Knowing transportation is easy to learn in the Philippine Metropolis. By knowing the means of transportation you are learning a vital part of this place.
In what way would it be helpful?
Well…Helps you find the most efficient way to where you’re headed or determine alternative routes in case of hitches along the way. (very helpful)
Here are the major means of transportation in the Philippine Metropolis:
Jeepney
Taxi
Bus
Train
FX
Tricycle
Calesa
Jeepney
Remember from the airport upon arrival (link)? Now that you’re bound to go around the Philippine Metropolis, it’s time for you to know more about them.
They’re usually manned by the driver, who’s sometimes accompanied by a conductor tasked to collect the fares.
Unlike buses, they course even the small streets of Philippine Metropolis.
How do you know where it’s headed?
There are the so called barkers. They are people who call out the destination of the trip. Also, hanged on to the jeepney’s windshield is a signboard telling its route and destination.
Just wave an arm at the incoming jeepney for it to pull over. You’re not allowed to cling outside so better wait for another one if it’s full.
Most of the time there’s only the driver so if you’re seated far from him, just ask a fellow passenger to pass on your fare (just say “pakisuyo po” to the person).
To ask the driver to pull over, just call out “para po” or you can take a coin and tap it on the metal handrail. (By the way just make sure there are no green traffic lights, otherwise they won’t stop)
Taxi
Well… you can see these vehicles roving around the Philippine Metropolis. They’re the regular taxi cabs. See related link on airport arrival if you haven’t read it yet.
Bus
Buses in the Philippine Metropolis are either ordinary or air-conditioned.
Fares for the air-con buses starts at Php12.00 ($0.28) for the first five (5) kilometers and an additional Php2.35 ($0.06) for every succeeding kilometers. Ordinary (not air-conditioned) buses starts at Php10.00 ($0.23) and additional of Php1.75 ($.04) for the next succeeding kilometers.
Unlike the jeepneys conductors are always present to manage the passengers and collect their fare.
Like the jeepneys, they also have their own routes, and destination sign boards are also hanged on to their windshield. Barkers are also always present.
Here in Philippine Metropolis, buses are usually found only on major highways but their trip are more distant than the jeepney’s.
So for longer trips you should consider buses than jeepneys.
Train
Trains are the answer the congested Highways of the Philippine Metropolis during rush hours.
There are four (4) transit lines in the Philippine Metropolis. These are the:
1. Light Rail Transit - Line 1 (LRT 1) – Yellow Line
2. Light Rail Transit - Line 2 (LRT2 or MRT2) – Purple Line
3. Metro Rail Transit – Line 3 (MRT) – Blue Line
4. Philippine National Railways (PNR) – Orange LIne
LRT
The LRT has two transit lines, the Line 1 which courses South to North and vise-versa and Line 2 from West to East vise-versa.
Line 1
LRT Line 1 courses the length of
Taft Avenue
Rizal Avenue
Taft Avenue
Rizal Avenue
It has the following operation schedules (UTC +8) :
South bound: (weekdays) and (weekends & holidays)
North bound: (weekdays) and (weekends & holidays)
Line 1 has 20 stations. Tracks are mostly elevated so you need to patiently take some stairs to get to the platform.
Station tellers are found in every station. They will provide you your magnetic card for your gate access to the train. Fares are Php12.00 ($0.29), Php15.00 ($0.36) and Php20.00 ($0.48).
There are two (2) types of access cards:
- Single Journey (SJ) – one ride only
- Stored Value (SV) – multiple rides ticket with consumable value worth Php100.00 ($2.33) and valid for six (6) months. This card is also honored in LRT Line 2.
The lead vehicle of the train is designated for women, senior citizens and persons with disability and the area behind the train operator’s cabin is reserved for:
Senior Citizens
Disabled Persons
Pregnant Women / Women with Infants
Although this transit line is quite old (almost 30 years), the operation is still good. Facilities are being upgraded. (new trains and tripod gates). The century old tracks are also being replaced by a new one.
Line 2
LRT Line 2 starts at
CM Recto avenue
Legarda street
Ramon Magsaysay Blvd
Marcos Highway
CM Recto avenue
Legarda street
Ramon Magsaysay Blvd
Marcos Highway
It has 11 stations, mostly elevated except for 1 station which is underground. But unlike line 1, these stations have elevators.
From West, its first station is the transfer point to or from LRT Line 1 and its 8th station a transfer point to or from MRT line 3 in EDSA.
It has the following operation schedules (UTC +8) :
East bound: (weekdays) and (weekends & holidays)
West bound:
Fares in Line 2 are Php12.00, Php13.00, Php14.00, Php15.00 (that’s $0.29, $0.30, $0.32, $0.36) respectively).
Same access cards are being issued. The SV and the SJ.
Aside from the station tellers, you can also buy your ticket from the vending machines installed in each station. (At least you have the option unlike in line one where you can only buy from ticket boots.)
Same segregation scheme for the passengers are being implemented. First car of the trains are for women, senior citizens, those with disability and pregnant women/women with infants.
Of all transit lines, this is the newest and probably the most modern. It has new bigger trains. They’re passenger friendly and have facilities for elderly and disabled. It has a smooth ride and only takes 30minutes to travel from end to end.
Both transit lines 1 and 2 are closed during Holy Week for maintenance or when announced.
MRT
The MRT courses the length of Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA), one of the Philippine Metropolis’ main highway. That’s from South to North of the metropolis and vise-versa.
It has thirteen (13) mixed elevated, platform level and underground stations.
Both its end stations in north and south are transfer points to or from the LRT Line 1. Another transfer point is in one of its station in Cubao station to or from LRT Line 2, which made it more efficient to transfer from one line to another.
Its operation starts at until (UTC +8) and are closed usually during Holy Week or when announced, for maintenance.
There are also station tellers in every station that will provide you your magnetic cards for your gate access to the train platform. Fare starts at Php10.00 ($0.23) up to Php15.00 ($0.36) depending on your destination.
Same with the LRT there are two (2) types of access cards:
- Single Journey (SJ) – one ride only
- Stored Value (SV) – multiple rides ticket with consumable value worth Php100.00 ($2.33) valid for three (3) months. (not honored in lines 1 and 2)
Don’t forget to exit the station within 75 minutes (that’s the allowable stay from the time of entry), otherwise you’ll be charged Php15.00 for overstaying.
The lead vehicle of the train is designated also for women, senior citizens, persons with disability and pregnant women.
PNR
This state-owned railway stretches 289 miles from the northern to the southern part of Luzon . (not just the Philippine Metropolis)
Recognized as one of the oldest railways in the Philippines
The government is in the process of rehabilitating this line. As part of its rehabilitation program new trains were acquired.
Passengers who are bound to the southernmost part of Luzon use this line instead of buses.
Since we stay in the Philippine Metropolis, we only use the Yellow, Purple and Blue Line to go around the metropolis.
FX Service
This transportation services were originally Toyota Tamaraw FX taxis.
Now they’re just like the jeeneys that have their own routes and destination. They’re not metered anymore so fares are fixed depending on where your headed.
Commuters in the Philippine Metropolis are used to call them FX even if they’re other brands of AUVs (Asian Utility Vehicles). So if you see AUVs or even SUVs with yellow plates they’re callled FX. (by the way vehicles with green plates are private while those with yellow are public vehicles)
Like jeepney’s and buses, they have their routes written on the signboard hanged on their windshield. As usual, barkers are around.
Their service is just like that of a jeepney only that it can only carry 10 passengers and they’re air-conditioned.
Fares starts at Php20.00 ($048) to Php100.00 ($2.33) depending on your destination.
Most passenger would prefer them because aside from being air-conditioned, they seldom stop to pickup passengers along the way, and its drivers would depart from their route to take shortcuts to avoid traffic during rush hours.
Tricycle
This vehicle is also very common in the Philippine Metropolis.
The usual variety are the motorcycles with side cars attached on the side.
It can carry up to passengers. (that’s on the side car and up to 2 passengers next to its driver).
You would usually see these vehicles on streets of the Philippine Metropolis queued in single file waiting for passengers. They are not allowed in major highways and expressways.
They have their own route, mostly on minor streets of the Philippine Metropolis where jeepneys aren’t allowed or cannot pass through. (especially in residential areas like villages)
Motorcycle fares are at Php20.00 to Php100 ($0.46 to $2.33) depending on how far the destination is.
The fares are quite expensive compared to jeepneys. But they’re efficient when there are no jeepneys around and you’re tired to walk.
Calesa
These are two-wheel-carriage drawn by a horse and manned by a “Cochero” (the person driving).
You’ll be amazed to see this century old mode of transport in the Philippine Metropolis (reminds me of the Spanish conquest taught to us in grade school)
Today this mode of transport is used only by tourists and locals who tour around tourist spots in the Philippine Metropolis.
A tour package in the Metropolis usually costs Php250.00 ($5.81).
Despite the increasing numbers of new model vehicles in the Philippine Metropolis, this mode of transport still survived and can still be seen in the area.
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