Heads up, commuting public! You can now get from the University Philippines Diliman (UPD) campus in Quezon City to the UP Los Baños (UPLB) campus in Laguna and back via one bus ride. And the regular fare from Kyusi to Elbi will only cost you P165!
The trial run of the UPD to UPLB Commuter Bus operated by DLTB Co. started on Monday, August 19, 2024. It will hit the road for a test run at specific times on weekdays from Monday to Friday for the whole month of August.
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Top Gear Philippines asked the drivers on site in UP Diliman and got in touch with the UPLB Office of the Vice Chancellor for Community Affairs (OVCCA) to get more details on this promising new route for iskos/iskas and the general public.
Here’s all you need to know about the new UPLB-UPD Commuter Bus Route.
How much do bus tickets cost on this route?
The regular fare is P165 for adults, and P132 for students, seniors, and PWDs with valid IDs. That’s a far cry from what you’d normally spend on fuel and toll fees traveling the same route by private car.
Where are the pick-up and drop-off points?
The main bus stop in UP Diliman is on Lakandula Extension corner E. Jacinto Street. This is the street parallel to UP Fine Arts College and walking distance from UP Gyud Food Hub. If you’re coming from University Avenue, turn right onto E. Jacinto Street and right again on the road before Fine Arts.
Meanwhile, the bus stop in UP Los Baños is on Velasco Avenue, with loading/unloading bays near the main gate.
What route will the bus take?
The 54-seater bus will be plying the Metro Manila Skyway and Quezon Avenue. While there are existing routes to Laguna from Pasay and bus trips from UPLB to the LRT-1 Buendia Station previously launched in 2022, passengers from the north won’t have to transfer buses and can avoid traffic by taking the Skyway for a smoother ride.
What’s the schedule of the bus?
Each route has two departures daily in the morning and afternoon on weekdays.
UP Los Baños to UP Diliman
- 5am
- 1pm
UP Diliman to UP Los Baños
- 9am
- 6pm
Initially, the bus route will only make trips from Monday to Friday. However, Saturday trips or other times could be added if the demand for the route is high.
How long is the travel time?
The travel time depends on the traffic, but according to the bus driver on duty, they left UP Los Banos at 5am and arrived in UP Diliman at 7:20am since traffic was still light on their maiden run on Monday, August 19.
The UPLB OVCCA confirmed that the 9am trip from UPD arrived in UPLB at 11:13am, while the 1pm UPLB-UPD trip arrived at UPD at 3:18 pm. The 6pm trip from UPD arrived in UPLB at 8pm.
While the exact travel time could change, the average travel time through Skyway takes roughly two to 2.5 hours.
Is this a point-to-point (P2P) bus?
No. According to UPLB OVCAA vice chancellor Robby Cereno, the bus is not P2P.
“Commuters can ride/alight along the route. From UPD, other pickup points are Philcoa, Department of Agriculture, DENR, and Quezon Ave before Skyway,” Cereno told Top Gear Philippines.
“Passengers can alight in SM Calamba and onwards to UPLB. From UPLB, passengers can ride in Olivarez Plaza, Calamba, crossing the onwards to Skyway. Unloading points are Quezon Ave, QC City Hall, Philcoa, University Avenue, then Lakandula Street corner Jacinto Street.”
The bus schedule was initially determined after the UP Los Baños Community Affairs team released a demand survey. Over 2,888 respondents gave their input on best times for departures.
Can anyone ride the bus?
Yes. While the bus route will be helpful mostly to the UP community, especially to students of both campuses and those taking masters and PhDs, the commuter bus route is open to the general public. You don’t have to be a UP student or faculty member to ride this bus.
Are pets allowed on the bus?
Yes, DLTB Co. is a pet-friendly bus company. The bus line allows small to medium-size pets as long as they’re kept in an enclosed pet cage or carrier. Pets must wear diapers and be free from foul odor. The fare for pets is the same seat fare as one person.
Can you bring bikes on the bus?
Great news for bimodal transport users: You can bring your own bikes and keep them in the bus compartment, as long as there’s enough storage space. While folding bikes would be a better option, mountain bikers may be interested in checking out the Mariang Makiling Trail by taking bikes on the bus. Both the UPD Campus and the UPLB Campus are bike-friendly.
Based on my previous experience bringing bikes on commuter buses, it’s easy enough to fit a full-size bike in the compartment as long as you dismantle the front wheel. You might want to bring string or cords to keep them secure. An additional cargo fee may apply for those bringing bikes.
So what can you do in UPLB?
Here’s a cool idea for Manila folk who want to get away from the city for a while. UP Los Baños recently launched the Tipaklong Mobility Sharing Project, a “sustainable and eco-friendly solution to intra-campus transportation” and a “Campus Hopping Tour.” The project, said to be “a first in the Philippines higher education campuses” involves a fleet of manual bikes, e-bikes and e-scooters that UPLB visitors can rent using a mobile app. Students, faculty and staff, and campus visitors will be able to rent the bikes to visit academic landmarks and heritage sites using the app.
In a news release, Vice Chancellor Cereno said that the shared mobility program aims to reduce campus emissions and “complement the provision of accessible and affordable transportation and mobility options to UPLB constituents by public utility jeepneys.”
We’ll keep you updated once we get to try this new bus route and the bike tour. Stay tuned for updates on Top Gear Philippines.
