Starting September 15, 2025, the white-colored beep card for students will finally be made available in train stations in Metro Manila.
Students, who are among the most frequent users of Metro Manila’s rail lines (LRT Lines 1 and 2 and MRT-3), will soon be able to enjoy rides with the 50% fare discount automatically applied at the turnstiles. It’s about time, right?
Previously, students who wanted to avail of the discounts needed to present their school ID before being issued discounted single-journey tickets at ticketing counters, causing long lines. Otherwise, they could opt to pay the full fare using regular stored value cards and other payment options.
Here’s what the parents of commuters and our student readers need to know about the new student beep cards ahead of its actual roll out.
What are concessionary beep cards?
Student beep cards are considered concessionary cards similar to the those issued to senior citizens and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), which have been available to the public.
Compared to standard blue beep cards, the clearly distinguishable white beep cards are issued only to qualified or eligible applicants, providing automatic discounts as required by law.
These cards are vital to ease the financial burden of students, especially since discounts for students, seniors and PWDs expanded from 20 percent to 50 percent last June.
Check out the full fare matrix here.
Who is eligible to apply for the student beep cards?
Students from all levels are eligible to get the cards, including kindergarten, elementary, high school, college, and even graduate school students. The beep card can also be issued to learners from the Alternative Learning System (ALS) and Special Education (SPED) students.
Each personalized card will only be offered within a limited timeframe aligned with the school year.
Where can you get the student beep cards?
According to an official announcement from the Department of Transportation (DOTr), students can get the cards from any of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) and Light Rail Transit (LRT) stations starting September 15, 2025.
Students can apply from any train station and can claim the card on the same day.
Since these cards are considered concessionaire passes, they can't be purchased online or from outside the train lines.
How to apply for the student beep card
- Head to any station of the LRT-1, LRT-2, and MRT-3 train lines.
- Look for the dedicated window specifically for printing these cards.
- Present a valid school ID or registration form for the current school year.
- Pay the P30 processing fee.
- The white beep cards will reportedly be printed “on the spot” and will be personalized with the student’s name.
How long will the student beep card be effective?
Unlike the senior and PWD versions, which have a lifetime validity, the student beep cards will be valid for one year. Students will be allowed to renew their cards every school year. The 50% discount on fares will run until 2028.
For comparison, the regular blue beep cards and limited edition beep cards with full fares usually have a validity period of four years, with a one-year extension.
What happens if you lose the special beep card?
Commuters who lose their beep cards have to issue a certificate of loss and have it validated before resubmitting credentials like ID or any proof of enrollment, according to MRT-3 General Manager Mike Capati in an ABS-CBN News report.
Will there be a sufficient supply of cards to meet the demand in stations?
AF Payments Inc. (AFPI), the exclusive issuer of beep cards, previously said they are working closely with DOTR and the train operators to ensure there will be a “sufficient supply of cards” in rail stations.
Amid concerns of the beep card shortages, AFPI has vowed full support to stabilize the supply of cards and speed up the issuance of discount cards across rail lines. AFPI also said it has fast-tracked the delivery of 300,000 additional beep cards for its train operator partners.
AF Payments Inc. is a consortium formed by the Ayala and First Pacific group of companies, which was awarded the 10-year concession to build the Automated Fare Collection System (AFCS) in Metro Manila’s light rail network in 2014.
Are student beep cards transferable?
No. According to Beep, the student beep card (similar to the senior citizen and PWD beep cards) is non-transferable to any other person and is not for resale.
While standard blue beep cards are transferable and can be used by whoever is holding the card, concessionary cards are personalized and can only be used by the cardholder.
What happens if student beep cards are misused?
Any misuse may cause students to lose their card altogether and pay possible fines. Based on Beep’s detailed terms and conditions on beep’s official website:
“In the event that a beep Student Discount Card is found and verified to be misused, a Partner Establishment (where the beep Student Discount Card was intended to be used in) has the right to immediately confiscate the beep Student Discount Card and charge appropriate penalties on the cardholder.”
Stay tuned for more details and guidelines as they come out.
