Thailand to spend over US$19 billion for six more MRT rail lines

The Mass Rapid Transit Authority (MRTA) of Thailand is to make immediate plans to develop six additional mass rapid transit (MRT) rail lines that should be operational by 2020. The lines will measure a length of 200 kilometres and entail US$19.16 billion in combined investments. The move was spurred by a forecast that suggests some three million passengers a day will use the MRT rail system in Bangkok by 2020.
August 24, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
The 6449 Mass Rapid Transit Authority (MRTA) of Thailand is to make immediate plans to develop six additional mass rapid transit (MRT) rail lines that should be operational by 2020. The lines will measure a length of 200 kilometres and entail US$19.16 billion in combined investments. The move was spurred by a forecast that suggests some three million passengers a day will use the MRT rail system in Bangkok by 2020.

Currently, commuter rail users take up a mere 10 per cent of the overall mass-transit system in Greater Bangkok due to the limited number of lines. MRTA's Governor, Yongsit Rojsrikul, says it would be able to reach break-even point faster as a result of the new proposed lines and increasing volume of users. In order to lower the investment cost of the government, MRTA planned to use sites along its routes to churn out additional income. Having been set up some 20 years ago, MRTA only has a single 20-km electric line.

Related Content

  • Cable cars come of age in trans-continental expansion
    April 30, 2015
    David Crawford explores a high-level option of public transport. Sharing its origin with that of ski lifts at winter sports resorts in the European Alps, urban aerial cable transport is attracting growing interest as a low-footprint, low-energy alternative to conventional public transport that can swoop over ground-level traffic congestion.
    Read More
  • Dutch survey shows drivers are in favour of road user charging
    January 16, 2012
    'Keep it simple, stupid' is an oft-forgotten axiom but in terms of road user charging it is entirely appropriate. So says the ANWB's Ferry Smith. A couple of decades ago, it might have been largely true that the technology aspects of advanced road infrastructure were the main obstacles to deployment. However, 20 years or more of development have led to a situation where such 'obstacles' are often no more than a political fig-leaf. Area-wide Road User Charging (RUC) is a case in point; speak candidly to syst
    Read More
  • Gearing up for the global electric vehicle revolution
    May 3, 2019
    As transport, communications and energy networks become inextricably linked, policy makers are recognising the implications for our built environment – and the growing electric vehicle market will have a major impact on the world’s infrastructure, says Rolton Group’s Chris Evans
    Read More
  • US budget proposals seek recognise ITS benefits
    April 30, 2015
    President Obama’s latest budget brings some good news for the transportation and ITS sectors. President Obama’s proposed 2016 budget could see more progress on many of America’s ingrained transportation problems than has been achieved in some time and includes a six-year $478 billion surface transportation reauthorisation. That is, of course, provided it clears all of the administrative hurdles to become law.
    Read More

Highlighted Content