The 13km extension of the BTS elevated rail route linking southern Bangkok with Samut Prakan will open next month and commuters will be allowed free trips for four months, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said on Monday.
Gen Prayut said the free fare period on the newly built extension linking Samrong station to Samut Prakan had previously been set for three months.
The extended route, also known as the Southern Green Line, has nine stations in total, but the Samrong station linking Soi Bearing and Samrong area, has been operational since April last year.
With the remaining eight stations opening next month, the extension is expected to help people avoid crowded Sukhumvit road on their way to central Bangkok.
The prime minister was speaking during the opening ceremony of the Ratchayothin underpass, which is built to improve traffic flow on Ratchadaphisek, Phahon Yothin and Vibhavadi Rangsit roads, among the capital’s busiest, during the construction of several mass transit projects across the city.
The underpass was opened three months earlier than scheduled and can handle about 200,000 vehicles daily.
