The recently launched elevated MRT Yellow Line experienced a noticeable decline in passenger numbers during its first few days of commercial operation. The average number of passengers per trip decreased significantly from 79,575 on July 1 to just 45,135 on July 3.
Initially, the Yellow Line provided free travel along its 13 stations starting from June 3, before expanding its services to all 23 stations on June 19. However, the introduction of fares ranging from 15 to 45 baht has started to impact the number of commuters choosing to utilize the line.
To address the lower-than-expected ridership, Pichet Kunathammarak, Director-General of the Department of Rail Transport (DRT), announced a discount for passengers using EMV (Europay, Mastercard, and Visa) cards. Commuters paying with EMV cards will receive a 15 baht discount on the flag fall fee when transferring from the Blue Line to the Yellow Line, and a 14 baht discount when transferring from the Yellow Line to the Blue Line. While passengers will initially be charged the full amount, the discounted fee will be reimbursed within three days.
According to Pichet, the Yellow Line operates daily with trains running every five minutes during peak hours (7 am to 10 am and 5 pm to 8 pm), and every ten minutes outside of these times. Spanning a distance of 30.4 kilometers, the Yellow Line connects northern Bangkok to Samut Prakan in the southern suburbs, starting from the Ratchada-Lat Phrao intersection near MRT Lat Phrao station and concluding at Samrong Station at the Sukhumvit intersection.
In light of the decreased passenger usage on the Yellow Line, the DRT is exploring additional strategies to attract more commuters to use the service. The agency remains committed to providing efficient and convenient travel options for passengers, prioritizing their transportation needs.
