Manila Transportation: Jeepney's @ MoreManila Transportation is full of choices; there are a myriad of options to get around and some advance planning can go a long way toward reducing frustrations faced by all during daily rush-hours or unexpected events. One of the best printed maps to purchase and learn the layout of Manila is the Metro Manila Route Map published by Asiatype Incorporated. It is readily available at many book stores and gas stations. Looking to book a flight to Manila? Please check Getting to Manila by AIR below or link directly to the WEGO site from here.
Here is an external article that I have just put together that includes links to the Light Rail Transit (LRT) and Metrostar (MRT) sites. It is good to keep aware of the ongoing projects, schedules and fare increases! MRT & LRT fare hikes approved in the Philippines? Another article that I've shared to connect you with a site that provides point-2-point transportation tips. Read Internet Public Transportation Guide for Travel in the Philippines with a link to parasatabi! Monorails are more practical that underground due to the flood prone potential in Manila. Airport terminal monorails are in the works. How about for EDSA? Rotonda, Pasay, Manila, Philippines: Time for a Monorail? Jeepneys are one of the most colorful, if not yet often "Green" modes of transport and have a current basic fare of 7 pesos for non-students and will always ply a route that connects to another source of transport, be it a motorized/bicycle pedicab or another Jeepney transfer point. Simply use the phrase for payment, "Bayad Po" and the driver or assistant will ask where you are going with something like "saan to" in order to calculate any additional distance-based fare due. To be honest, there are exceptions to every rule, and you can hitch the back for free in a pinch. Buses are another inexpensive option and can be a great decision although you may want to avoid traveling long distances on high-traffic routes like Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) The stations also provide excellent connection points to locations nearby Metro Manila or for your Provincial travel. Two of the popular lines are: Victory Liner & Five Star. Bus fares vary based on the amenities offered like on-board air conditioning or toilet facilities. There are many other choices to select from and any taxi driver can take you to the ideal station for your selected route. Taxis are an excellent means to get somewhere Fast! Airport taxis start their meters at a higher base rate than the standard 30 Peso initial point of other taxis but you are afforded the consumer protection with a ticket receipt. It is a good approach to insist that the meter is used, unless you are working out a for-hire deal, and that NO other unknown passengers are in the vehicle. If you encounter a great driver, it can be useful to exchange contact information for future use although drivers often work 24 hour shifts in earning their boundaries, and may not be available on the forecasted day, so keep multiple options on file. Rail Transportation in Metro Manila is comprised primarily of 2 metropolitan rail systems. There is the Manila Light Rail Transit System, (LRT) and the Manila Metro Rail Transit System, (MRT). Taft Avenue on EDSA is one place they converge for suitable transfer and travel-time can be much shorter than competing on the roadways. Fares are reasonable, safety and security are relatively good and unintrusive, yet it is paramount that you avoid high-peak times. Routes are being expanded both to the North and South to Cavite. Keep in mind that there is a window at late night to early morning when this service is not available.
Kalesas are a splendid manner to step back in time & embrace your experiences in certain areas like Chinatown and Intramuros. These horse-drawn carriages provide a unique journey and often provide great photo opportunities and sometimes a guide with a wellspring of entertaining and informative perspective. Driving yourself around in Manila is an absorbing exercise and worth considering. A motorcycle can definitely maneuver well and it's quite possible that your navigation of the labyrinthian metropolis will uncover some astonishing surprises. Check with the Land Transportation Office on the requirements and fees. Will have some Car Rental options listed here again soon. Be sure to check the deposit & associated fees & necessary documents with any rental agreement.
Update-4/13/2010: MMDA to strictly enforce ‘no helmet, no travel’ policy. They cite an uptick in fatalities. I remember one incident on Roxas Blvd. where the motorbike crumpled into the back of a "stopped" van; the van sped off while the rider was finally loaded into an ambulance after 20 minutes. Enforcement tends to vary greatly by location but the fines do get your attention. I've often wondered who is working on a Fully-Functional helmet for Kids, as many go along for the trip with an authorized rider. On May 26th, Michelle Yeoh was in Pasig to promote road safety. According to Anjo Perez, "Yeoh’s visit will be highlighted by the turnover of 1,000 safety helmets to schoolchildren who ride tandem with their parents aboard motorcycles." Good on her!
Update 6/08/2010: By 2012, a 13.2 Kilometer elevated road that will link the NLEX and SLEX or North Luzon & South Luzon Expressways is scheduled for construction. As reported by BusinessWorld, "The 13.2-kilometer elevated road will be built over railway tracks within the Manila central business district, starting at the end of the NLEx at the C-3 interchange in Caloocan, to the Metro Manila Skyway Stage 1 at Senator Gil Puyat Ave. in Makati." Update on 6/16/2010: Business World reports that "THE NEW 8-kilometer stretch of the South Luzon Expressway (SLEx) from Calamba, Laguna to the Southern Tagalog Access Road (STAR) Tollway in Sto. Tomas, Batangas, known as Toll Road 3, was inaugurated yesterday and should be open to motorists within the month, a top official of South Luzon Tollways Corp. (SLTC) told reporters." "[Toll Road 3] will help improve tourism and economic growth in the South, as far down as Visayas and Mindanao, since passengers and cargo can now disembark at the Port of Batangas and travel through Luzon on SLEx and other expressways now in the process of linking up. The toll road provides the missing link between SLEx and STAR tollways starting in Barangay Turbina in Calamba, Laguna and ends in Barangay San Rafael in Sto. Tomas, Batangas, where it connects with the STAR Tollway alignment," the statement read."
A recent sightseeing option in Manila is the HOP ON HOP OFF shuttle that uses vans running every two hours to 16 locations at last count. Keep in mind that Monday’s are non-operational for maintenance while on other days, they run from 9 A.M. to 6 P.M. The 1st pick-up point is the Glorietta Complex in Makati which is near the Ayala Center at 9:00, 11:00, 13:00 & 15:00 respectively, going to the Oxford Suites Hotel by 9:16 and the A. Venue Hotel Suites by 9:21, both in Makati and not far from the classy Power Plant Mall in the Rockwell Center. Stop 4 is to the SM Mall of Asia by 9:47, then Sofitel Philippine Plaza at 9:57, the Cultural Center of the Philippines by 10:00, Century Park Hotel by 10:09, Rajah Sulayman Park at 10:17, Hyatt Hotel & Casino Manila by 10:21, Bayview Park Hotel at 10:28, Rizal Park by 10:31, Manila Cathedral at 10:36, Manila Hotel at 10:44, Baywalk at 10:52, SM MOA again at 11:00 with a 45 minute pit-stop at the Duty Free along Dr. A. Santos Avenue in Paranaque on the return leg. The daily or 2-day Rates are reasonable compared to daily van rentals but the frequency of pick-ups and limited hours of operation may lead to you embarking in a different direction. Being flexible is a bonus. Hop On Hop Off is a decent option, sponsored well, and helps you experience 2-3 attractions comfortably or decide which area you might want to return to for further exploration.
On October 20th, 2011, it was reported via the website www.sleepinginairports.net, that the Ninoy Aquino International Airport's Terminal 1 was rated as the World's Worst Airport. Here is the link to that story and the aims to improve it from Transport Secretary Manuel Roxas: "World's worst airport named." manila transportation Update: April 14, 2010, PAL has resumed its flights to Saudi Arabia after a gap of four years. Once directed to the WEGO site, you can input your preferred sort such as departure/arrival times & currency. In my opinion, they definitely provide a far-reaching range of options compared to some of the highly sponsored travel aggregators. Please share your feedback here & book through this affiliate partnership between WEGO and Manila-Top-10. Thanks! HAPPY & PRODUCTIVE SEARCHING! Your Manila Air Connection; Only a Click Away:
9/30/2010 Update: OH MY GOSH, YAHOO just unveiled their latest travel site for the Philippines and guess what?YES, they are using WEGO as their search engine on the main page that I just reviewed. While this does validatewhat I had come to determine independently, I am a little curious as to why YAHOO did not respond to my earlier inquiries to be a travel reporter on their earlier site. Perhaps, manilatop10 will be able to contribute to their new site!Here is the link to Yahoo's latest Travel Site for the Philippines: Domestic Travel: Want to travel by air within the Philippines and don’t know which travel agency to use? I have some useful contacts and recommendations from personal experience, but I want to explore other options before presenting here. For now, I recommend that you go directly to the airline site and check the schedules & prices directly whether for tourism, air travel or your Philippine flight. An E-ticket in advance can a simpler and cheaper way to navigate the security and check-in lines. The following is a partial review of domestic carriers: Update: December 2010 forecast, courtesy of GOOGLE NEWS:"Philippine carriers said Friday they were bracing for tougher competition after Southeast Asia's budget carrier king Tony Fernandes announced plans to set up a joint venture airline in the country."The report states that "AirAsia Philippines, scheduled to fly in August next year, is expected to go head-to-head with the country's top budget carrier, Cebu Pacific, and Airphil Express, the low-cost unit of flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL)." Here is the link to the full article delivered via (AFP) that talks about the routes and the impact on other domestic carriers etc.No word yet on whether they will have dancing stewardesses ;) Cebu Pacific often has promos but finding them on short notice can prove to be challenging. They have ticket quotas with some decent travel agents. Note: For June, 2010, CEBU Pacific now flies direct to Surigao from Manila in addition to connecting from Cebu. The route is on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturdays. The flight leaves Manila at 07:15 a.m. and arrives in Surigao at 9:15 a.m. The return flight departs Surigao at 9:35 a.m. and arrives in Manila at 11:40 a.m. Update: 10/23/2010,The Manila Bulletin reports that starting October 23, 2010: "Low-fare leader Cebu Pacific (CEB) will start its web check-in services, for all international flights from Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3.""The airline that brought low fare air travel, e-ticketing and ‘‘Go Lite’’ product to the Philippines is now the first Philippine carrier to offer web check-in services to its guests. Web check-in allows passengers to check-in for their flight via the internet, select seats, and print boarding passes.""To check-in via the web, guests have to go to www.cebupacificair.com and click on the “Manage Booking” icon." Air Philippines, PAL Express, & Philippine Airlines (PAL) are associated; choose the one that is best for you. PAL offers detailed downloads with forward looking rates & schedules as well as a user-friendly search matrix. Sometimes you can find a better route due to airport size and landing restrictions or catch a last minute ticket with the likes of SeaAir or ZestAir for your manila transportation connections. With the PAL labor dispute ongoing, please check on alternate travel arrangements by air! Note: Please check the airphilexpress site for flight information since there have been ongoing changes within Philippine Airlines in 2010. Tiger Airwayshas been awarded flights from NAIA to Singapore as reported by channelnewasia.com. Jonathan Peeris reports that "Daily flights for the new Singapore-Manila route will begin from October 31. An additional 5 flights per week will start from December 1."Visit their site to book in advance and avail of any discounts or to manage any ongoing flights when entering the Philippines as required by the Bureau of Immigration. Current prices are listed as low as $22.50!
Sea Travel is another option; here is a local idea in Manila: Opt for a Scenic, Romantic & Relaxing 1hr break on the Metrostar Ferry with a Manila Bay Daily Cruise. Tickets are only P120 with departures at 9:30 A.M. and every 90 minutes throughout the day until 11 P.M. Tickets are available at the terminal located at the southern end of the Mall of Asia.
The same terminal location has scheduled travel to and from Cavite, leaving MOA at 7:45, 11:00, 3:00 and 6:45 but please check ahead for any changes! MOA Terminal Contact# is 09286774221.
It is available for under $5.00. According to the Saipan Tribune, "Continental adds new daytime Guam-Manila flight" & this will be a Wednesday morning flight option beginning on October 6th. “Continental continues to see growing demand for travel to the Philippines and has the right-sized fleet of aircraft to scale up capacity when needed,” said David Kendell, Continental's director of sales & marketing for Micronesia and Asia. “We are excited to provide our valued customers with added travel options. I am confident the new service will perform well and encourage the travel community to take advantage of the attractive promotional fares that have been released for this new service offering.” New! CommentsHave your say about what you just read! Leave me a comment in the box below. |
