PETALING JAYA, MALAYSIA - Cash will not be king from September 1 on RapidKL buses.

Those paying for their tickets in cash will have to pay nearly 100 per cent more for the same journey under a policy to encourage use of the newly-introduced monthly pass system.

Monthly passes will provide savings of up to 80 per cent on some routes.

RapidKL chief executive officer Suffian Baharuddin said the rationale was to make the process of paying more convenient for commuters.

"They will not have to dig into their purses or wallets for small change. It is basically for their convenience," he told a press conference where he announced higher fares in the Klang Valley.

Those who use the company's feeder or local buses will only pay RM40 ($16) for a monthly pass while those paying cash will have to fork out RM60 for travelling twice a day.

The fare from Universiti Islam Antarabangsa in Gombak to Greenwood Park in Setapak that cost RM1 for a return trip will now cost RM2.

Commuters taking feeder, city and main route buses could buy a monthly pass for RM100 for unlimited monthly travel while those opting for cash could end up paying almost double.

The biggest cut is for those who use a combination of LRT and bus services daily with the integrated monthly pass allowing them unlimited trips at only RM150 per month.

For instance, a commuter travelling from Puchong to Bukit Bintang daily could save RM70 by buying a monthly RM150 pass compared with paying RM220 cash a month.

The integrated pass also allows card holders to take partners or their spouses and children aged below 15 on unlimited free rides during the weekends.

"The hike will be expensive for those who pay cash but cheaper for those who use our monthly passes," Suffian said.

Students in uniform, senior citizens above 60 years and the disabled will be able to buy a concession monthly pass for RM50 for unlimited bus trips.

Suffian also announced new rates for RapidKL express buses from Putrajaya to Kuala Lumpur and from Kajang to Kuala Lumpur at RM3.80 per trip.

Commuters had earlier paid RM3 in cash per trip or RM5 for a return pass.

On daily passes which had allowed commuters a free return ticket, he said they had been dropped in favour of zonal fares.

This will affect those opting for daily passes on routes such as from Jalan Klang Lama to the city centre who have been paying RM2 for a return ticket but will pay RM1 per trip from Sept 1.

"But now, we will charge them depending on zones that they travelled through.

"Other bus operators have been using the zonal fare for a long time."

The first zone is RM1 (4km radius from Kuala Lumpur city centre), RM1.90 (second zone of 9km radius from KL city centre) and RM2.50 (third zone of 14km radius from KL city centre).

The ticket for the fourth zone costing RM3 will cover trips longer than 19km radius from the city centre.

Suffian said the new structure was in line with the move to hike bus and taxi fares nationwide from Saturday.

He said monthly passes would be available from Aug 20 at specific LRT stations.

"We hope more will use our passes as they are flexible and will lead to money saved in the long run."

He said the company will not accept Touch 'n Go cards from Sept 1 as it was upgrading the system.

The government-owned company, which took off four years ago, ferries about 400,000 passengers daily.