You haven’t really tried the full Filipino experience until you’ve ridden Manila’s Metro Rail Transit (MRT) and Light Rail Transit (LRT). No kidding! Riding Manila trains is the true test of will and power for many Filipino commuters nowadays, so if you’re an expat and you’ve been on the MRT and LRT during their daily schedule, you’re pretty much one of us.
Alright, let’s get serious now. It’s no surprise that MRT and LRT are among the top public transportation choices for Filipinos. Why? Well, they’re cheaper than buses especially for far off places and in an ideal world, it’s faster than the snail-pace traffic of EDSA and other roads in the city. While they have been swamped with technical glitches and long queues, roughly a combined 1 million daily passengers still opt to ride the LRT and MRT.
If you’re an expat and you want to know what the fuss about Manila trains are, it’s good that you try them at least once while you’re here in the Philippines. See the MRT and LRT daily schedules below and may you have a pleasant ride.
Light Rail Transit 1 (LRT1)
LRT 1 is the oldest of the three train systems. It runs in a north to south direction, traversing from Baclaran in the south to Roosevelt Avenue in the north. It stops at 20 terminals:
Baclaran > EDSA > Libertad > Gil Puyat > Vito Cruz > Quirino > Pedro Gil > United Nations > Central Terminal > Carriedo > Doroteo Jose > Bambang > Tayuman > Blumentritt > Abad Santos > R. Papa > 5th Avenue > Monumento > Balintawak > Roosevelt
Regular LRT 1 Weekday Train Schedule (Monday to Friday)
| Time | Operation |
| 5:00AM | Start of commercial operation. First train leaves the Baclaran terminal bound for Roosevelt station |
| 9:30PM | Last northbound commercial train. Train leaves Baclaran terminal for Roosevelt station |
| 10:00PM | Last southbound commercial train. Train leaves Roosevelt station for Baclaran station |
Regular LRT 1 Weekend Train Schedule (Saturday, Sunday and Holidays)
| Time | Operation |
| 5:00AM | Start of commercial operation. First train leaves the Baclaran terminal bound for Roosevelt station |
| 9:00PM | Last northbound commercial train. Train leaves Baclaran terminal for Roosevelt station |
| 9:30PM | Last southbound commercial train. Train leaves Roosevelt station for Baclaran station |
Light Rail Transit 2 (LRT2)
The second LRT line takes passengers from Manila passing through some parts of Quezon City and ending in Pasig City. The LRT2 wagons are the most spacious among the three rail systems, however, it carries the least number of passengers, only about 200,000 commuters daily.
It has 11 stations:
Recto > Legarda > Pureza > V. Mapa > J. Ruiz > Gilmore > Betty Go Belmonte > Cubao > Anonas > Katipunan > Santolan
Regular LRT 2 Weekday Train Schedule (Monday to Friday)
| Time | Operation |
| 5:00AM | Start of commercial operation |
| 9:30PM | Last commercial train. Train leaves Santolan station bound for Recto station |
| 10:00PM | Last commercial train. Train leaves Recto station bound for Santolan station |
Regular LRT 2 Weekend Train Schedule (Saturday, Sunday and Holidays)
| Time | Operation |
| 5:00AM | Start of commercial operation |
| 9:00PM | Last commercial train. Train leaves Santolan station bound for Recto station |
Metro Rail Transit (MRT3)
MRT plies from North to South of Metro Manila and vice versa, traveling along the line of the busiest highway in the country, EDSA. It takes about 30-45 minutes to cover the approximate 17-kilometer distance from EDSA Taft to North Avenue Station. Currently, MRT has 13 stations:
Taft Avenue > Magallanes >Ayala > Buendia > Guadalupe > Boni > Shaw Boulevard > Ortigas > Santolan-Annapolis > Cubao > GMA-Kamuning > Quezon Avenue > North Avenue
See the table of MRT daily schedule below for your guidance:
Regular MRT3 Weekday Train Schedule (Monday to Friday)
| Time | Number of Trains | Headway | Start of Operation | End of Operation |
|
5:30AM – 10:30PM |
15 trains |
5.5 minutes |
Revenue operation starts at 5:30AM |
Last revenue train departs North Avenue Station at 9:10PM |
| Last revenue train departs Taft Avenue Station at 9:50PM |
Regular MRT3 Weekend Train Schedule (Saturday to Sunday)
| Time | Number of Trains | Headway | Start of Operation | End of Operation |
|
5:30AM – 10:30PM |
12 trains |
7.5 minutes |
Revenue operation starts at 5:30AM |
Last revenue train departs North Avenue Station at 9:10PM |
| Last revenue train departs Taft Avenue Station at 9:50PM |
Please note that as a result of unforeseen technical problems, the number of trains available daily may change and each trip may take a while longer than usual. It’s important to know that unlike train systems in countries like Hong Kong and Japan, there are no fixed time schedule for train intervals.
So, are you ready to board these the MRT and LRT? Let this be your guide from now on. Remember to keep safe during your trip and enjoy the ride.
Sources:
https://dotcmrt3.gov.ph/train-schedule
http://www.lrta.gov.ph/index.php/tos
You might also wanna check Expats Guide: Know your Next BGC Bus Stop.
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