Is it possible to pass through a BTS station without paying?

Question

i.e. if you need to get to the other exit but would have to swipe in and then out to get to it...

hannemarie · Answer

honestly depends on the station. a few like Sala Daeng or Phrom Phong have those elevated walkways that connect directly to the street without needing to tap, just check the signs before u go down. at Victory Monument it's a mess though, you'd have to exit onto a busy roundabout which is not great. if it's just to cross a road, look for the pedestrian bridges nearby first, they're usually within 50 meters of the station entrance and free

brigitta · Answer

The trick is knowing which stations have the paid area on the same level as the street entrance. At Ari or Saphan Khwai, the turnstiles are on the ground floor so you can't bypass them. But at places like Chong Nonsi or Saint Louis, the paid zone is one floor up, meaning the street-level walkway is completely open. If you're in doubt, just look for the station map near the entrance, it'll show the barrier line clearly.

angela · Answer

You can do it at some stations but not all. At Siam for example, the walkway between the two lines is outside the paid area so you can just walk across without a ticket. At Asok or Mo Chit, the station is long and narrow with only one paid concourse, so you'd have to tap in and out. If you're trying to cross a major street, look for a skywalk or pedestrian bridge first, a lot of stations have those connections without needing to enter.

erica · Answer

depends on the station layout but most newer ones like Udom Suk or On Nut have the paid area right in the middle so you'd have to tap through. older elevated stations like Ratchathewi or Phaya Thai have open platforms where you can just walk from one end to the other without scanning anything. the trick is to look for the purple or green route maps on the wall - if the station shows a single rectangle for the concourse it's prob a no-go, if it shows two separate paid areas connected by a walkway you're fine

susann · Answer

Some stations like Thong Lo have paid area barriers right at the street entrances, so you can walk the entire platform level for free. Ekkamai is the same. Just stay on the upper walkway and don't go down the stairs with the turnstiles.

Neu aus Bangkok