The newly inaugurated elevated MRT Yellow Line experienced a significant drop in passenger usage on its first day of commercial operation, with the average number of passengers per trip plummeting from 79,575 on July 1 to just 45,135 two days later.
Initially, the Yellow Line offered free travel along its 13 stations from June 3, before extending its services to all 23 stations on June 19. However, the introduction of fares ranging from 15 to 45 baht has begun to result in an impact on the number of commuters utilizing the line.
In response to the lower-than-expected ridership, Department of Rail Transport (DRT) Director-General Pichet Kunathammarak announced a discount for passengers paying with EMV (Europay, Mastercard, and Visa) cards. Those using 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. The route starts at the Ratchada-Lat Phrao intersection near MRT Lat Phrao station and concludes at Samrong Station at the Sukhumvit intersection.
With the drop in passenger usage on the Yellow Line, the DRT is now considering additional strategies to entice more commuters to utilize the service. The agency also emphasizes that offering efficient and convenient travel options for passengers remains a top priority. (NNT)
