The operators of the BTS skytrain will raise its fares to 16-44 baht from 15-42 baht now, effective on Oct 1.
Commuters with a 30-day pass will pay one baht more per trip while those using the top-up Rabbit card enjoy the old prices for another six months, Surapong Laoha-Unya, chief operating officer of Bangkok Mass Transit System Plc (BTSC), said on Monday.
The fare hike applies to the 23.5km lines under concessions -- the Sukhumvit line (Mo Chit-On Nut) and the Silom line (National Stadium-Saphan Taksin).
It does not apply to the extension invested by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration from On Nut station onward.
The new rates are 16, 23, 26, 30, 33, 37 and 40 baht for one to seven stations respectively and 44 baht for eight stations or more.
The increases are 1-3 baht higher than the existing fares. The new rates are still within the ceiling of 20.11-60.31 baht under the concession contracts, Mr Surapong said.
For the 30-day pass for both general commuters and students, the increase is one baht a trip. The new prices for general commuters are 1,300 baht for 50 trips, 1,080 baht for 40 trips, 725 baht for 25 trips and 465 baht for 15 trips.
The student rates are 950 baht for 50 trips, 800 baht for 40 trips, 550 baht for 25 trips and 360 baht for 15 trips.
Mr Surapong said BTSC last raised its fares four years ago on June 1, 2013 even though the contracts allowed it to do so every 18 months and operating costs rose steadily, especially for maintenance.
The company has been improving the service, he said, adding 46 more trains of four carriages each will be bought, totalling 184 carriages. They will reach Thailand early next year.
All ticket vending machines will also be replaced by the models using touch screens and 50 more that can accept banknotes will be added, he said.