Cabinet Approves Maximum 45 Baht Fare Cap for Electric Trains Starting 1 Jan 2027 - Thairath English

The Cabinet approved a measure to cap electric train fares at a maximum of 45 baht per trip without duplicate entry fees, covering all lines in Bangkok and its metropolitan area to ease living costs, effective from 1 January to 31 December 2027.

Today (3 November 2026 GMT+7) Ms. Ploytale Lakshamisangchan, Deputy Spokesperson of the Office of the Prime Minister, revealed that the Cabinet resolved to approve and acknowledge the Ministry of Transport’s proposal for measures to reduce citizens’ living expenses through a unified fare system in the electric mass transit network.

The measure sets the maximum fare at no more than 45 baht per trip, with an entry fee per the original contract not exceeding 17 baht, and prohibits charging duplicate entry fees. This applies to all electric train lines in Bangkok and the metropolitan area, effective from 1 January to 31 December 2027.

The policy steering committee assigned related agencies—such as the Department of Rail Transport, Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP), Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA), State Railway of Thailand (SRT), Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), and Krungthai Bank—to expedite implementation according to plan.

The Cabinet also acknowledged the estimated cost for the measure at 5.807 billion baht, divided into 5.785 billion baht for fare compensation and 22 million baht for transfer fee reimbursements to the public. OTP will be the main agency requesting the mid-year central budget allocation for this subsidy.

Additionally, MRTA and BMA were tasked to collect data on travel volume, actual revenue, and assess induced demand over six months. This information will support fair negotiations on revenue-sharing proportions returned from operators to the government.