Bangkok: The M6 bus service between Bang Pa-in and Pak Chong will soon be open for trial runs free of charge. The Department of Highways has announced that the M6 expressway section between Bang Pa-in and Pak Chong will be operational for trial runs every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, beginning Friday, August 21, 2026.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Piyapong Chiwatnakulpaisan, Director-General of the Department of Highways, stated that this initiative comes as part of the Quick-Win policy from Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, Mr. Pipat Ratchakitprakarn. The policy urges all agencies to fast-track ongoing construction projects to make them accessible to the public promptly. The trial service on the Bang Pa-In-Nakhon Ratchasima section of Intercity Highway No. 6, or Motorway M6, includes the new section between Bang Pa-In and Pak Chong, facilitating uninterrupted travel from Bang Pa-In to Nakhon Ratchasima.
The Department of Highways has accelerated the policy's implementation and is set to open the 110-kilometer section from Bang Pa-in to Pak Chong for trial use without toll charges. The route will be accessible every Friday from 12:00 PM until Sunday midnight, starting August 21, 2026, and will continue weekly until the New Year holiday in 2027. The department plans to make the entire route available for free use 24/7 in the next phase.
This development complements the existing M6 section from Pak Chong to the Nakhon Ratchasima bypass, which has been open for free 24/7 trial since late 2023. However, from August 21, 2026, the temporary M6 entrance/exit at kilometer 65 on Mittraphap Road will close, redirecting users to the Pak Chong toll plaza.
Travelers heading from Bangkok can use the M6 route from Bang Pa-in toll booth, exiting at Pak Chong toll booth on Thanarat Road, or continuing to the Nakhon Ratchasima bypass. On return trips to Bangkok, due to inbound construction between Pak Chong and Muak Lek, travelers must use Thanarat Road and Mittraphap Road to reach the Muak Lek toll booth before proceeding on the M6 highway.
The route includes entry and exit points at Bang Pa-in, Hin Kong, Kaeng Khoi, Muak Lek, and Pak Chong toll plazas. However, entry at Pak Chong toll plaza is limited to travel towards Sikhiu or Nakhon Ratchasima. Two rest areas, the Thap Kwang rest area at kilometer 65, are open on both sides, offering restrooms and beverages but lacking gas stations or EV charging facilities.
The trial route, still under construction and system installation, is designated for four-wheeled vehicles with a maximum speed limit of 80 kilometers per hour. The Department of Highways requests public cooperation in adhering to traffic signs and official instructions for safe travel.
The Department urges the public, media, and social media to follow official updates regarding the trial's schedule, points, and facilities through the Department of Highways and Ministry of Transport's public relations channels. For route information or to report highway emergencies, contact the Department of Highways hotline at 1586, available 24/7.