BANGKOK — The newly inaugurated Gold Line monorail will be open to passengers for free until Jan. 15 – all three stations in the route.
The line opened formally earlier this week, with PM Prayut Chan-o-cha in attendance. With just three stations – Krung Thonburi, Charoen Nakhon, and Khlong San – it is the shortest line of all elevated railways serving Bangkok. It’s also the only self-driving public transportation in Thailand.
Key landmarks along the short route include Taksin Hospital and the luxury shopping mall IconSiam, both of which can be reached via Khlong San Station.
After the free trial ends on January 15, the fare will be 15 baht for the entire route.
Construction of the Gold Line began after the military seized power in 2014. Transparency activists have questioned whether the project was solely for moving people to a shopping mall, though officials denied there was any collusion.
There was also a plan to build a massive “observation tower” on the Gold Line, but it was shelved amid widespread criticism and concerns of corruption.