Bangkok BRT

The Bangkok BRT is a bus rapid transit system in Bangkok, Thailand. Out of the five routes that were originally planned, only one line has been in operation since 2010, with all the other routes cancelled. At the end of April 2017, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) announced the whole system might be cancelled due to low ridership and financial losses, however a subsequent opinion survey carried out by the BMA found there was a demand for the service to be retained. In March 2017 the Governor of Bangkok announced the service would continue, with increased ticket prices and changed operator to Bangkok Mass Transit System Public Company Limited.

Bangkok BRT
BRT
CRRC EV Bus at Sathorn BRT Station in September 2024
Overview
Native name	รถโดยสารประจำทางด่วนพิเศษ สายสาทร-ราชพฤกษ์
Owner	Bangkok Metropolitan Administration
Locale	Bangkok
Transit type	Bus rapid transit
Number of stations	14 stations
Daily ridership	25,000
Operation
Began operation	23 May 2010 (2010-05-23)
Operator(s)	Bangkok Mass Transit System Public Company Limited
Character	Fully at-grade
Number of vehicles	Current: CRRC EV Bus: 23 cars Former: Sunlong SLK6215CNG: 25 cars
Headway	5-7 mins (peak-hour) 10 mins (off peak-hour, weekends, and public holiday)
Technical
System length	16.5 km (10.3 mi)
Average speed	30 km/h
Top speed	60 km/h

The 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) route has twelve stations in the centre of the road that give at grade access to the right hand side of the buses. Both termini connect to the Silom Line of the BTS Skytrain; at Chong Nonsi (S3) and Talat Phlu (S10). The previous fleet consists of Sunlong SLK6125CNG buses, which were replaced by CRRC EV buses on 1st September 2024. The fare is currently on hold (free until new price decided) for reconsideration of the effectiveness of the project.

Bangkok Mass Transit map and BRT route

The system is set for upgrades in 2024, including the addition of 23 electric buses and two additional stations. These changes aim to boost ridership to 13,000 passengers per day. The fare will be capped at 15 baht.

Background

It is owned by Krungthep Thanakom PCL, the holdings enterprise of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), and operated by Bangkok Mass Transit System PCL (BTSC), the operator of the BTS Skytrain.

Plans for a bus rapid transit system in Bangkok were made in 2004 by the BMA and the Ministry of Transport's Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning. In 2005, the BMA settled on a master plan consisting of fourteen BRT routes. Construction on the first route, Sathon–Ratchaphruek, began in 2007. The route opened for trial runs on 29 May 2010, and officially opened on 14 February 2011.

The system's island platforms are accessed by elevated enclosed station facilities, and it shares the ticketing system of the BTS Skytrain. The buses run on dedicated bus lanes blocked to the main traffic, which is why the system has been criticised by motorists as losing one lane to the BRT has worsened the traffic in the area.

Originally, five BRT routes were planned to be open by 2013. The additional four routes were: Mo Chit – Government Complex – Nonthaburi, Sathorn – Suk Sawat, Don Mueang – Min Buri–Suvarnabhumi, and Min Buri – Srinagarindra – Samrong. However, it was announced in September 2010 that The Mo Chit – Government Complex route was cancelled, and the other planned routes were expected to be abandoned as well.

Sathorn–Ratchaphruek route

CRRC EV Bus at Sathorn station.

The first route from Sathorn to Ratchaphruek via Naradhiwas Ratchanagarindra and Rama III roads, opened to the public on 29 May 2010. This was later than 12 August 2008 as originally planned. The service ran as a free trial until the end of August 2010, followed by a flat fare of THB10 from September 2010. That flat fare was decreased to THB5 in January 2011, and later increase to THB15 in May 2017. On 31 August, BMA announced that The fare will be free for 3 months till 30 November 2023 for reconsideration of the effectiveness of the project.

The Chong Nonsi Skywalk serves as a connecting point between the Silom Line and the BRT.

Part of the route is physically separated from the remaining carriageway by way of surface-mounted dividers, while other parts of the route are high-occupancy vehicle lanes with a minimum occupancy level of three occupants (T3). At some intersections, the bus shares space with other vehicles, disrupting an efficient exploitation. The vehicles have a guide system, which is only used at the stations to ensure a minimum gap between the station and the bus. The stations are all located in the centre of the road, which means that the BRT lanes are located against the road median, and the doors are on the right hand side of the buses (Thailand drives on the left). Access from the stations to the vehicles is leveled. Wheelchair accessibility was improved following the introduction of stair lifts.

People waiting for the bus at Thanon Chan BRT station

Buses operate between 06:00-24:00 at 7-10 minute intervals during off-peak hours and weekends and 5 minute intervals at peak hours. An additional service between Sathorn and Nararam III is in operation during peak hours.

On 2 February 2024, BTSC won the BMA's bid to operate and develop the BRT system. The existing route is expected to extend from Sathorn to Lumphini MRT station in July 2024, with an additional service to CentralPlaza Rama III shopping mall. BTSC was assigned to find electric buses with doors to accommodate both the current high-level platforms and for street-level. Two new infill stations are also planned to be built: Yaek Chan - Naradhiwas Rajanagarindra (between B3-B4) and Yaek Naradhiwas Rajanagarindra - Ratchadaphisek (between B4-B5).

On 1 September 2024, The new CRRC EV Bus replaced the old Sunlong SLK6215CNG and began operating on the line with two additional stations which are Thanon Chan Neau and Thanon Chan Tai. However, daily commuters of the line criticised this new kind of operation as problematic since the new bus is low-floor while the platforms at the existing stations were built to accommodate only high-floor bus, This means passengers have to use an emergency staircases at the end of the platform to board the bus. Another problem is that only 16 out of 23 buses operate on the line during rush hour, resulting in a 12-minute interval instead of 7-minute interval. This causes major overcrowding at various stations. The Traffic and Transportation Department stated that the overcrowding problem is due by the delayed installation of a bus charging station at Sathorn, meaning that all buses have to use the only existing charging station at Ratchaphruek. The issue with the boarding process will be resolved by extending the platforms to accommodate the new low-floor buses.

Stations

Code	Station Name		Opened	Transfer	Notes
	English	Thai
	Sathorn	สาทร	29 May 2010 (2010-05-29)	Connecting station to Chong Nonsi for  BTS  via Chong Nonsi Skywalk.	Exit to: • Chong Nonsi Skywalk • Chong Nonsi Canal Park • King Power Mahanakhon • Empire Tower • Sathorn Square • Bangkok City Tower • Rajanakarn Building • Sathorn Nakhon Tower
	Akhan Songkhro	อาคารสงเคราะห์			Exit to: • JC Kevin Sathorn Bangkok Hotel
	Technic Krungthep	เทคนิคกรุงเทพ			Exit to: • Rajamangala University of Technology Krungthep • Makro Sathorn • The Federation of Thai Industries
	Thanon Chan Neau	ถนนจันทน์เหนือ	1 September 2024 (2024-09-01)		Additional station
	Thanon Chan	ถนนจันทน์	29 May 2010 (2010-05-29)		Exit to: • Gallery VER • Taweewattana School • Saint Joseph Yannawa School
	Thanon Chan Tai	ถนนจันทน์ใต้	1 September 2024 (2024-09-01)		Additional station
	Nararam 3	นราราม 3	29 May 2010 (2010-05-29)
	Wat Dan	วัดด่าน			Exit to: • S.V. City Tower • INT-Intersect • Wat Dan • Wat Dan School
	Wat Pariwat	วัดปริวาส			Exit to: • Wat Pariwat • Wat Pariwat School
	Wat Dokmai	วัดดอกไม้			Exit to: • Wat Dokmai • Wat Dokmai School
	Rama IX Bridge	สะพานพระรามเก้า			Exit to: • Wat Sai Rama 3 • Wat Bang Khlo Nok • Homepro Rama 3 • Public Park in Commemoration of H.M. the King's 6th Cycle Birthday
	Charoenrat	เจริญราษฎร์			Exit to: • Tree on 3 • Terminal 21 Rama 3
	Rama III Bridge	สะพานพระรามสาม			Exit to: • Bang Kho Laem District Office • Wat Inbanjong
	Ratchapruek	ราชพฤกษ์		Connecting station to Talat Phlu for  BTS	Exit to: • The Mall Tha Phra • Tha Phra Open Air Market • Thonburi Plaza

Details

Bus Fleet

Sunlong SLK6215CNG (2010-2024)

Bangkok BRT uses single-deck buses with a length of 12 meters, a width of 2.54 meters, and a height of 3.44 meters. Originally, the line used 25 high-floor Sunlong SLK6215CNG buses from 2010 until September 2024, when they were replaced by brand new CRRC EV Buses. These 23 new buses were manufactured domestically by the Cherdchai Group in a joint venture with CRRC. Each new bus can carry no fewer than 80 passengers (equivalent to 67 cars). All buses are equipped with a GPS tracking system that allows for real-time location tracking through an application called Viabus.

CRRC EV Bus (2024-present)

Bus Liveries

The exterior of the bus features a yellow background with green stripes. This design resulted from a contest organized by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration in 2008 under the concept "Put Your Colors on Bangkok BRT," with yellow and green as the given colors. The winning design was created by a student from King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang. It was inspired by the swift motions of hand movements while drawing quick pencil strokes, symbolizing fast, reliable, and convenient service. The flowing lines indicate the flexibility of a moving hand, with thicker lines towards the back suggesting the bus is moving forward.

Interior

There is a passenger information system that automatically announces station names on LED display, the announcements are spoken by Thai actress Ratklao Amaradit which also voices for the BTS Skytrain system. The electronic sign at the front of the bus indicating the terminal station. The bus is also equipped with a GPS and radio transmission to communicate with the control centre.

Platform screen doors at Sathorn station.

Bus safety

The bus equipped with several safety features, including:

• CCTV cameras inside the bus with digital recording system that can store footage for 72 hours

• A rear-facing CCTV camera outside the bus to assist the driver while reversing and monitoring

• Emergency stop buttons

• Two fire extinguishers are featured on board

• Guidance system which automatically aligns the bus with the station platform

• Automatic sensor sliding doors to ensure passenger safety while boarding or exiting the bus

Facilities for wheelchair users

Each bus is equipped with two wheelchair locks and a ramp that can be extended from the bus to the platform to facilitate the boarding and alighting process for wheelchair users.

Signalling

The line uses Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) to control the signals for BRT, ensuring the buses priority when passing through junctions via the dedicated traffic lights. This system can also indicate the arrival time of the next bus.

Ticketing system

Bangkok BRT accepts Rabbit Card payments and will soon introduce on-bus QR payment options.

See also

• List of bus rapid transit systems
• Rabbit Card

External links

• Cabride video of entire line
• Airport Rail Link, BTS, MRT & BRT network map