Bangkok MRT Guide: Routes, Fares, Tips & Travel Hacks for 2025

Navigating Bangkok’s vibrant streets can be overwhelming, but the MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) makes getting around the city easy, affordable, and air-conditioned. Often combined with the BTS Skytrain, the MRT offers seamless connections across Bangkok, making it perfect for tourists exploring temples or residents commuting daily.

New in 2025: The long-awaited Mangmoom Card is now available for all MRT lines, letting you travel on the Blue, Purple, Pink, and Yellow Lines with a single card. (Note: BTS Skytrain and Airport Rail Link still require separate cards.)

You can view the full Bangkok Train System Map (MRT, BTS, Airport Link) here.

This guide covers everything you need to know about using the MRT system in 2025. Below, you’ll find a table of contents to help you jump straight to the information you need: from tickets and fares to tips on using the MRT, plus details about the new Park & Ride in Min Buri.

What is the MRT?

The MRT is Bangkok’s integrated rapid transit system, offering fast, efficient, and comfortable transportation across the capital. It originally launched with the mostly underground Blue Line, Bangkok’s first metro line. Since then, the network has expanded to include the elevated Purple Line and the monorail-style Pink Line and Yellow Line.

Although the elevated lines resemble the BTS Skytrain in appearance and functionality, they’re operated by a separate company. This means a different stored-value card is required — the MRT card for the Blue and Purple Lines, or the Rabbit card for the Pink and Yellow Lines. New in 2025, the Mangmoom Card can be used on all MRT lines, allowing travel on the Blue, Purple, Pink, and Yellow Lines with a single card.

Underground Blue Line stations are clean, air-conditioned, and provide a welcome escape from Bangkok’s heat and humidity. In contrast, the elevated stations (on the Pink, Yellow, and Purple Lines) are open-air and warmer, but they’re generally covered and well-maintained. Trains across all lines are equipped with strong air-conditioning and can feel quite cold.

Many MRT and monorail stations offer Park & Ride facilities, particularly at outer-line terminals like Khlong Bang Phai (Purple Line), Lak Song (Blue Line), Min Buri (Pink Line), and Samrong (Yellow Line/BTS). Most facilities charge a low hourly rate or offer free parking with a validated train card.

• Operating Hours: 6:00 am – 12:00 am (midnight)
• Frequency: Every 5-7 minutes during peak hours, 7-10 minutes off-peak
• Language Support: Thai and English signs and announcements.
• Call center: +66 (0) 2716 4044 (8am – 5pm)

MRT Travel Tips

• Avoid rush hours (7:30–9:00 am and 5:00–7:30 pm)
• Use transit apps like ViaBus, Moovit, or Google Maps
• Keep coins or small bills for vending machines
• Special guides are available on request for visually impaired or disabled passengers

Bangkok Rail Transit Map (BTS, MRT, Airport Rail Link & More) 

You can use this Bangkok rail system map to explore all major train lines in the city, including the BTS Skytrain (Sukhumvit and Silom Lines), the Gold Line, all MRT-operated lines (Blue, Purple, Pink, and Yellow), as well as the Airport Rail Link, the Red Line commuter train, and the SRT intercity railway. It’s an essential tool for planning routes, identifying key interchanges, and navigating Bangkok with confidence.

Click on the map to view the full image.

💡 Tip: Download the map to keep a copy on your phone while traveling.

MRT Lines

Blue Line

(Hua Lamphong ↔ Tha Phra Loop)

• Bangkok’s main semi-underground loop covering the old city, new districts, and major transfer points
• Connects with BTS at Asok, Silom, and Bang Wa; also links to the Airport Rail Link via Phetchaburi/Makkasan
• Station designs at Sanam Chai and Wat Mangkon feature traditional Thai-style interiors worth seeing even if you’re not exiting
• Trains are air-conditioned and frequent; expect crowding during rush hours (7:30–9:00 AM and 5:30–7:30 PM)

Key stops:

• Wat Mangkon — Closest to Chinatown (Yaowarat Road)
• Sanam Chai — For Wat Pho, Grand Palace, and riverside piers
• Chatuchak Park — Direct access to Chatuchak Weekend Market
• Sukhumvit — Connects to BTS Asok, Terminal 21, and office zones
• Itsaraphap — closest to Wat Arun

Purple Line

 (Tao Poon ↔ Khlong Bang Phai)

• Fully elevated line connecting the northwestern suburbs, including Nonthaburi, with central Bangkok
• Interchange with the MRT Blue Line at Tao Poon station for direct access to the city center
• Popular with commuters and expats living in western Bangkok due to reliable service and lower housing costs in the suburbs
• Connects to major residential zones and government offices, with large Park & Ride facilities at several stations (e.g., Khlong Bang Phai)

Pink Line

 (Nonthaburi Civic Center ↔ Min Buri)

• Monorail-style elevated line, opened in late 2023
• Features driverless trains with frequent departures — though the ride can feel a bit bumpy, especially on curves
• Key stations: Min Buri (with its Park & Ride cheap parking, direct train access), Government Complex, Wat Phra Sri Mahathat (connection to BTS), Pak Kret

Yellow Line

 (Lat Phrao ↔ Samrong)

• Elevated driverless monorail connecting eastern and southeastern Bangkok
• Connects to the MRT Blue Line at Lat Phrao and BTS Sukhumvit Line at Samrong
• Passes several major shopping centres along Srinagarindra Road, including Seacon Square, Paradise Park, and Thanya Park

Tickets, Fares and Cards (Updated August 2025)

• Distance-based pricing: approx. THB 17–45 per trip
• Single journey tokens available at vending machines
• Stored value cards:
  • Mangmoom card (for all lines)
  • MRT card (for Blue and Purple Lines)
  • Rabbit card (for Pink and Yellow Lines)
• Visa cards: tap in/out at the top reader to pay directly (not supported everywhere)
• Discounts for seniors, students, and people with disabilities

Mangmoom Card: Launched in August 2025

In August 2025, the long-delayed Mangmoom Card (“Spider Card”) was finally launched through a partnership between Krungthai Bank (KTB) and MRTA. It now supports fare payment on all MRT lines:

• ✅ MRT Blue Line
• ✅ MRT Purple Line
• ✅ MRT Yellow Line
• ✅ MRT Pink Line

🚫 Note: The Mangmoom Card does not work on BTS Skytrain or Airport Rail Link.

💸 Special Fare: Thai citizens using the Mangmoom Card receive a flat-rate fare of 20 baht for MRT rides, when applying using the Pao Tang app. Unfortunately, foreigners are currently not eligible for this flat-rate pricing and pay regular distance-based fares.

Bangkok Transit Cards Recap

💡 Insider Tip: If you’re a long-term resident using MRT often, the Mangmoom Card simplifies travel across all MRT-operated lines — but you’ll still need separate cards for BTS and Airport Rail Link.

Using the MRT: Step-by-Step

1. Locate your station using Google Maps or Moovit
2. Pass through bag scanners at security
3. Buy a token or use your stored value or Visa card
4. Tap to enter:
   • Top scanner for Visa cards
   • Bottom scanner for tokens or stored value cards
5. Walk through the gate when it opens
6. Follow signs to the correct platform

7. Wait for the train. Arrows on the ground indicate where people should stand to wait (leaving the area in front of the doors free)

8. Once the train arrives, allow people to exit the train first, and then board the train

9. Note that typically the first seat near the entrance is reserved for disabled, elderly or monks.

💡 Insider Tip: On escalators, most locals stand on the right, walk on the left — but this isn’t always consistently followed.

Why are they standing for my child?

If you’re traveling on Bangkok’s MRT or BTS for the first time, you might witness a small but curious scene: a local passenger quickly jumping up to offer their seat—not to an elderly person or pregnant woman—but to a perfectly energetic young child. Foreigners often watch in bemusement, as this goes against their expectations.

Yet in Thailand, it’s common and entirely natural: children are highly cherished, and locals often feel a sense of responsibility and kindness towards them, prioritizing their comfort. It’s one of those small, heartwarming cultural differences that makes riding Bangkok’s public transport an unexpectedly charming experience.

Top Places Accessible via MRT

Connecting Transportation Modes

• BTS Skytrain: Interchange at Mo Chit, Asok, Bang Wa, and Wat Phra Sri Mahathat
• Airport Rail Link (ARL): Connect at Phetchaburi station via Makkasan
• River Boats: From Sanam Chai and Itsaraphap via nearby piers
• Public Buses: Serve most MRT stations and nearby junctions
• Taxis and Ride-Hailing: Available at most exits

Min Buri Park & Ride

At Min Buri Station (Pink Line), MRT passengers can access a brand new, three-floor Park & Ride building using their Rabbit Card. Despite being underused and lacking clear signage from the outside, it offers direct station access. Parking costs THB 5 per hour for MRT passengers. To reach the train: go to the 3rd floor, cross the sky bridge to the station, and walk or take the elevator down into the station entrance.

Best Time to Ride the MRT

By season

• Cool season (Nov–Feb): Ideal for sightseeing
• Rainy season (May–Oct): MRT helps you avoid flooded streets
• Hot season (Mar–May): Cool refuge from the city heat

By time of day

• Avoid rush hours: 07:30-09:00 am and 5:00-7:30 pm (crowded with commuters).
• Best for comfort: Mid-morning (09:30-11:30 am) or mid-afternoon (1:30-4:00 pm).
• Late evening: Less crowded, but check last train times.

Conclusion

The Bangkok MRT is a smart, stress-free way to explore the city — modern, affordable, and reliable. Whether you’re commuting, sightseeing, or connecting to the BTS or Airport Rail Link, understanding the different lines and cards makes all the difference.

📍 Don’t forget to download or bookmark the full Bangkok Train System Map (BTS, MRT, ARL) for your journey.

🚆 Want to connect your MRT journey with the BTS? Don’t miss our BTS Skytrain Bangkok Guide for tips on stations, transfers, and travel hacks.

🔎 Thailand Insider Guide is your trusted source for expert local travel insights across Thailand.