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PNR Naga – Lupi Timetable
We went to the PNR Naga Station last Friday morning and got an updated timetable for the PNR trains. We also were informed that the Naga-Legazpi train service is currently suspended due to damages along the line sustained during the recent typhoon. Hopefully, that section will be repaired immediately and the service resumed.
Naga to Lupi timetable showing the first train leaving Naga at 4:29 AM and the last at 3:14 PM. There are only 3 trips.
Lupi-Naga timetable showing the first train leaving Lupi at 6:23 AM and the last one at 5:08 PM. Again, there are only 3 trips from Lupi to Naga. The first train arrives in Naga at 8:02AM. This is actually attractive to commuters as the LGU reports the train to be full. Unfortunately, the return trip in the afternoon doesn’t have a favorable schedule for those heading home from work or school.
There is potential here for people to shift to rail for the major part of their commutes. Unfortunately, the frequencies of service is too low at present. People will shift to rail if the service is frequent and more reliable. Cost-wise, there is a significant difference between road-based and rail-based transport especially over long distances. Fares via express vans between Naga and Legazpi cost 300 to 400 pesos while private vehicle may cost between 3,000 to 5,000 pesos depending on the model and arrangements. Compare those with the 155 peso fare for the PNR train.
We are also hopeful that the rehabilitation and upgrading of train services will eventually be realized. The NSCR project is currently underway with the northern line connecting Metro Manila to Pampanga and the southern line currently until Laguna. The work needs to be accelerated and that entails much resources (i.e., funding) for railways to make comeback and perhaps experience another “Golden Age.”
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Is there a future for the Philippine made AGT?
I am writing this after reading posts on social media about how they are hopeful about the Philippine-made Automated Guideway Transit (AGT) being finally operational. For one, both AGT models (60 passenger capacity train and 120-passenger capacity train) have not been technically certified. And then there are really no plans for lines to be constructed anywhere.
The closest to plans that we have are the feasibility studies conducted many years ago that did not materialize into an operating line. One of those were supposed to be along Gen. Santos Avenue in Taguig, which could have extended to C6. Another is a line that could have run along C.P. Garcia Avenue and Katipunan Avenue, connecting Line 7 at Commonwealth Ave. with Line 2 at Aurora Blvd.
There’s still something worth studying and refining here as the AGT is a product of local R&D. However, there must be a commitment among researchers and the DOST on the way forward. There should also be some kind of buy-in from government agencies especially DOTr to support this development.
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Article share: What Is Good Transit?
Here’s an article share on transit and what should be the attributes of a good transit system:
Source: What Is Good Transit?
To derive the main points from the article:
- Good transit is frequent
- Good transit is reliable
- Good transit is (reasonably) fast
- Good transit feels safe
- Good transit is equitable by nature
This is a good read whether you’re a regular commuter taking public transportation or perhaps one looking into topics for research or advocacy.
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Railways construction progress in Luzon
I’m currently attending the Philippine Railway Conference. The presentations so far have been informative especially about the progress of rail projects in the country. Most if not all of these projects are in Luzon, which includes Metro Manila. Here are the progress of work as shown in the photos of the slides I took during the plenary sessions this morning.
Based on the presentations, these railways currently under construction will be ready or partially operational by 2027. What do you think about the progress of work?
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Looking back on Philippine railway history
The Philippine Railway Conference 2025 is coming up soon. I am very glad to see a lot of people interested in rail – from the technical people running our railways to those involved in planning and management to the advocates and enthusiasts. Rail was not so “fashionable” or “glamorous” (to use these words liberally) many years ago. Perhaps people traveling and experiencing rail in countries where it has persevered and evolved plus social media have changed this – and for the better. Sharing here some papers that were the outcomes of an interdisciplinary research program led by the Third World Studies Center of UP. Rail, after all, is not just about the technical but also the social and human aspects of the mode.
The website for the Emerging Inter Disciplinary Research (EIDR) program supported by the UP System is still up and hosted by the Third World Studies Center. I think it’s something worth a Phase 2. The program leader, Dr. Ricardo Jose, is now retired from UP but is a Professor Emeritus of UP so he can still be engaged. Nevertheless, there are many at UP and other higher education institutions who can be involved in a program that should have a more expanded coverage. There were railways, after all, in other parts the country including Panay, Negros, Cebu and Mindanao.
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Aerial photo of the MRT7 depot?
I took this photo of what appears to be the MRT7 depot near or adjacent to the La Mesa reservoir. It was as quick a photo as our plane was banking into the clouds.
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An aerial view of the PNR’s rail revival
I would just like to share a few photos I took while our plane was turning towards our Bicol destination upon take off from NAIA.
I will again pose the following questions to my readers: will the NSCR become the game changer it’s supposed to be for both long distance travel and commuting (super commuting for some cases)? Will it decongest McArthur Highway and NLEX? Will there be a significant shift from car use to rail? Or will those taking road-based public transport be the ones mainly shifting to rail?
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Is there really a shortage of public transportation in Metro Manila? – Part 1 – Introduction
I will be doing a series of articles here on public transportation. More specifically, I will try to answer the question in the main title of the series – Is there really a shortage of public transportation in Metro Manila?
The quick answer probably is “yes” but we need to examine this concern from different perspectives and reasons so we can be objective about the “why” part of the shortage. Shortage may mean a real lack in terms of the number of public utility vehicles (PUVs) with approved franchises or perhaps the number actually operating on any given day. These two are actually different because it is possible to have fewer PUVs operating compared to the approved number or to have more PUVs operating than the approved number. The latter means there are “colorum” or illegal operations (i.e., vehicles providing public transport services without franchises).
Among the reasons why there is a perceived shortage of public transportation are as follows:
- Fewer than the number of franchises approved are operating.
- PUVs are not able to make a reasonable turnaround (e.g., due to traffic congestion).
- PUV drivers and operators refusing to operate their vehicles.
- Other factors.
- Any combination of the above including “all of the above.”
I hope I can write about these in a manner that can be easily understood – in layman’s terms.
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Cashless payment methods for public transportation
It took some time but finally there are even more options to pay for your transit fare, at least for MRT Line 3 for now. Here is the graphic from the announcement by the DOTr:
Hopefully, these methods will be available to all rail lines including the PNR. Hopefully, too, these options will be available in buses and perhaps at least on modern jitneys. This will make it easier to pay public transport fares for the regular transit users.
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Transport options between Naga and Legazpi
I wrote about the PNR still operating between Naga and Legazpi cities. However, there is only one roundtrip per day and that is the Legazpi-Naga-Legazpi trip. If you want to do the Naga-Legazpi-Naga trip, you have to spend at least the night in Legazpi. But the latter schedule is not so good for the return to Naga as the train leaves Legazpi at 4:30 AM! Aside from the rail option, most people will use road-based transport. That is, most people will probably take a bus or van. There are many bus companies and UV Express vans operating along the corridor (Pan Philippine Highway) connecting the major cities and municipalities of the Bicol Region.
We saw this van parked along the roadside as we were waiting for our turn to proceed along a section under construction employing a alternating one way traffic scheme.
A close-up showing the UV Express van’s end points to be Naga and Legazpi. The declared passenger capacity is 23. Though this appears to be a long or stretched van, I can only imagine how comfortable or uncomfortable it is to ride these for 3 plus hours one way.
More on Bicol transportation in my posts this coming July!
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Caught (up) in traffic 