Starting April 2, passengers of the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) will face higher fares, following the recent approval by the Department of Transportation (DOTr).
“Public transport is a service that requires continuous investment in maintenance, upgrades, and expansion. Countries with world-class transport systems such as Singapore and Japan adjust fares regularly to keep services efficient and safe,” said LRMC President/CEO Enrico R. Benipayo.
Based on the decision of the DOTr’s Rail Regulatory Unit (RRU), the new fare structure includes a boarding fee of PHP 16.25 and a distance fare of PHP 1.47 per kilometer.
Under the new pricing scheme, the minimum fare for stored value cards will be PHP 16, while the maximum fare will be PHP 52. For passengers using single journey tickets, the minimum fare will increase from PHP 15 to PHP 20, and the maximum fare will rise from PHP 45 to PHP 55.
The fare from Dr. Santos Station to United Nations Station will now be PHP 35, up from PHP 30. Meanwhile, the fare from Dr. Santos Station to Fernando Poe Jr. Station will increase to PHP 55 from the previous PHP 45. Passengers using stored value ‘Beep’ cards will experience slightly lower fares, with rates of PHP 19, PHP 34, and PHP 52, respectively.
“In the past ten (10) years of operating and maintaining the 40-year-old railway line, this will only be the second time that LRMC has been allowed to implement fare adjustments for LRT-1. LRMC has since introduced new trains, station upgrades, and better service efficiency. Last November 2024, LRMC also completed Phase 1 of the Cavite Extension Project and opened the extension for commercial operations,” adds Benipayo.
This is just the second time that LRMC has been granted fare adjustment in the past decade, even as the LRT-1 recently launched its Cavite Extension.
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Images: LRMC
