In Bangkok, a contactless Visa, Mastercard or UnionPay card now works on the MRT lines and the Airport Rail Link, but not on the BTS Skytrain. For the BTS you need a single-journey ticket, a One-Day Pass or a Rabbit card, so most visitors end up carrying both a bank card and a Rabbit card.
The reason is simple: Bangkok's rail lines are run by different companies, and each chose its own ticket system. The MRT operators and the Airport Rail Link have moved to bank cards, while the BTS still relies on its own Rabbit smart card. The rules changed several times in 2025 and 2026, so older blog posts are often wrong.
This page covers only how to pay. For how the lines run, where they go and how to change between them, see our guide to the BTS Skytrain and MRT and the page on the Airport Rail Link.
Which payment works on which line
| Line | Contactless bank card | Rabbit card | Single ticket |
|---|---|---|---|
| BTS Sukhumvit and Silom lines (Green) | No | Yes | Yes, card ticket; machines take cash or QR payment |
| Gold Line (Krung Thon Buri–Khlong San) | No | Yes | Yes |
| MRT Blue and Purple lines | Yes: Visa, Mastercard, UnionPay | No | Yes, token (QR tickets planned) |
| MRT Pink and Yellow monorails | Yes, according to news reports | Yes | Yes |
| Airport Rail Link | Yes, since 8 November 2025 | Not stated | Yes |
| SRT Red Line (to Don Mueang) | Yes, according to news reports | Not stated | Yes, token |
| Chao Phraya Express and Tourist Boat | Not stated | Yes | Cash ticket on board or at the pier |
"Yes" in this table means an operator or a Thai national newspaper confirmed it in the sources listed at the end, checked in October 2026. "According to news reports" means we found it in the Nation's report on the 2026 changes but not on the operator's own page. "Not stated" means we found no source either way, so do not count on it.
Contactless bank cards on the MRT
Bangkok Expressway and Metro (BEM), which runs the MRT Blue and Purple lines, accepts contactless credit cards from any Thai or foreign bank under Visa, Mastercard or UnionPay. Look for the contactless symbol above the gate, tap one card on entry and the same card on exit, and the fare is charged to the card. BEM's own site lists only Thai banks for debit cards (Krungthai, Krungsri, Kasikornbank, SCB and UOB), so a foreign debit card may or may not work; a foreign credit card is the safer choice.
From 1 June 2026, the old MRT stored-value cards stopped working on the Blue and Purple lines. The Nation reported in February 2026 that the Ministry of Transport set this date, that refunds of old card balances run until 31 December 2027 at station ticket offices, and that the transport minister said anyone with a Visa, Mastercard or UnionPay credit card "can tap straight into the MRT". If you kept an MRT card from an earlier visit, take it to a ticket office for a refund rather than trying to use it.
Tap one card, not your whole wallet. Hold a single card against the reader. If two contactless cards sit together in a purse, the gate may charge the wrong one, and you must exit with the same card you entered with.
BEM keeps a trip history for each card at mangmoomemv.com, where you can also dispute a wrong charge. Your own bank may add a foreign transaction fee to every MRT fare; our guide to using cards in Thailand explains those fees.
The Mangmoom card, and the Airport Rail Link
Krungthai Bank issues a prepaid "Mangmoom EMV" card for people who do not want to use a credit card. According to the Nation's report, it works on six lines (Red, Blue, Purple, Pink, Yellow and the Airport Rail Link), and the issue fee was waived when the old MRT cards were withdrawn. For a short visit, your own credit card does the same job.
The Airport Rail Link began accepting contactless credit and debit cards at all its stations on 8 November 2025. That makes the trip from Suvarnabhumi into town easy: tap in at the airport, tap out at Makkasan, and tap the same card into the MRT next door. Our guide to Suvarnabhumi to central Bangkok covers the rest of the journey.
The Rabbit card for the BTS
The Rabbit card is the BTS's own stored-value smart card. According to Rabbit's website, a standard adult card costs 200 baht at any BTS station ticket office (October 2026): 120 baht is the issue fee and 80 baht is loaded as credit, ready to use. There is no deposit, and no annual fee. You top it up with cash at the ticket office.
Rabbit lists these transport services that accept the card:
- the BTS Sukhumvit Line (Kheha to Khu Khot) and Silom Line (Bang Wa to National Stadium);
- the Gold Line from Krung Thon Buri to Khlong San, which serves ICONSIAM;
- the MRT Yellow Line (Lat Phrao to Samrong) and Pink Line (Nonthaburi Civic Center to Min Buri);
- the BRT express bus between Sathorn and Ratchaphruek;
- the Chao Phraya Express Boat lines and the Chao Phraya Tourist Boat.
The Rabbit card does not work on the MRT Blue and Purple lines. The Gold Line is the short shuttle described in our article on taking the BTS to ICONSIAM, and the river boats are covered in our guide to the Chao Phraya Express Boat.
A Rabbit card pays for itself after a few days of BTS rides. The issue fee is not refunded, so for a single day you are better off with single tickets or a One-Day Pass. For a week in Sukhumvit or Silom, the card saves a queue at the machine on every trip.
Rabbit also offers a Rabbit card linked to the Rabbit Wallet or LINE Pay app. Those are aimed at Thai residents with a Thai phone number and bank account; a visitor does not need them.
Single tickets, the One-Day Pass and QR payment
On the BTS, the ticket vending machines sell single-journey card tickets and take 1, 2, 5 and 10-baht coins, 20, 50, 100 and 500-baht notes, and QR-code payment. You can buy up to 10 tickets at once. The ticket office also sells a One-Day Pass; check the price at the counter, as we could not confirm it on the BTS site.
The BTS does not say which QR apps its machines accept, and QR payment in Thailand usually means a Thai banking app. If you normally pay with Alipay or WeChat Pay, we found no official statement that either works at BTS machines, so carry some baht in cash or use a Rabbit card.
On the MRT, single tickets are round plastic tokens, which you drop into the slot at the exit gate. The Nation reported that tokens are expected to be replaced by QR tickets from 1 January 2027. On the SRT Red Line, single tokens cost 12 to 42 baht by distance and are valid for one day.
The 20-baht fare: not for most visitors
You may read about a flat 20-baht fare on Bangkok's rail lines. The scheme announced in 2025 was reported as being for Thai nationals registered through a government app, and we could not confirm on an official page that it is running in October 2026. Foreign visitors should expect to pay the normal distance-based fares shown at each station.
We do not print BTS, MRT or Airport Rail Link fares on this page, because the operators' fare tables could not be read in a reliable, current form in October 2026. The fare to your destination is shown on the machine before you pay.
Our advice for a short visit
Bring one contactless credit card that charges low foreign transaction fees, and use it for the Airport Rail Link and the MRT. If you are staying near a BTS station for more than a couple of days, buy a Rabbit card on your first BTS trip and top it up with cash. Keep some small notes and coins for ticket machines, songthaews and river ferries. Our article on saving on ATM fees helps with the cash part, and the list of useful travel apps includes route planners.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use my Visa or Mastercard on the BTS Skytrain?
No. The BTS's official ticket page lists only single-journey cards, the One-Day Pass and Rabbit cards. Ticket machines take cash and QR payment. Contactless bank cards work on the MRT and the Airport Rail Link, not on the BTS Green Line.
Does the Rabbit card work on the MRT?
Only on the MRT Pink and Yellow monorail lines, which Rabbit lists as accepting the card. It does not work on the MRT Blue and Purple lines, where you pay with a contactless bank card or a single-journey token.
How much does a Rabbit card cost?
Rabbit's website gives the price of a standard adult card as 200 baht at BTS ticket offices, made up of a 120-baht issue fee and 80 baht of credit. There is no deposit and no annual fee (October 2026).
Can I still use my old MRT stored-value card?
No. According to the Nation, MRT and MRT Plus stored-value cards stopped working on the Blue and Purple lines from 1 June 2026. Remaining balances can be refunded at station ticket offices until 31 December 2027.
Can I pay for the Airport Rail Link with a contactless card?
Yes. Contactless credit and debit cards have been accepted at all Airport Rail Link stations since 8 November 2025. Tap the same card on entry and exit; you can still buy a single ticket with cash.
Sources
- Bangkok Expressway and Metro (BEM) – EMV contactless (checked October 2026)
- BTS Skytrain – Ticketing system (checked October 2026)
- Rabbit – About the Rabbit card (checked October 2026)
- Rabbit – Using Rabbit on public transport (checked October 2026)
- Nation Thailand – Bangkok's MRT goes cashless from June 2026 (checked October 2026)
- Nation Thailand – Airport Rail Link launches EMV contactless payment system (checked October 2026)
- SRT Electrified Train – Red Line tickets (checked October 2026)