Manila Light Rail Transit System

With MRI Manila is called the S-Bahn system in the Philippine capital Manila. It was first put into operation on 1 December 1984 with the track LRT 1, expanded in the following years and currently has 3 lines. Over 1.3 million passengers are carried daily.

• 3.1 Line 1
• 3.2 Line 2
• 3.3 Line 3
• 3.4 lines 4 and 5
• 3.5 Line 6 (also called Line 1 South)
• 3.6 Line 7

General Operation

The operating hours are from 5:00 clock in the morning until 22:00 clock (depending on line and day of week ). During peak hours, the Zugtaktung is 3 minutes, or 5 to 7 minutes. The fare is between 10 and 20 PHP per single trip, depending on the distance to be traveled. Since September 9, 2001 magnetically encoded smart cards are used as tickets, which replaced the previous token. They are available as single tickets and 100 PHP value tickets. The latter can be used repeatedly until the charged amount ' wicked' is. In these 100 PHP tickets, the passenger will also receive a Last Ride Bonus, ie the last journey is still possible, even if the remaining balance is already less than the regular fare for the distance corresponding to the map in any case. Ticket prices have not increased since the early 2000s and are still at a maximum of 15 pesos per single trip on lines 2 and 3 On line 1, the maximum price was adjusted in the north to a maximum of 20 pesos after extension of the line. Overall, the fares are significantly lower than the prices of bus tickets on comparable routes. Due to massive increases in operating costs, however, a price increase in two increments of 5 pesos was announced for the years 2013 and 2014. The operation is not cost-covering by far even after this planned increase in fares and must be heavily subsidized by the state. According to the DOTC ( Department of Transportation and Communications, to German Ministry of Transport and Communications ) costs such as the transport of each passenger on the line 3 of the initial to the final stop around 60 pesos - four times the current ticket price of 15 pesos. From this state subsidies totaling 7-9 billion pesos annually arising solely for that one line. To date, however, the proposed fare increase is not implemented. In a public hearing in December 2013, no consensus could be found. The targeted increase is heavily criticized by consumer advocates and stakeholders.

In case of malfunction is pointed to delays of trains and with "Code Yellow 2 " on cancellations due to technical failures of the stops in "Code Yellow 1 ". The respective first car of each train may be used only by women.

Lines 1 and 2 are operated by the LTRA ( Light Rail Transit Authority ), a public sector company. On line 3, however, operates the MRTC (Metro Rail Transit Corporation), a private company, as part of an operator model under concession by the DOTC.

Route network

Line 1 / green line (formerly yellow line)

The track is performed on pre-cast concrete stilts ( earthquake resistant ) and runs from north to south parallel of Rizal and Taft Avenue at 8 km in length. When re-starting in June 1985, the route was extended by 8 km. A total of 18 stops are provided on the 15 km long route. The stops can be reached only by stairs, as no escalators and lifts. It offers connecting flights to buses and jeepneys at the stops Central, Monumento (northern terminus ) and Baclaran (southern terminus ). On the trains, the sections are reserved at the beginning and at the end of each train for those in need ( elderly, disabled, nursing mothers and mothers with children). Right after that there are sections that may be used only by women. The track width is 1435 mm, and the voltage of the overhead line is 750 V. The single 8 -axle wagons are 2.5 m wide and 29.28 m long and can each carry a maximum of 374 passengers. They have 5 door and driven by a DC motor. They operate in the configuration of three cars per train. They were built by the Belgian company BN ACEC. 2001, a major overhaul and modernization of the trains was completed a major overhaul of the railway facilities of the LRT 1 using the Belgian manufacturer, and in April 2002. Since then, all trains are air-conditioned.

Line 2 / blue line (formerly purple line)

The colloquial " Megatren " called line runs from the west (Manila ) via Quezon City to the East in Pasig. Except for the Katipunan station it is also performed on viaducts. Construction began in 1998 with eleven stops to 13.8 km, located along the Recto Avenue, Magsaysay Boulevard and Aurora Boulevard. A pedestrian bridge that connects it to the line 1, opened in spring 2005. All trains are air-conditioned.

Line 3 / yellow line (formerly blue line)

Referred to in the population "Metro Star" line runs along the ring road Epifanio de los Santos Avenue ( EDSA ). She took on 16 December 1999 has been operational since 20 July 2000 Umsteigeverbidung to line 1 at the stop EDSA / Taft Avenue ( station name on line 1 is EDSA ). Another transfer possibility is to line 2 at the station Cubao / Araneta Center. The total length is now 16.8 km with 13 stops. Of course also takes place, as with the other two lines, with the exception of the stop on viaducts Buendia which is underground. The trains are fitted with air conditioning.

The number of users remained in the first months significantly below expectations. The reasons for the high fare were led in comparison to former prices for bus tickets and the difficult access of stops only by stairs. In subsequent years, however, passenger numbers increased significantly and are now well above its designed capacity, which is clear from notoriously overcrowded trains. Originally designed today to 350,000 daily passengers use around 600,000 people daily line 3

Modernization and further development

Line 1

A modernization of operating since the 1980s trains seems to be urgently needed. This is done in two sections, the first campaigns against larger and wider wagons to be replaced. In an intermediate step, the previous coatings are extended from 2 to 3 wagons. In addition, 7 trains, each with 4 air-conditioned cars are purchased. The new 6 -axle wagons are 2.59 m wide and 26.5 m long and can each carry a maximum of 450 passengers. They have four doors per side and are driven by an AC induction motor. In the next phase the number of passengers to be increased. The capacity is currently 27,000 passengers per direction during peak hours. This is to be increased by new trains on 40,000 passengers. The requires the purchase of 12 additional trains per 4 cars, as well as additional modernization of signaling systems, train radio systems, power supply and distribution, ticket checks and roadworks at some stops and depots, to accommodate the new trains. With an extension of the line in the north, a direct transition to the line 3 is possible since 2012 in Quezon City. By 2015, a transition to the currently under construction line 7 should be possible at this station. In addition, the construction of an additional station in Caloocan City is provided by 2015.

Line 2

If necessary, the line may be extended in the west to North Harbour. An extension to the east around 4 km will connect to the network until 2016, two new stations in Cainta and Masinag / Antipolo ( Rizal ). There is thus a great benefit for the communities Marikina, Cainta, and Antipolo hoped. The latter is according to a survey by the NSO currently the fastest growing city in the Philippines.

Line 3

To the north, the line 3 first ended at the stop North Avenue in Quezon City. There was closing the gap to Monumento, Caloocan City with the transition to the first line after line extension LRT 1 in an easterly direction the gap by a common terminal in Quezon City has been closed since mid-2012. The capacity of the line 3 is designed for daily 350,000 passengers, but in fact up to 600,000 people are transported per day. In February 2013, the office of Metro Manila therefore decided the purchase of 52 additional cars for the MRT line 3 This will increase the capacity of the line by 60 to 70% ..

Lines 4 and 5

In addition to the existing three lines is a fourth planned, Manila ( Recto Avenue ) to Fairview, Quezon City, to run along the streets España, Quezon Avenue and Commonwealth Avenue.

A fifth line will connect Manila with the towns of San Juan, Mandaluyong, Taguig and Makati and also connect the International Airport of Manila, Ninoy Aquino International Airport, to the route network.

Line 6 ( also called Line 1 South)

Studies have shown that a southern extension of the route of line 1 in the suburbs of Parañaque and Las Piñas, and the port of Cavite province would be useful. It is expected to 11.7 kilometers long, the vast majority to be passed over viaducts, just 1.2 km to be built at ground level. 8 new stations are planned, two more stations can be built if necessary. The new tracks will be backwards compatible with the current line, so that the entire route is open to traffic with the old trains without interruption. The construction phase for the line 6 is provided from 2013 to 2018.

Line 7

The line 7, also known as MRT 7 project is currently under construction. Beginning in Quezon City with transition to line 3 at the North Avenue Station / Edsa, the new line run through 14 stations with a total length of 22 km via Caloocan to San Jose del Monte in Bulacan. The planned end of line 7 in Bulacan will be the first outside of Metro Manila's MRT station.