The Rangsit BMTA bus depot is located behind the shophouses on Rangsit – Pathum Thani road. This depot holds most of the BMTA buses for the BMTA bus routes to and from Bangkok. The depot is mostly just a bus storage area with a small open area for bus repair plus a major refueling point for both NGV and Diesel buses. The refueling point is provided at cost by PTT a state owned oil and gas company.
Also located behind the shophouses but off another soi further from the SRT railway line but on the same road is the Bus terminal and Depot for the Pathum Thani Bus Company. Unlike the BMTA depot passengers often board buses inside the depot area. The bus services that operate from the Pathum Thani Bus terminal are mostly semi rural and urban commuter bus routes. Some are very frequent others just a few times an hour. All routes operate 7 days a week.
Near the BMTA Rangsit bus depot is a small holding area and terminal for the Thanyaburi bus company’s services. But it appears the majority of its buses are stored elsewhere. Its terminal area doubles as a morning wet market for central Rangsit area.
In regards to finding these bus terminals as a new passenger will it would be hard as they are not marked and hidden from view behind a row of 4 story shophouses. A small improvement would be to have signs on the main road indicating there location.
These bus terminals are very basic with no waiting area for passengers or shelters. They are basically just a large but rough concrete area on which the buses wait. At these terminals passengers wait on the buses until the driver comes as the buses are never closed up while driver is having a quick break.
This 1st section of images was taken inside the refueling area of the BMTA Rangsit bus depot. Passengers don’t normally board buses inside the depot but outside on the main road.
1. This is a shot of a now discontinued Route 3: Rangsit – Pink Lao – Southern Bus terminal Bus. Bus number BMTA 1 – 2005. Bus type MAN. These buses are over 10 years old but no longer in use. The reason for there lack of use is unknown. But it appears they have been parked like this for years.
2. This is a general view shot of the new BMTA expressway vans with a number of now abandoned MAN aircon buses. It seems that MAN buses have not been successful in Thailand as these are the only MAN metro buses that I have come across.
3. This is a shot of another MAN Route 3 bus. Bus number BMTA 1 – 2018. Bus type MAN. It seems BMTA doesn’t really care about what happens to these buses as the doors are left open to the weather. Normally BMTA sells off its unwanted buses to private bus companies.
4. This is an inside shot of a Merc O405 metro bus. Taken facing the rear of the bus. Note the strange seating layout at the rear with longitudinal seating. This is only Thai metro bus to have this layout.
5. This is another inside shot of the same Merc O405 metro bus. This time taken facing the front of the bus. These buses have the only entry door in the middle of the bus. Thus have a really nice spot to sit right next to the driver at the front.
6. This is an inside shot of a Hino aircon metro bus. Note the seating layout of this bus. The front part of the bus is 1 + 1 seating to increase standing capacity. A bus like this can pack in around 100 people.
7. This is a shot of the driver’s seat on the same Hino bus. Note the better condition of this driver’s seat when compared to the non aircon buses.
8. This is an image of a few Merc O405 metro buses parked next to the PTT refueling point. These buses where used exclusively on Route 503. All of these buses where built as CNG units. Note: the middle one appears to be no longer in service.
9. This is a general view of the Rangsit bus depot. This section appears to be mostly used to store aircon buses and buses that are no longer required. A larger bus holding area is located south of the refueling point.
10. This is a shot of a Route 522: Rangsit – Victory Monument expressway bus. Bus number BMTA 1 – 66320. Bus type Merc O405. There are also Hino and Daewoo buses with the same local made body. They where all constructed around the same time most likely in the same bus body factory.
11. This is an image of the driver’s seat on the Merc O405. The 3 different versions of these aircon buses all have different dashboards and driver’s seat area layouts.
12. This is an image of a Route 503: Rangsit – Sanam Luang bus. Bus number 1 – 1003. Bus type Merc O405. Taken while it was being refueled with CNG.
13. This is an image of a couple of no longer in service metro buses. The bus that is strangely stuck up in the air is the Daewoo version of these orange aircon metro buses. The white Merc O405 bus appears to be out of service and used to operate on Route 559: Rangsit – Suvarnabhumi Airport via Kanchanaphisek road. This route no longer operates.
This next section of photographs was taken next to the Rangsit central wet market. The car park area of the market is also used by the Thanayaburi bus company as a bus terminal.
14. This is a shot of a couple of Route 1156: Rangsit - Pathum Thani Rajamangala University of Technology buses. Seen waiting for passengers at Rangsit wet market terminal. The 1st bus is a Higer the 2nd bus is a Merc.
15. This is an image of the driver’s seat area on the Higer metro bus. Bus number 1156 – 9. The driver’s seat area on this bus is more modern than on most other Thai metro buses. Plus the Speedo probably still works unlike on most of BMTA and many other companies buses.
16. This is an image of the passenger seating on the Higer metro bus. It is similar to most of the Chinese imports not that comfortable with limited legroom. The driver was taking a rest between trips on the longitudinal seats at the front.
17. This is a side on shot of a Route 1156 bus. Bus number 1156 – 4. Bus type Merc aircon. Note this bus appears to have a mid mounted engine. This is very unusual for Thai buses. Most are rear or front. Also this bus has front and middle plug style doors that are likely to be damaged in the future.
18. This is another angle on the Route 1156 bus. Taken as it rests between trips on a Saturday afternoon. This bus is powered by NGV.
19. This is an inside shot of the Merc Route 1156 bus. Note the passenger seating also the driver was having a sleep across the seats in the middle of the bus.
20. This is a shot of the driver’s seat area on the Merc route 1156 bus. Note the rather poorly laid out steering column. That column would mean the bus driver can only keep one foot on the brake and accelerator pedals.
21. This is a shot of a Route 381: Rangsit – Ongkharak bus. Bus type Merc. Bus number 381 – 26. Taken as it waits for passengers at Rangsit wet market terminal.
This last section of images were taken inside the Pathum Thani metro bus terminal and depot located on Rangsit –Pathum Thani road at Rangsit. This terminal is hidden from view by a row of shophouses. Also the Rangsit truck bus terminal is located here.
22. This is a general view showing the Pathum Thani buses waiting at the Rangsit metro bus terminal. Approximately 8 bus routes operate from this terminal all operated by Pathum Thani Bus company.
23. This is a shot of a Route 680: Rangsit – Bang Yai bus. Bus number 680 – 11. Bus type unknown. Taken from the bus holding area at the Rangsit metro bus terminal.
24. This is a shot of a Route 367: Rangsit - Nonthaburi mini bus. Bus number 367 – 6 Bus type Higer KLQ 6608C. Seen waiting for passengers at Rangsit. Larger non aircon buses also operate on this route.
25. This is a shot of a Route 1138: Rangsit – Pathum Thani bus. Bus number 1138 – 33. Bus type unknown. Note appears to have been converted from non aircon to aircon at some point.
26. This is an inside shot of a typical Pathum Thani bus company non aircon metro bus. Note the raised up section of floor at the rear this engine bay and it’s really hot and uncomfortable if you sit at the back.
27. This is another shot of a Route 680 bus. Bus number 680 – 6. Bus type unknown.
The engine appeared to be having some problems and was under repair.
28. This is a general view of the Rangsit Truck – bus terminal next to the Rangsit metro bus terminal. Located behind this terminal is the yard and terminus for another Rangsit based aircon bus company.
29. This is a shot of a Route 372: Rangsit – Bang Pa In bus. Bus number 372 – 38. Bus type unknown. This route is one of a number of bus routes that service Bang Pa In.
30. This is another general view shot of the Rangsit metro bus terminal. The passengers are required to wait inside the buses rather than outside. All buses are permanently allocated to each route. I.e. they very rarely change routes even when buses break down as most routes have a large number buses on them.
31. This is a shot of the driver’s seat on a Route 1183 aircon bus. Like most of Pathum Thani bus company’s buses they don’t have Speedos at all. Thus it’s a real guess as to how fast they are going.
I hope you find the pictures and vehicles shown to be of interest if you view this please post some comments and feelings about the pictures.
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