The opening of the Bang Sue-Tha Phra extension, or Section 3, of Bangkok’s Chaloem Ratchamongkhon MRT line, better known as the Blue Line, marks the final delivery phase of Thales’ Automatic Fare Collection (AFC) system on the line’s extension.
This follows the successful installation of the ticketing system for Section 2, which was put into revenue service on 30 September 2019.
Thales was appointed by Bangkok Expressway Metro (BEM) and CH. Karnchang in 2017 to implement the AFC system across 19 new stations on the extension, having supplied 18 stations on the original Blue Line.
Within the scope of this contract, Thales is also supplying additional gates and token issuing machines (TIM) to increase the capacity of these stations.
Designed to mitigate growing traffic congestion problems and streamline travels within the metropolitan area, the Blue Line currently serves a daily ridership of 400,000, with numbers set to double as Section 3 transitions into full operation mode.
With the installation of its TransCity solution, gates and TIMs, Thales said it believes BEM is now “well-positioned to support this growth and deliver a seamless ticketing experience across 800,000 passenger journeys”.
“Thales has strong expertise in ticketing solutions in some of the world’s largest metro systems,” said Massimo Marinzi, country director, Thales in Thailand.
“Aligned with Thailand’s ‘One Transport for All’ vision of enabling commuters to travel with ease, we are pleased to be able to extend our technology to the extended Blue Line and enhancing the passenger experience in Bangkok.
“We look forward to strengthening Thailand’s rail network and supporting the needs of a rapidly growing urban population.”
