MRT Purple Line, MRT Blue Line and SRT Redline urban trains will accept payments made by credit and debit cards

The Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP) said the long-anticipated common transportation ticketing system will finally be piloted across the three metro systems in Bangkok from April.

MRT Purple Line, MRT Blue Line and SRT Redline urban trains will accept payments made by credit and debit cards,” the National News Bureau of Thailand reports Minister of Transport Saksayam Chidchob as saying.

The office said the common transportation ticketing system will be rolled out for the MRT Blue Line, the MRT Purple Line, and the SRT Red Line services. This new system is based on the EMV contactless payment platforms. It is similar to credit and debit cards.

Mrs Wilairat Sirisophonsin, Deputy Director of the OTP, said the office has been conducting studies and designing the new system with all stakeholders. A bill on common ticket management is to be submitted to the Ministry of Transportation for review.

“The cards can also be used to pay fares for buses and electric boats operated by Bangok Mass Transit Authority. Commuters can also use them to pay expressway toll fees.“

The deputy chief said several factors must be considered when creating a centralized ticketing scheme, including different fare structures, entry fees, operational contracts, and the need to create a capable back office system to handle transactions.

Meanwhile, all the three services to pilot the new ticketing system have already upgraded their infrastructure with contactless card readers. Passengers of the MRT Blue and Purple lines can now tap their contactless credit or debit cards at the gates to pay the fares, instead of having to purchase a separate ticket.