Bangkok Car Free 2026 encourages residents to switch travel modes
Bangkok city executives and four embassies avoided private-car use as the city promoted walking, cycling, rail and water transport throughout the week.
- The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) launched the "Bangkok Car Free 2026" initiative, encouraging residents to use alternatives to private cars under the theme "Let’s Shift Modes."
- The campaign promotes a variety of travel options, including public transport (road, rail, boat), cycling, and walking, with BMA officials and foreign embassies participating to lead by example.
- The initiative is supported by infrastructure improvements to make alternative travel more convenient and safe, such as new walking/cycling links, skywalks, electric boat services, and expanded bike-sharing.
- The ultimate goal is not to force a reduction in car use but to improve urban life by providing diverse, seamless, and accessible travel choices for all residents.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) joined forces with all sectors on Tuesday (September 22, 2026), inviting network partners to adopt new ways of travelling under the concept “Car keys stay at home; leave home without a car”.
It encouraged people to enjoy a range of travel options through “Let’s Shift Modes”, bringing together road and rail transport, boat services, cycling and walking throughout the week.
Chadchart Sittipunt, Governor of Bangkok, deputy governors, advisers to the governor and BMA executives all chose to commute without private cars, walking, running or using urban rail, boats or bicycles before gathering at Bangkok City Hall at the Giant Swing.
They took part in a live-streamed discussion to exchange travel experiences, greeted viewers and encouraged Bangkok residents to reduce private-car use.
Through a video call, they also greeted BMA executives and staff who had taken public transport to work.
The initiative allowed participants to experience different forms of travel first-hand and sought to inspire city residents to make shifting modes part of their daily lives.
The BMA also invited four embassies taking part as Friends of Bangkok to avoid private-car use and travel to work by public transport.
They were the Embassy of Finland, Bangkok; the Embassy of Luxembourg in Bangkok; the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Thailand; and the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Bangkok.
This year, the BMA has set the direction for the Bangkok Car Free 2026 project under the main theme “Let’s Shift Modes: Bangkok’s transport future with choices for all”.
The BMA is committed to creating travel options for the public, reflecting its intention that the ultimate aim is not to compel people to reduce private-car use but to improve the quality of urban life by giving everyone diverse, convenient and safe travel choices that connect seamlessly.
This is intended to support tangible and sustainable development towards a city that facilitates walking, cycling, network connections and equitable access to mass transit: a Walkable, Bikeable, Connected and Accessible Bangkok.
Lumphini–Benjakitti link offers safe walking and cycling
The running track has been laid with material described as “Sport Surface”, designed to reduce impact and provide grip for runners, while the pedestrian path is paved with granite.
Lift and ramp access has been added in place of the original steep staircase, giving wheelchair users, people with pushchairs and cyclists equal and safe access.
The route is equipped with LED lighting and CCTV for round-the-clock monitoring, with staff on duty.
It is open free of charge every day from 6am to 6pm.
Visitors can reach the link by taking the MRT to Lumphini station, using Exit 3 to enter Lumphini Park, or to Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre station, followed by a walk or motorcycle taxi ride to the link.
Alternatively, BTS Skytrain passengers can alight at Sala Daeng or Ratchadamri stations near Lumphini Park, or at Phloen Chit or Asok stations near Benjakitti Park.
Rajavithi Skywalk improves access to hospitals
In the Victory Monument area, the Rajavithi Skywalk is being developed to improve convenience and safety.
The route begins at BTS Victory Monument station, connecting the Phahonyothin and Rajavithi traffic islands, and continues along Ratchawithi Road past Rajavithi Hospital, Phramongkutklao Hospital and the Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health.
It ends at Tuek Chai intersection near Ramathibodi Hospital.
The walkway is more than four metres wide, allowing a small ambulance to travel along it in an emergency.
Its roof provides shade, enabling patients, older people and the general public to walk safely without using the existing narrow pavement.
The project has made substantial progress and is nearing full opening in 2026.
Electric boats connect land and water travel
Water transport currently operates on several routes, with electric boats deployed on some of them.
One is the Khlong Phadung Krung Kasem service, which runs from Hua Lamphong Railway Station and connects to the MRT Blue Line.
The route has 11 piers:
- Hua Lamphong Railway Station Pier, connecting with MRT Hua Lamphong.
- Hua Lamphong Pier.
- Noppawong Pier.
- Yotse Pier.
- Ministry of Energy Pier.
- Lan Luang Intersection Pier, near Bobae Market.
- Nakhon Sawan Pier, near Nang Loeng Market.
- Ratchadamnoen Nok Pier.
- Prachathipatai Pier.
- Thewet Pier.
- Thewarat Market Pier, connecting with the Chao Phraya Express Boat and cross-river ferries.
Services operate from Monday to Friday in two periods: from 6am to 9am, every 20 minutes, and from 4pm to 7pm, every 20 minutes.
On Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, services run from 8am to 7pm, every hour.
Boat locations can now be checked on ViaBus.
Covered walkway makes walking more comfortable
The covered walkway is a pilot project on South Sathon Road, extending 1.6 kilometres from MRT Lumphini station to the Chong Nonsi Skywalk.
The route runs through a busy area with offices and condominiums and connects two rail stations.
It provides protection from the sun and rain, allowing people to walk more comfortably without being exposed to heat or getting wet.
The BMA aims to expand the project to other suitable locations.
Bike-sharing fills gaps between journeys
The BMA has set a target of 1 million bike-sharing trips and is adding new bike-sharing parking points to improve connections at different locations.
With growing interest in cycling among school and university students, the BMA will assess which locations are suitable and where demand is high.
Underused parking points can be moved to more appropriate locations, forming part of efforts to “walk, cycle and connect the city” in Bangkok.
Let’s Shift Modes forum looks at Bangkok’s transport future
A forum entitled “Let’s Shift Modes: Bangkok’s transport future with choices for all” will also be held on Wednesday (September 23, 2026), following Tuesday’s activities.
Chadchart Sittipunt, Governor of Bangkok, will join a discussion and exchange views on different forms of travel.
Michaela Friberg-Storey, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Thailand, will give a presentation entitled “The Way We Move, the Future We Want: Global Challenges, Bangkok’s Sustainable Mobility Choices”.
The policy forum, “Active Mobility Forum: Making Bangkok a city that is easy to get around under the Bangkok Car Free 2026 campaign”, will feature:
- A BMA representative.
- Sophida Phromhan, head of the Bangkok Area Scheduled Passenger Transport Section at the Department of Land Transport (TBC).
- Phakhaphat Wirawat, Young People’s City Council: Bike4All.
- Silpa Wairatpanij, Bangkok Urban Cycling Alliance (BUCA).
- Inthira Vittayasomboon, public education co-ordinator, Feeltrip.
- Suphawat Samoephak, co-ordinator of the Transportation for All (T4A) Network.
The session will be moderated by Rungroj Sombunkao of The Active, Thai PBS.
It will also include an exchange of views and a summary of key points from the forum, followed by discussions among members of the public, network partners, policymakers and transport operators.
