Bangkok: In an effort to alleviate the financial burden on Thai commuters, the government is set to launch the registration for the “20 Baht Flat Fare” electric train service through a government app tomorrow.
According to Thai News Agency, Ms. Sasikarn Wattanachan, Deputy Government Spokesperson, announced that the Ministry of Transport is prepared to commence registration for this new fare program via the “Tang Rath” application. The registration will start at 12:01 AM on August 25, 2025. Notably, the program imposes no restrictions on eligibility or the number of registrants, but participants must be Thai nationals possessing a 13-digit national ID card and a compatible pass. The service is scheduled to start on October 1, 2025, and will encompass all 10 of the country’s electric train lines.
The registration process is straightforward. Users must download the “Thang Rath” app, navigate to the 20 baht electric train registration menu, enter their national ID card number, and link the fare card they wish to use. The cards supported include EMV Contactless cards (Visa, Mastercard, and MRT EMV Spider cards) for the MRT and Airport Rail Link, and the Rabbit Card for the BTS. Commuters must tap in and out with the registered card to benefit from the flat fare. Using a different card or purchasing a single-trip ticket will result in the application of the regular fare for that journey. Additionally, travelers have a time window of 180 minutes, with a 30-minute allowance for inter-line transfers while maintaining the 20 baht fare. Exceeding the time limit will incur a new entry fee immediately.
The registration is open indefinitely with no cap on participant numbers, and the initiative is anticipated to boost train ridership by about 20% from the current average of 1.7 million trips per day. A previous trial on the Red and Purple Lines, offering free rides for a week, resulted in a 39% increase in ridership, underscoring the potential impact of the fare reduction on public transport usage.
Ms. Sasikarn encouraged the public to register for the 20 baht flat-rate electric train fare, emphasizing its role in reducing travel costs and promoting the use of public transportation among Thais.