Anticipated Full Opening of Galaxy M81 by Year's End

The M81 motorway, a 96-kilometre route connecting Bang Yai and Kanchanaburi, is nearing completion and is expected to be fully operational by the end of this year. This new motorway, operated by the Expressway and Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (EXAT), passes through four provinces: Nonthaburi, Nakhon Pathom, Ratchaburi, and Kanchanaburi.

Construction on the M81 motorway began last December, and trials commenced shortly after. The trials, available only on weekends from 3pm Friday to 9am Monday, showed a promising potential to reduce travel times from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi to just 50 minutes. During these trials, an average of 35,000 vehicles used the M81 motorway per day, with numbers rising to 40,000 during holidays.

The M81 motorway features both six-lane and four-lane sections, designed to accommodate a high volume of traffic. To ensure smooth travel, the motorway incorporates intelligent traffic management systems. These systems include automatic toll collection via M-Flow and speed detection to maintain a safe and efficient flow of traffic.

Eight toll gates will be available on the M81 motorway for motorists. The locations of these toll gates include Bang Yai, Nakhon Chaisi, Nakhon Pathom, Tha Maka, Tha Muang, Kanchanaburi, and Srisathong. However, at the time of writing, no information about the toll prices has been provided.

Safety is a top priority on the M81 motorway, with roadside assistance centres located along its length. These centres are designed to provide assistance to motorists in the event of breakdowns or accidents.

During the trials, the M81 motorway demonstrated its ability to reduce congestion significantly, particularly during busy periods such as Songkran. In some sections, congestion was reduced by up to 34%.

With the M81 motorway set to become fully operational later this year, travellers can look forward to a more efficient and convenient travel experience between Bangkok and Kanchanaburi. Keep an eye on official announcements for more details about the days and hours of operation, as well as toll prices.