Five-year suspension of PNR operations in Metro Manila begins on March 28

Operations of the Governor Pascual–Tutuban and Tutuban-Alabang routes of the Philippine National Railways (PNR) will be suspended for five years beginning on March 28, 2024.

The closure of these routes will help accelerate the construction of the North-South Commuter Railway in Metro Manila by roughly eight months, for savings of at least P15.18 billion, according to the Department of Transportation (DOTr). It will also help ensure the safety of passengers while construction is ongoing.

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To mitigate the impact on public transport users, the DOTr and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) are setting up a bus route between Tutuban and Alabang on both north- and southbound directions. A total of 25 buses will be deployed to service the 26.4km route. Travel time is expected to take one to two hours each way.

Check out the planned stops for the PNR bus route:

Proposed bus stops for PNR Tutuban-Alabang augmentation route

1. Alabang (Starmall) – 450 meters from PNR Alabang station
2. Alabang (Starmall), Bicutan exit – 4.6km and 4.4km, respectively from PNR Sucat station
3. Bicutan exit – 450 meters from PNR Bicutan station
4. Nichols exit – 600 meters from PNR Nichols station
5. Osmeña Highway – 150 meters from PNR EDSA station
6. Osmeña Highway – 100 meters from PNR Pasay station
7. Osmeña Highway – 70 meters from PNR Vito Cruz station
8. Osmeña Highway – 60 meters from PNR San Andres station
9. Quirino Avenue – 100 meters from PNR Paco station
10. Mayhaligue – 60 meters from PNR Tutuban station

PHOTO BY Philippine National Railways on Facebook

On the southbound direction, the buses will pass through Divisoria (Tutuban), Mayhaligue Street, Abad Santos Avenue, Recto Avenue, Legarda Street, Quirino Avenue, Nagtahan Flyover, Mabini Bridge, Quirino Avenue, Osmeña Highway, Nichols entry, South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), Bicutan exit, Bicutan entry, and Alabang (Starmall).

Northbound buses, meanwhile, will pass through Alabang (Starmall), Manila South Road, East Service Road, Alabang entry, SLEX, Bicutan exit, Bicutan entry, Nichols exit, Osmeña Highway, Quirino Avenue, Legarda Street, Recto Avenue, Abad Santos Avenue, Mayhaligue Street, and Divisoria (Tutuban).

Following is the trip schedule:

Trip schedule of PNR Tutuban-Alabang bus 

Alabang to Tutuban

1. 5am
2. 6:30am
3. 11am
4. 11:45am
5. 5pm
6. 6:10pm

Tutuban to Alabang

1. 7:30am
2. 9:10am
3. 3pm
4. 3:20pm
5. 7:30pm
6. 9pm

The 147km North-South Commuter Railway will pass through 28 cities between Clark, Pampanga, and Calamba, Laguna. Upon completion, it is expected to serve a daily ridership of 800,000 passengers.