per trip, a senior official said on Tuesday.
Pichet Kunadhamraks, Director-General of the Department of Rail Transport, said Thai commuters who wish to benefit from the 20-baht flat fare must first register via the Thang Rath app.
Registration Opens in August, Fare Scheme Starts End of September
Pichet stated that registration for the scheme will begin in early August, ahead of the scheme’s enforcement on 30 September.
Eligibility and Payment Requirements
To use the 20-baht fare, passengers must possess one of the following types of contactless payment cards:
- Europay Mastercard and Visa (EMV) Contactless Cards
- Account-Based Ticketing (ABT) systems, such as Rabbit cards
Passengers who pay by cash or do not use one of the two approved contactless card systems will be required to pay the standard full fare.
Foreign Tourists Not Eligible for Discount
Pichet added that foreign tourists will also need to pay the full fare and will not be eligible for the 20-baht scheme.
He further noted that the Digital Government Development Agency is currently developing a Central Clearing House (CCH) system to connect all electric railway operators. This will facilitate the implementation of the flat-rate fare across all eligible services.
