LRT extends hours, sets more trips

Light Rail Transit 1 (LRT-1) operator Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) is extending service hours and adding more trips to its weekend and holiday operations, effective July 8, 2017.

This comes after it implemented a new weekday timetable in the 20kilometer train line running from Baclaran to Roosevelt.

"The new scheme will cut passengers’ waiting time and lessen the crowds on the platforms on weekends and holidays," explained LRMC President and Chief Executive Officer Rogelio L. Singson.

Under the newest timetable, first trip on weekends and holidays will be earlier at 4:30 a.m., compared to the previous 5:00 a.m.

LRMC is also increasing the number of LRT 1's trips on Saturdays and holidays from 423 to 472. Sunday trips will likewise increase from 323 to 353.

Positive feedback from the current new timetable during weekdays motivated the operator to include weekends and holidays as well.

Under its new weekday schedule, LRT-1 service is available as early as 4:30 a.m. and as late as 10:15 p.m.. The number of daily trips increased from 512 to 554.

LRMC is doing dry runs for the new holiday and weekend schedule over two weekends, June 24 to 25 and July 1 to 2 before fully implementing the new schedule on July 8.

LRMC is a joint venture company of Metro Pacific Investments Corporation’s Metro Pacific Light Rail Corporation (MPLRC), Ayala Corporation’s AC Infrastructure Holdings Corporation (AC Infra) and the Philippine Investment Alliance for Infrastructure’s Macquarie Infrastructure Holdings (Philippines) PTE Ltd. (MIHPL).