MRT Bangkok is a detailed guide covering all the metro lines in the capital city of Thailand: MRT, BTS, Airport Rail Link, and SRT. The mass rapid transit system in Bangkok is complex and consists of several separate metro systems operated by different companies, so it might be a bit confusing, especially for first-time visitors. To make things easier, discover Bangkok MRT lines, the route map, stations, fare, tickets, and tips for using the metro in Thailand.
Bangkok Metro Lines
The Bangkok mass rapid transit system currently consists of 10 metro lines used for transportation in the capital city of Thailand.
Bangkok MRT Lines
Only 4 of them are named as Bangkok MRT lines:
Blue Line - the first underground metro system of Thailand, encircling the city center.
Purple Line - an elevated metro system serving the northwestern area of Bangkok.
Yellow Line - an elevated monorail train line in eastern Bangkok.
Pink Line - an elevated monorail train line in northern Bangkok.
While all of them are MRT lines, only the Blue Line and the Purple Line are operated by the same company (BEM) and share one ticketing system.
The MRT Yellow and Pink lines are managed by BTS Group, the company operating 3 BTS lines. Therefore, these two MRT lines currently use the same ticketing solution as the BTS Green lines.
Bangkok BTS Lines
The 3 Bangkok BTS lines are the following:
Sukhumvit Line (Light Green) - the Skytrain line connecting the northern part of the city with downtown Bangkok and southern areas.
Silom Line (Dark Green) - the Skytrain line connecting downtown Bangkok with the western bank of the Chao Phraya River.
Gold Line - an elevated monorail train line to the ICONSIAM shopping mall.
It is now possible to buy one ticket for traveling between both BTS Green lines, the MRT Yellow Line, and the MRT Pink Line, but the fare calculation system for each metro line is different, with the exception of the 2 Green lines that share the same fare calculation system.
Other Bangkok Metro Lines
In addition to the MRT and the BTS, there are 3 other Bangkok metro lines operated by the SRT (State Railway of Thailand):
Airport Rail Link - an elevated train line connecting Suvarnabhumi Airport with the city.
Dark Red Line - an elevated commuter train line connecting Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal (the main railway station in Bangkok) with Don Mueang Airport and northern suburbs of the city.
Light Red Line - an elevated commuter train line connecting Krung Thep Aphiwat with western Bangkok.
To board the Airport Rail Link, buying a separate ticket is necessary. Meanwhile, both SRT Red lines share one ticketing and fare calculation system.
More metro lines will be added to the Bangkok mass rapid transit system, as several MRT lines are currently under construction while some of the already opened lines are going to be extended further.
Bangkok Metro Map
Explore the detailed map of all metro lines and stations in the city here: Bangkok MRT & BTS Map.
Bangkok MRT Line Connections
The Bangkok MRT is a convenient way to travel around the city, as metro lines are well-connected between themselves. The mass rapid transit system is very useful if you want to escape the busy traffic of Bangkok and save costs on traveling around the capital city of Thailand.
The MRT Blue Line has the following connections with other Bangkok metro lines:
- MRT Purple Line at Tao Poon MRT Station.
- BTS Sukhumvit Line (Light Green) - 3 connections at Sukhumvit MRT Station, Chatuchak Park MRT Station, and Phahon Yothin MRT Station.
- BTS Silom Line (Dark Green) - 2 connections at Silom MRT Station and Bang Wa MRT Station.
- MRT Yellow Line at Lat Phrao MRT Station.
- Airport Rail Link at Phetchaburi MRT Station.
- Both SRT Red lines at Bang Sue MRT Station.
The Purple Line of the MRT is connected with the following Bangkok metro lines:
- MRT Blue Line at Tao Poon MRT Station.
- SRT Light Red Line at Bang Son MRT Station.
- MRT Pink Line at Nonthaburi Civic Center MRT Station.
The MRT Yellow Line has the following connections with other Bangkok metro lines:
- MRT Blue Line at Lat Phrao MRT Station.
- Airport Rail Link at Hua Mak MRT Station.
- BTS Sukhumvit Line at Samrong MRT Station.
The Pink Line of the MRT is connected with the following Bangkok metro lines:
- MRT Purple Line at Nonthaburi Civic Center MRT Station.
- SRT Dark Red Line at Lak Si MRT Station.
- BTS Sukhumvit Line at Wat Phra Sri Mahathat MRT Station.
Both BTS Green lines interchange at the Siam BTS Station. The BTS Sukhumvit Line also connects with the Airport Rail Link at Phaya Thai BTS Station, while the BTS Silom Line has a connection with the Gold Line at Krung Thon Buri BTS Station.
Bangkok MRT & BTS Operating Hours
All Bangkok MRT and BTS lines operate daily from 06:00 until midnight.
The metro lines operated by the State Railway of Thailand recently started to open their service earlier. Currently, the Airport Rail Link starts operating from 05:10, and both SRT Red lines have departures scheduled from as early as 05:00.
You can normally find information about departure times of the first and the last train at the specific Bangkok MRT or BTS station. Depending on the station, the first train might depart before and the last train might depart after the specified official operating hours.
Bangkok Metro Fare
In most cases, the Bangkok metro fare for a single journey depends on the distance or the number of stations traveled. However, the fare calculation varies between different Bangkok MRT, BTS, and SRT lines.
The current Bangkok MRT fare of each line:
Blue Line - from 17 THB to 45 THB per trip
Purple Line - from 14 THB to 42 THB per trip
Yellow Line - from 15 THB to 45 THB per trip
Pink Line - from 15 THB to 45 THB per trip
The current Bangkok BTS fare:
Green Line - from 17 THB to 65 THB per trip
Gold Line - a flat rate of 17 THB per trip
The current fare of other Bangkok metro lines:
Airport Rail Link - from 15 to 45 THB per trip
Red Line - from 12 THB to 42 THB per trip
The exact fare for a journey can be found at the station or by using the official Bangkok MRT or BTS fare calculator. However, both calculators only calculate the fare for the metro lines the company operates.
With the Rabbit Card you can often pay less than the official fare, as they are normally making various promotions. It is usually possible to buy a package of tickets for as low as 25 THB per ticket for any distance ride.
Discover detailed information about the fare on different MRT, BTS, and SRT lines here: Bangkok Metro Fare.
Bangkok MRT & BTS Tickets
The Bangkok mass rapid transit system is reliable and relatively easy to use. However, Bangkok metro lines have no unified ticketing system, so you need to buy a new ticket when transferring between the lines operated by different companies. There are several types of Bangkok metro tickets that can be used for traveling on different lines.
The most popular way to pay for a ride in Bangkok is purchasing a single journey ticket. These tickets can be purchased at ticket-vending machines or at the ticket counter of the metro station. Depending on the operator, single journey tickets come as a token or as a thin plastic card.
To make traveling easier, it is also possible to get a prepaid card that can be topped up and used for tapping in and out at the station. There's a wide variety of Bangkok metro cards that can be used on different lines, such as the Rabbit Card, the Mangmoom EMV card, the MRT EMV card, the Airport Rail Link card, and the SRT Red Line Card.
The Rabbit Card is the most popular Bangkok metro card, as you can use it for both BTS Green lines, MRT Yellow and Pink lines, the Gold Line, and the Chao Phraya Express Boat. You can book a Rabbit Card online and conveniently pick it up at the airport on arrival.
Another option that can be used as a ticket card on some of the metro lines in Bangkok is the EMV contactless card of VISA or Mastercard. EMV stands for "Europay Mastercard and Visa," which has a contactless payment logo on the front or the back of the card.
It is also possible to get the BTS SkyTrain One-Day Pass that allows you to use the BTS Green Line all day long for a fixed price.
Discover detailed information about the ticket options on different MRT, BTS, and SRT lines here: Bangkok Metro Tickets.
