Manila is the quintessential Southeast Asian metropolis: decentralized, congested and a nightmare to navigate during rush hour. And as if that weren’t enough, the city twists the knife with a sparse rail network, taxi drivers who shun the meter and an inadequate bus system.
Okay, so you’re not going to leave Manila praising transport system, but it’s not all bad news. On a hot day, a ride on the air-conditioned MRT is divine; and so long as you have the routes down, a quick jaunt on a Jeepney will leave you feeling like a born-again local. And even if Manila’s public transit network could use a serious overhaul, with fares this low, who’s complaining?
Light Rail Transit (LRT and MRT): Manila pioneered light rail transit for Southeast Asia back in the 1970s when the first LRT line opened. Apparently, being first was enough, and development crawled along with less cutting-edge enthusiasm in the following decades. Coverage is sparse, so taking a commuter line usually means spending additional time on foot or in a jeepney. But even when you work in another leg of transit, you’ll love the LRT or MRT just for the air-conditioning alone – you and the other 600,000 commuters per day that make use of the system.
- The Yellow Line (LRT-1) runs 15 km in a north-to-south and passes Malate, Ermita, Quiapo, Binondo and Santa Cruz. Along the way, it runs through many of Manila’s major sub-cities – Pasay, Manila City and Kalookan. If you’re here to see the sights, the Yellow Line will get you closest.
- The Purple Line (confusingly referred to as both LRT-2 or MRT-2) traverses the city east-to-west and connects Recto to Santolan. This line serves commuters and is less practical for tourists, though it’s useful for short connections.
- The Blue Line (MRT-3) travels another north-to-south route and is the newest addition to Manila’s public transit system. It follows EDSA, one of the major thoroughfares through Manila, and lets passengers off at stations in some of the most popular shopping districts.
Buses: Buses in Manila are not air-conditioned, only travel on main roads and are not particularly useful to short-term visitors. Jeepney’s are more fun, and every bit as useful, while the MRT and LRT are air-conditioned and just as capable of getting you there. The choice is yours.
Jeepneys: We’ve all seen a stretch Hummer before. Now imagine applying the same concept to a WWII-era Willys jeep – that’s a Jeepney. They’re crowded; they’re flamboyant; and they’re a Philippine icon. Riding in a jeepney is a visitor’s rite of passage, and along those lines is probably the cheapest tourist attraction in the city. They ride on fixed routes which are prominently displayed above the windshield, but that’s not much help to a short-term visitor. When you’re ready to disembark, shout ‘para!’ and the driver will stop.
Taxis: Taxis are cheap and plentiful in Manila. Enjoy that little splash of optimism, but don’t get too comfortable, and be prepared to arm wrestle your driver over whether or not to use the meter. In reality, plenty of drivers use the meter by default, but you’ve got a few mavericks out there who reckon their services are worth more than the meter says they are. They may ‘forget’ to turn it on, or they might be inspired by bad weather or rush hour to ask for a lump sum on top. To be fair, gridlock can really interfere with a taxi driver’s livelihood. With that in mind, insist on using the meter except when you feel doing so is insensitive, in which case you can negotiate a fare ahead of time.
Big City Transit: Manila
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