Rabbit on BTS, bank cards on MRT: Bangkok rail payments explained
See where Rabbit, contactless Visa and Mastercard, Mangmoom EMV and single tickets work on Bangkok’s BTS and MRT lines.
Bangkok does not have one payment method that works across every BTS and MRT line. The useful short answer is:
- BTS Green Line: use a Rabbit card or buy a single-journey ticket. The operator does not list contactless bank cards as a gate-payment method.
- MRT Blue and Purple lines: tap an eligible EMV contactless bank card, use a Mangmoom EMV card or buy a single-journey ticket.
- MRT Yellow and Pink lines: Rabbit, Mangmoom EMV and eligible EMV contactless bank cards work, as do single-journey tickets.
That distinction matters at interchanges such as Asok BTS/Sukhumvit MRT and Sala Daeng BTS/Silom MRT. A change between systems ends one paid journey and starts another; even if the same card works on both lines, it does not create a through fare.
Card compatibility by line
| Train line | Rabbit | Contactless bank card at gate | Other straightforward option |
|---|---|---|---|
| BTS Sukhumvit and Silom lines (Green Line) | Yes | Not listed | Single-journey ticket or BTS One-Day Pass |
| MRT Blue Line | No | Yes, if eligible | Mangmoom EMV or single-journey ticket |
| MRT Purple Line | No | Yes, if eligible | Mangmoom EMV or single-journey ticket |
| MRT Yellow Line | Yes | Yes, if eligible | Mangmoom EMV or single-journey ticket |
| MRT Pink Line | Yes | Yes, if eligible | Mangmoom EMV or single-journey ticket |
The distinction is not simply “BTS versus MRT.” The Yellow and Pink lines carry MRT branding but accept Rabbit, as their operators’ ticket information confirms for the Yellow Line and Pink Line. MRTA says one EMV contactless card can be used across the Blue, Purple, Yellow and Pink lines; its more detailed Thai notice also identifies Mangmoom EMV as covering those four lines, the Red Line and Airport Rail Link. See the MRTA payment-system announcement and full Thai transition notice.
BTS Green Line: use Rabbit or a BTS ticket
On the BTS Green Line—the Sukhumvit and Silom routes through stations including Siam, Asok, Sala Daeng, Thong Lo and Ari—the gates accept:
- a Rabbit stored-value card;
- a BTS single-journey card; or
- a BTS One-Day Pass.
The operator’s BTS ticketing-system guide lists those gate media but does not list open-loop contactless bank cards. Some vending machines accept QR payment, but that buys a ticket; it is not a bank-card tap at the gate. The BTS machine instructions list coins or QR payment, including Thai mobile banking, Alipay and WeChat.
At BTS ticket offices, a new Rabbit has a 120-baht issuance fee and requires at least 100 baht of stored value, so the initial outlay is at least 220 baht. It can hold up to 4,000 baht and can also be topped up at Pink and Yellow Line ticket offices, according to BTS’s Rabbit instructions. For only one or two BTS journeys, buying individual tickets may be simpler.
The 150-baht BTS One-Day Pass allows unlimited rides on its issue or registration date but is valid only on the Green Line—not the Blue, Purple, Pink or Yellow lines. Those conditions are in the official BTS pass information.
MRT: which bank cards qualify?
On the MRT lines, use the same physical card to enter and exit. BEM says using different cards can produce an incomplete journey charged at the applicable maximum integrated fare. Registration is not required for travel, although a registered account allows journey checks and disputes. See BEM’s EMV conditions of use.
For the Blue and Purple lines, BEM’s published eligibility list names:
- Contactless Visa or Mastercard credit cards issued by Thai or international banks.
- Thai-issued Visa or Mastercard debit cards from Krungthai, Krungsri, Kasikornbank, SCB and UOB.
- Specific participating UnionPay cards, rather than all UnionPay cards.
A foreign Visa or Mastercard debit card is not included in BEM’s specific published debit-card list. If that is your only card, carry enough baht for a single-journey ticket. Check the operator’s current EMV eligibility page before relying on a less common card type.
Old stored-value MRT and MRT Plus cards stopped being accepted on the Blue and Purple lines on 1 June 2026. MRTA’s transition notice identifies EMV bank cards and Mangmoom EMV as the continuing card options; Rabbit is a separate system.
What to carry for a mixed BTS–MRT trip
For a visitor using both central systems, a practical setup is:
- Rabbit for BTS if you expect repeated Green Line rides.
- A contactless Visa or Mastercard credit card for MRT.
- Thai baht as backup for single-journey tickets.
At Asok/Sukhumvit, Mo Chit/Chatuchak Park, Ha Yaek Lat Phrao/Phahon Yothin, Sala Daeng/Silom and Bang Wa/Bang Wa, changing between BTS and MRT does not merge the fares. Exit the first system and begin a new paid journey using a method accepted by the next line.