THE Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) has announced that the period of free travel on Bangkok’s Pink Line monorail will be extended until January 2 2024, following successful negotiations with concessionaire Northern Bangkok Monorail (NBM).
Under the direction of transport minister Mr Suriya Jungrungruangkit, an agreement was reached with NBM by Mr Suraphong Piyachote, the deputy transport minister responsible for MRTA.
The Pink Line runs for 34.5km from Nonthaburi Civic Centre to Min Buri, serving a total of 30 stations. Free travel was originally due to end on December 17.
Jungrungruangkit reports that a total of 50,910 passenger-journeys were recorded when the Pink Line opened to the public on November 21, with services operating between 15.00 and 20.00.
Patronage climbed to 98,262 passenger-journeys on November 22 when the driverless monorail trains ran between 06.00 and 20.00.
MRTA says that these positive figures reflect the willingness of the public to change their travelling habits and make greater use of Bangkok’s public transport network, helping to reduce CO2 emissions by using electrically-powered mass transit.
The Pink Line is operated with a fleet of 42 four-car trains, and is capable of carrying up to 17,000 passengers per hour per direction.
The new monorail acts feeder to the rest of the Bangkok network, providing interchange with the Purple Line at Nonthaburi Civic Centre, with State Railway of Thailand (SRT) commuter services at Lak Si, and with the Green Line at Wat Phra Si Mahathat.
The Pink Line will also provide interchange at Minburi with the Orange Line that is currently under construction and the planned Grey Line at Watcharaphon.
Until January 2, the park-and-ride facility adjacent to Minburi station will also be free to use. The car park offers 3025 spaces on three floors, with dedicated spaces for motorcycles and drivers with reduced mobility. Connected to the station by a walkway, it also has accessible toilets and CCTV.
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