Getting Around Iloilo: An Overview
Iloilo City is the regional center of Western Visayas and the heart of the Iloilo–Guimaras metropolitan area, and it sits on the southeast portion of the island of Panay. For a visitor, the good news is that the city is served by a compact, layered mix of transport options: numbered jeepney routes, tricycles, taxis, and app-based ride-hailing. There is no rail, metro, or tram network in Iloilo, so getting around means road-based transport, plus ferries for trips across the water to Guimaras and Bacolod.
Rail, Metro and Tram
Iloilo has no rail, metro, or tram system. All movement around the city and the wider province is by road or by ferry. Plan your days around jeepneys, tricycles, taxis, ride-hailing, and buses rather than any kind of train service.
Jeepneys: The Backbone of City Transport
Jeepneys are the main way locals and visitors move around Iloilo City. The city runs a numbered route system, with routes identified by number (1 through 25) under the Enhanced Local Public Transport Route Plan. Both traditional and modernized jeepneys operate these routes.
- Fares: Traditional jeepneys cost roughly ₱13–15; modern jeepneys are slightly higher. Keep small bills handy, as you pass your fare forward to the driver.
- Modern jeepneys: These come with air-conditioning, Wi-Fi, CCTV, GPS, automated fare collection, and accessibility features for persons with disabilities.
- Useful routes for visitors: Route 3 runs between Ungka and the City Proper via Central Philippine University and the UP Visayas campus; Route 4 connects Ungka to the City Proper via B. Aquino Avenue and Festive Walk; Route 5 links Festive Walk to the City Proper via B. Aquino Avenue and SM City; Route 10 runs from the Buntatala/Tagbak Terminal to the City Proper loop and also serves the airport connection and the Guimaras RORO terminal; Route 11 runs from Ticud, La Paz to the City Proper loop and passes schools including ISAT.
- Etiquette: Wait for a full stop before boarding or alighting. To signal the driver you want to get off, say "Sa lugar" or tap a coin. Give up your seat to elderly passengers, pregnant women, and persons with disabilities.
Tricycles and Multicabs
For short hops within a barangay or neighborhood, tricycles are the go-to option, typically costing around ₱10–30. Multicabs serve some routes as well, including the budget connection to the airport from Bangga Dama in Sta. Barbara. Note that multicabs generally leave only once they are full, so you may wait a while during quiet periods.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Metered taxis and app-based services are both available, and they are the most comfortable option for longer trips or when you are carrying luggage.
- Grab: GrabTaxi has operated in Iloilo since 2015, and GrabCar launched formally in March 2023. Grab offers upfront pricing, cashless payment, GPS tracking, and app-only booking, meaning you cannot hail one from the street. Services include GrabCar (4- and 6-seaters), GrabTaxi, GrabFood, and GrabExpress.
- UTOL: The Unified Transport Operations League is an all-Filipino ride-hailing app that launched in Iloilo City in July 2024 and is expanding across Western Visayas.
- Traditional taxis: Companies such as Light of Glory Transport Services offer airport transfers and city tours. A metered taxi to the airport runs roughly ₱333–408 for the trip.
- Electric taxis: Quarry Taxi is the first operator in the region to use electric vehicles, with a small initial fleet deployed.
- Practical tip: Ride-hailing vehicles cannot pick up from the street, so be ready at your designated pickup point and confirm the driver's identity and plate number before getting in. Tipping is optional but appreciated, generally around 10–15%.
Walkability
Walking works well in specific districts rather than across the whole city. The City Proper, home to heritage sites such as Jaro Cathedral, Molo Church, and Calle Real, is manageable on foot, supplemented by the occasional jeepney or taxi. The Mandurriao business district, which includes SM City, Megaworld, and Festive Walk, is best navigated with Grab or taxi plus Routes 4 and 5. The university belt around UP Visayas and CPU is served by jeepneys on Routes 3 and 11. For navigation, Grab, UTOL, and offline map apps like Google Maps or Maps.me are useful companions.
Buses and Provincial Connections
For travel beyond the city, Iloilo has several key terminals. The Ceres Terminal in Jaro handles buses to Panay provinces including Antique, Capiz, and Aklan. The Ungka Terminal in Jaro serves regional buses and jeepneys to Iloilo towns. For trips to Guimaras, the RORO terminal is reachable via Route 10 jeepneys, with regular ferries crossing. The Iloilo–Bacolod ferry terminal is accessible by city jeepney and offers an alternative to flying to Negros Occidental. Other hubs include the SM City Iloilo Transport Hub (airport shuttles, jeepney terminus, Grab pickup), the Festive Walk Transport Hub in Megaworld Business Park, Tagbak Terminal in Jaro, and the People's Terminal and Mohon Terminal for regional and city routes.
Getting from the Airport into the City
Iloilo Airport sits outside the city, and there are several ways to reach the center, ranging from very cheap to convenient.
- Shuttle van: Runs from SM City Iloilo to the airport for ₱100 per person, with a return fare of ₱50 and a drop-off at Megaworld Festival Walk for ₱80. The van departs only when full, so allow extra time and arrive at least three hours before your flight. You can request a Jaro Plaza drop-off.
- P2P premium: A premium point-to-point service connects the airport to Iloilo Business Park and hotels, with a ₱80 fare to Megaworld Festival Walk Mall or a ₱200 bus ticket plus hotel transfer. There is no extra luggage fee.
- Budget jeepney and multicab: Take a jeepney bound for Calinog, Janiuay, Cabatuan, or Sta. Barbara from Benigno Aquino Avenue (₱16), alight at Bangga Dama in Sta. Barbara near the Total Gas Station or Mercury Drug, then transfer to a multicab to the airport (₱10, about 10 minutes). The total is around ₱26. Multicabs leave only when full, so you may wait one to two hours.
- Private transfers: Bookable through services like Klook starting around USD 11.79 for two passengers, or through local providers at roughly ₱1,500 one-way.
- Taxi and Grab: A metered taxi to the airport costs roughly ₱333–408, and Grab sample fares are around ₱500 for a 4-seater and ₱700 for a 6-seater.
Practical Tips for Visitors
- Carry small bills and coins for jeepney, tricycle, and multicab fares.
- Ride-hailing requires booking through the app; you cannot flag one down on the street.
- Plan around transport hubs: SM City Iloilo, Festive Walk, Tagbak Terminal, and the Ceres and Ungka terminals in Jaro are the main interchange points.
- For day trips to Guimaras or Bacolod, head to the ferry terminals, which are reachable by city jeepney.
- Fares fall into clear tiers: ultra-budget (₱10–30) for jeepneys, tricycles, and multicabs; budget (₱50–150) for modern jeepneys, airport vans, and short taxi rides; mid-range (₱200–500) for Grab within the city and private transfers; and premium (₱500+) for airport Grab and private car hire.