PNR to offer rides to Calamba starting on Thursday

Philippine National Railway. Photo courtesy of PNR Facebook page.

MANILA – Philippine National Railways (PNR) on Thursday will start extending the operations of its Metro South Commuter train service to Calamba in Laguna in order to serve more passengers and in a way help ease the heavy traffic in major roads in Metro Manila.

The Metro South Commuter train runs from Tutuban in Manila to Marnatid in Cabuyao, Laguna.
About 60,000 to 70,000 passengers ride the train everyday that the PNR already increased the trips to 74 per day from the original 50 given the increase in passengers.

Through its Twitter account, PNR announced that they will extend the service to Calamba. This would take effect on Thursday, November 27.

The entire trip will now cover 56.1 kilometers from Tutuban to Calamba with 25 stops.

Fare is anywhere from P10 to P45 per passenger.

According to PNR general manager Joseph Allan Dilay, the agency was given P2.2 billion for the first time for next year in order to execute several projects in a bid to serve the passengers better.

“This is mostly for the improvement of various PNR infrastructure and facilities, including the repair of rolling stocks to better serve the riding public,” Dilay said.

He shared that they are looking at buying new trains and at the same time build new tracks.

“Hopefully, in the years to come, PNR can procure brand new rolling stocks and, at the same time, improve and build new railway tracks,” he said.

Dilay added, “PNR is all about progress. Every year, passenger ridership increases and we have to cope with the demand and the changing times. It is no longer the alternative mode of transportation, but we aim to be the main mode of transportation even outside Metro Manila.”

Last June 16 paved the way for the extension of the corporate life of PNR to another 50 years to June 20, 2064because of the passage of Republic Act 10638 by the Senate and the House of Representative.

“For the next 50 years, we aim to not only double, but triple, and maybe even more, our capacity to serve the needs of our riding public and meet the demands of the economy,” said Dilay.

Currently, PNR is celebrating its 122 year as one of the oldest and most thriving mass transport systems in the Philippines. Founded on November 24, 1892 as the Ferrocarril de Manila-Dagupan during the Spanish era, it became the Manila Railroad Company (MRRco) when the Americans came to the country.