Overview
Metro Manila's public transport is a patchwork of rail lines, buses, jeepneys, taxis, ride-hailing services and ferries, and as a visitor you will almost certainly mix several of them in a single day. The backbone is the rail network: the Manila Light Rail Transit System (LRT Lines 1 and 2), the Manila Metro Rail Transit System (MRT Line 3), and the Metro Commuter Line of the Philippine National Railways. Around these run numbered city and provincial buses, unnumbered jeepneys, short-hop tricycles and pedicabs, and the Pasig River ferries.
Riding end to end is straightforward once you accept that no single ticket covers everything. Plan your route around the rail lines where you can, since they are fast and cheap but extremely crowded at peak times. Buy a stored-value card so you can tap through fare gates instead of queueing for a single-journey ticket each time. For the last stretch to your hotel, use a metered taxi or a ride-hailing app rather than guessing at a jeepney route. Keep small bills and coins on you, because drivers and conductors may not have change for large notes.
The network
Metro Manila's rail infrastructure is made up of the Manila Light Rail Transit System, the Manila Metro Rail Transit System, and the Metro Commuter Line of the Philippine National Railways. The MRT system is a rapid transit network that primarily serves Metro Manila; as of 2026 its operational route is 16.9 kilometres with one line and 13 stations. Most stations across the system are elevated, with some at grade and some underground, and stations generally have a concourse level and a platform level separated by fare gates.
- LRT Line 1 (green line) — operated by Light Rail Manila Corporation. It uses light-rail rolling stock and serves Malate, Ermita, Quiapo, Binondo and Santa Cruz. Most tourist sites lie along this line.
- LRT Line 2 (blue line) — operated by the Light Rail Transit Authority. It uses longer commuter-grade rolling stock and serves Quiapo, Sampaloc and Santa Mesa.
- MRT Line 3 — the only MRT line currently in operation, opened in December 1999 and completed in July 2000. It is owned by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) following the expiry of the build-lease-transfer agreement with the Metro Rail Transit Corporation in July 2025. Most of its stations have side platforms.
- Metro Commuter Line — the Philippine National Railways' commuter service, part of the metro's rail infrastructure.
- Lines under construction — the Metro Manila Subway (Line 9) and the elevated MRT Line 7 are being built, along with other heavy rail lines. The Metro Manila Subway will have platform screen doors and 210-metre platforms to accommodate eight-car trains. Further proposed lines, including Lines 8, 10 and 11, were still awaiting approval as of 2025.
- Buses — city and provincial routes cross through or terminate in Manila, most of them passing the Lawton Bus Terminal in front of the LRT-1 Central Terminal station. Since 2020 the bus system has used route numbers displayed prominently on the side of the bus and on the dashboard, listing endpoints and major intermediate stops.
- Jeepneys — several jeepney routes serve Manila, some following routes once plied by the city's pre-World War II tram system. Jeepney routes are not numbered, but the route is displayed on the sides and dashboard, and drivers or barkers announce destinations at route origins.
- Tricycles and pedicabs — within the City of Manila these are limited to short distances and hard-to-reach areas, with terminals commonly beside jeepney terminals and railway stations.
- Calesa — traditional horse-drawn carriages still operate in Ermita, Intramuros and Binondo, useful for narrow streets and for a feel of colonial Manila.
Tickets & fares
LRT Lines 1 and 2 use a contactless smart card fare system, the Automated Fare Collection System (AFCS), which fully replaced the old magnetic ticket system from 16 December 2015. The system was implemented through the Department of Transportation's Public-Private Partnership Automatic Fare Collection System Project, covering LRT Lines 1 and 2 and MRT3, and the Common Ticketing Project is a joint venture between government and a private group led by Ayala and Metro Pacific. Like the LRT, the MRT system uses a distance-based fare structure on all of its lines.
- Single Journey Ticket (SJT) — valid on the day of purchase and line-specific: an SJT for Line 1 is for Line 1 use only, and an SJT for Line 2 is for Line 2 use only. Buy it at a ticket booth or a Ticket Vending Machine.
- Stored Value Card (SVC) — sold for ₱30.00 each plus a ₱14.00 minimum load, reloadable, and accepted at all LRT/MRT Lines 1, 2 and 3 stations and other facilities using the DoTr Transpo™ system. It is valid until the date printed on the card. Blue and white Beep cards are the stored-value cards in use.
- Fare discount — effective 23 March 2026, the DOTr implemented a 50% across-the-board fare discount for all LRT-2 and MRT-3 passengers. With a stored-value card the system deducts the discount automatically at the turnstiles; with a single-journey ticket the discounted price is already shown at the vending machine, and teller booths apply the discount at the point of sale. Updated fare posters are displayed at LRT-2 station entrances.
- Concessionary cards — application and issuance are handled at rail stations; ask at the customer service area.
As a rough guide to what you will pay, documented figures put LRT-1 fares at about ₱16.25–₱20 minimum and ₱52–₱55 maximum, and MRT-3 at about ₱13 for short trips up to ₱28 end-to-end. These amounts are approximate, predate the 2026 discount, and change — check the operator's current fare matrix before you travel. For other modes, documented 2025 figures include jeepney minimum fares of ₱13 traditional and ₱15 modern plus ₱2 per kilometre; city buses at ₱13 ordinary and ₱15 air-conditioned base fare plus ₱2.25 and ₱2.65 per kilometre respectively, with provincial buses starting at ₱11 ordinary; tricycles at a ₱16 minimum (₱20 electric) plus ₱5 per additional 500 metres; UV Express vans at ₱13 for the first 4 kilometres plus ₱1.80 per kilometre; and taxis at a ₱45 flag-down plus ₱13.50 per kilometre. All of these are approximate and subject to change.
From the airport
Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL) is the main international airport serving Manila. For detailed airport-by-airport guidance, consult the airports section of the Metro Manila article. On the ground, your realistic public-transport options are buses, taxis and ride-hailing services rather than a direct rail link.
- Bus — city and provincial bus routes cross through or terminate in Manila, most passing the Lawton Bus Terminal in front of the LRT-1 Central Terminal station. Check with the operator or the terminal for the current fare on your route.
- Taxi — plentiful, but be cautious. Ask the driver roughly what the trip will cost as you board, have the name of your destination, a rough map with landmarks and a fare estimate ready, and watch that the meter is actually running. Drivers have been known to leave the meter off and then demand two or three times the normal rate, and some airport taxis use devices that inflate the fare.
- Ride-hailing — Grab, Angkas, Gojek, OWTO, Joyride and MyTaxi.PH all operate in Manila, giving you an upfront price before you commit.
Etiquette & customs
Manila's transit runs on a mix of formal rules and unwritten habits, and following them will make your journeys much smoother.
- Bags to the front — on the metro, everyone wears their backpacks and bags on the front, partly because of space constraints and partly for safety. Do the same.
- Queues and terminals — at taxi stands, wait in the orderly line that forms for empty taxis. At jeepney and tricycle terminals, drivers or barkers call out destinations and departure points.
- Passing your fare — on jeepneys, you flag the vehicle down at the roadside, tell the driver your destination, and pass your fare forward to the driver, often via other passengers.
- Rush hour — the metro is insanely packed during rush hour, and peak congestion across all modes runs roughly 7–9 a.m. and 5–8 p.m. Allow extra time and expect to stand; designated standing areas exist in LRT and MRT stations.
- Small change — carry small bills and coins, since jeepney and bus drivers may not have change for large notes.
- Registered vehicles only — avoid "colorum", or unregistered, vans and taxis.
- Fares for tricycles and calesas — tricycles and pedicabs must by law display a fare matrix for the areas they serve, normally adhered to for short distances; for longer trips it is common to negotiate the fare beforehand. Calesa fares are always negotiated with the cochero beforehand.
Official links
Survival terms
- Subway/metro — metro (MET-roh); the rail systems are referred to as LRT and MRT.
- Ticket — tiket (TEE-ket).
- Line — linya (LEEN-yah).
- Entrance — pasukan (pah-SOO-kahn).
- Exit — labasan (lah-BAH-sahn).
- Transfer — lipat (LEE-paht).
- Single fare — pamasahe (pah-mah-SAH-heh).
- Day pass — day pass (DAY pahs).
Before you set out each morning, check the operator's current fare matrix and service hours, because fares, discounts and holiday schedules in Manila change often and the rail system closes entirely for annual maintenance during Holy Week.