The Mass Rapid Transit Authority (MRTA) will end fare discounts on its Purple Line from Nov 1 onward, with the new rate set at 14-42 baht, said acting MRTA governor Rithika Suparat.
He said the MRTA board has decided to scrap the fare discounts including the 15-baht flat rate for weekends and holidays, as well as discounted fees at its park-and-ride facilities.
Currently fares for the Purple Line, which runs from Tao Poon station to Nonthaburi, are between 14-29 baht.
He said parking fees which are collected at five baht per two hours will switch back to the original rate of 10 baht every two hours. A monthly fee is offered at 1,000 baht for private cars.
There are three park-and-ride facilities at Bang Rak Noi, Bang Yai and Khlong Bang Phai stations.
Mr Rithika said the MRTA board has decided the agency should study other promotions to boost ridership, such as monthly cards or unlimited trips, and propose them to the board for consideration.
The fare discounts were introduced early this year after the Purple Line service proved to be unpopular among commuters mainly because it did not connect to the Blue Line after its launch in August last year. The Purple Line and the Blue Line were linked in August this year.
In September the Transport Ministry reported a surge of 47% in passengers following the opening of the previously missing link between its Tao Poon station and the MRT Blue Line's Bang Sue station on Aug 11.
"Ending the discounts would reduce subsidies from the government.
Although the discounts reduced the MRTA's income, the agency agreed to offer them because the two systems were not connected," he said.
Mr Rithika said the termination of the fare discounts has also been timed to coincide with the introduction of the welfare card.
These cards, given to low-income earners, contain allowances for public buses and mass transit systems. The welfare cards cannot be used for transportation until November, as the Mangmoom (Spider) card system, which lets users pay for public bus, boat and electric train fares in one card, is still being set up.
Mr Rithika said that with the end of the discounts, the MRTA's income from the Purple Line should increase by 30%, or about 168,000 baht a day, even though the number of commuters on the link might drop by 10% from 52,000 a day on weekdays and 34,000 daily on weekends.
The Purple Line makes a daily income of 560,000 baht per day or 16.8 million baht per month and the government provides a monthly subsidy of 5 million baht.
