Thailand
Bangkok
UMR Index Rank
#48
(+1)
Score: 40%
Sustainable Mobility
#47
(+5)
Score: 40.0%
Public Transit
#46
(-2)
Score: 43.5%
Technology Adoption
#53
Score: 24.4%
| Population | 15.0 million |
| Surface area (km2) | 3,199 |
| Population-density (people/km2) | 4,707 |
| GDP per capita ($) | 18,482 |
UMR Index Rank
#48
(+1)
Score: 40%
Sustainable Mobility
#47
(+5)
Score: 40.0%
Public Transit
#46
(-2)
Score: 43.5%
Technology Adoption
#53
Score: 24.4%
What Bangkok Does Well In Urban Mobility
From light rail to river taxis, Bangkok is connected by a strong and diverse multimodal network. The city allows residents to park at commuter lots and bring bicycles on several forms of public transport. The government continues to invest in improving public transit station density. This includes a new metro line that opened at the end of 2023 and an autonomous elevated monorail that was inaugurated in mid-2023. The monorail has a capacity for over 200,000 passengers per day. Further investments are ongoing to improve the public transit offering, including extending two lines.
Car ownership in Bangkok is relatively low. The cost of owning a car in Thailand can be expensive because of high upfront import duties and taxes. In addition, fuel, maintenance, and insurance costs can reach 10,000 baht ($300) a month. Commuters in Bangkok often opt for public transit over personal cars, partly due to the diverse range of reliable and fast options.
Urban Mobility Readiness Index, Sustainable Mobility, Public Transit, and Technology Adoption scores
Source: Oliver Wyman Forum and University of California, Berkeley
Challenges And Opportunities For Bangkok’s Transportation System
Despite low car ownership among residents, Bangkok’s government has been slow to develop infrastructure such as car-free zones, cycleways, and pedestrian walkways to support more active forms of mobility. Interestingly, cycling and walking are already common modes of transportation, likely spurred by the high cost of car ownership and public transport. In fact, Bangkok’s public transit has become less affordable in recent years.
Bangkok ranks poorly in road safety and lacks infrastructure to keep pedestrians and cyclists safe. In 2024 the National Assembly of Thailand announced a National Master Plan on Road Safety to cut national fatality figures by half, to 8,500, by 2027.
Dimensions of the Urban Mobility Readiness Index score
Source: Oliver Wyman Forum and University of California, Berkeley
How Bangkok Can Improve Its Urban Mobility Performance
Bangkok can do more to encourage active mobility, especially by implementing more car-free zones and investing in walking and cycling infrastructure. In September 2024 the city introduced a car-free zone spanning over 500 meters (1,640 feet) in the downtown area over one weekend. The city can pilot more car- free zones and expand them based on public perception and utilization.
With high fares relative to household income and a decrease in affordability of public transport since 2023, Bangkok’s public transit is unaffordable for many residents. The city recognized the issue and decided in 2024 to cap the price of all electric train fares at approximately 20 baht (60 cents). The government said it plans to extend the measure to all public transit fares by September 2025. While a cap is a good step forward, Bangkok can also provide subsidies for transit fares that target low-income groups. The city also can sell discounted long-term (monthly or quarterly) passes for regular transit users. A congestion charge for cars, which could be used to subsidize public transit, has also been considered.
Urban Mobility Readiness Index relative ranking evolution (2020-2024)
Source: Oliver Wyman Forum and University of California, Berkeley