MRT (Bangkok)

Metropolitan Rapid Transit
The second generation Siemens Modular Metro train (EMU-BLE) of the Blue Line
Overview
Native name	รถไฟฟ้ามหานคร
Owner	Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand
Locale	Bangkok Metropolitan Region
Transit type	Rapid transit Monorail
Number of lines	4 in operation 2 under construction
Number of stations	107
Daily ridership	617,000 (Aug. 2024)
Annual ridership	92.4 million (in 2014)[1]
Operation
Began operation	3 July 2004; 20 years ago (2004-07-03)
Operator(s)	MRT   MRT  Bangkok Expressway and Metro  MRT   MRT  Eastern Bangkok Monorail Company Limited and Northern Bangkok Monorail Company Limited (Subsidiary of BSR Consortium)
Number of vehicles	MRT  19 three-car trains (Siemens Modular Metro EMU-IBL) 35 three-car trains (Siemens Modular Metro EMU-BLE)[2]  MRT  21 three-car trains (J-TREC sustina)  MRT  30 four-car trains (Alstom Innovia Monorail 300 YM-EMU)  MRT  42 four-car trains (Alstom Innovia Monorail 300 YM-EMU)[3]
Technical
System length	135.9 kilometres (84.4 mi) (Operation) 225.7 kilometres (140.2 mi) (Planned)
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification	750 V DC third rail
Top speed	80 km/h (50 mph)

The Metropolitan Rapid Transit or MRT is a mass rapid transit system serving the Bangkok Metropolitan Region in Thailand. The MRT system comprises two fully operational rapid transit lines (Blue and Purple) and two fully operational monorail lines (Yellow and Pink), with another rapid transit line (Orange) under construction. The MRT Blue Line, officially the Chaloem Ratchamongkhon Line, between Hua Lamphong and Bang Sue was the first to open in July 2004 as Bangkok's second metro system. The MRT Blue line is officially known in Thai as rotfaifa mahanakhon (รถไฟฟ้ามหานคร) or "metropolitan electric train", but it is more commonly called rotfai taidin (รถไฟใต้ดิน), literally, "underground train" as it was distinguished from the BTS Skytrain by being completely underground when its first section between Hua Lamphong to Bang Sue opened.

The second MRT line MRT Purple Line, officially the Chalong Ratchadham Line, opened on 6 August 2016 and connected Tao Poon with Khlong Bang Phai in Nonthaburi in the northwest of Greater Bangkok. It was the first mass transit line to extend outside Bangkok.

Both the Blue Line and Purple Line are operated by the Bangkok Expressway and Metro Public Company Limited (BEM) under a concession granted by the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) which is the owner of the MRT lines. Along with the BTS Skytrain and the Airport Rail Link, the MRT is part of Bangkok's rail transportation infrastructure. The BEM-operated MRT lines have 526,000 passengers each day as of August 2024 (Blue Line 453,000 and Purple Line 73,000) with 54 operational stations and a combined route length of 71 kilometers (44 mi).^[4] Construction began in mid-2011 to extend the MRT Blue Line, after completion in April 2020, the Blue Line has become a quasi loop line (providing interchange with itself at Tha Phra) around the centre of Bangkok.

The MRT Yellow Line monorail, officially the Nakkhara Phiphat Line, opened for trial operation in June 2023 and was fully opened on 3 July 2023. The MRT Pink Line monorail opened for public trial operation in November 2023, and was fully opened on 1 February 2024. The Yellow and Pink Lines are operated by subsidiaries of BTSC, who also operate the BTS Skytrain rather than BEM.

Other MRT lines are planned for the future MRT system with the MRT Orange Line and the southern extension of the MRT Purple Line from Tao Poon to Rat Burana^[5] are under construction. The MRT Brown Line is also planned.^[6]