Politics
Bangkok's Old City Gets New Bus and Ferry Routes October 2026
The measure reallocates transport grants to the historic district, with the first schedule changes and adjusted fares set to take effect in the final quarter of this year.
How we reported this
The state legislature passed the Urban Mobility Funding Bill in June 2026. It directs 150 million baht in existing transport grants to bus and ferry operations serving the old quarter of Old City Bkk. Commuters who rely on routes 12, 25 and the Chao Phraya ferry piers between Tha Chang and Tha Tien will see revised timetables and some fare adjustments.
City transport planners have cited rising maintenance costs for older vehicles and declining ridership numbers recorded in the 2025 annual report. The bill requires the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to publish updated route maps by 15 September 2026 and to begin the new service pattern on 1 October 2026.
Implementation Timeline
Local transport officials must complete staff training and vehicle reallocation by the end of September. The first fare collection under the new structure will occur on weekday morning services starting 5 October. Evening and weekend changes follow on 12 October. Residents who purchase monthly passes before 30 September will continue at current rates until those passes expire.
Office workers in the Rattanakosin area who travel from Banglamphu or Dusit will encounter the earliest visible changes. School students using route 25 to Wat Mahathat will face a new 07:15 departure instead of the previous 07:05 slot. Ferry passengers boarding at Tha Phra Chan will see a 2-baht increase on single tickets from the same October date.
Budget Allocation and Next Steps
The bill's fiscal note states that 92 million baht will cover vehicle refurbishment and 58 million baht will fund extended operating hours on two core routes. These figures appear in the supplementary budget table released by the legislature's finance committee on 28 June 2026. No new taxes are imposed by the legislation itself.
Further public hearings on exact stop locations are scheduled for 20 August at the Bangkok City Hall annex. The Metropolitan Administration is required to post final timetables on its website by 1 September. Residents can submit route suggestions through the district office until 10 August.