PNR's Mayon Limited and Bicol Express

It’s summer time and I know a lot of people are now planning their vacation. How about having your vacation down south of Luzon? Do you want an inexpensive mode of transportation? Then try riding the PNR train. It may not be the most comfortable and most scenic mode of transportation but it is one of the cheapest way to travel to Southern Luzon. PNR has a daily trip to Naga City from Manila and several trips to Ligao City in the province of Albay. The PNR has just revived its train operation from Manila to Bicol Region just a few months ago. PNR also has a plan to extend its route from Manila to Legazpi City and they are now fast tracking their rail tracks repair in order to operate the Manila to Legazpi City before the end of 2012.

PNR train

PNR have several train services. The Mayon Limited De Luxe, Mayon Limited Ordinary, the Bicol Express, the Metro Commuter and the Naga-Sipocot and Naga-Ligao City route.

Last year I had shared some information regarding the Bicol Express and now I’m gonna share the updated information about the PNR train schedule and fare.

The Mayon Limited De Luxe train leaves the Manila Tutuban station for Ligao City at around 8:30pm every Monday, Wednesday and Friday and then it leaves Ligao City station at around 7:15pm every Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. The Mayon Limited Ordinary leaves Manila Tutuban station at around 8:30pm every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday and then leaves Ligao City station at around 7:15pm every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The Mayon Limited train route is Manila to Ligao City in the province of Albay. The travel time from Manila to Ligao City is 10 hours to 12 hours. The Mayon Limited De Luxe have 3 air-conditioned coaches, all of which are fitted with executive reclining seats, while the Mayon Ordinary have 3 coaches fitted with electric fan-ventilated coaches and fixed (non-reclining) seats.  You can check this link for more detailed information about the Mayon Limited train. http://www.pnr.gov.ph/mayon_limited.htm

Ordinary/non-airconditioned or Economy Coach

Airconditioned or Reclining Seat Coach

Fare for Mayon Limited

The train plying the Manila to Naga City route is called as the Bicol Express. They have 3 coaches composed of 2 sleeper coaches and 1 reclining seat coach. There are two trains that leave daily at Manila Tutuban station, one at around 6:30pm and the other one at around 8:30pm. The travel time from Manila to Naga City is 10 hours. The train leaves Naga City for Manila also on the same daily schedule, 6:30pm and 8:30pm. For more information about the Bicol Express, kindly visit this link. http://www.pnr.gov.ph/bicol_express.htm

Sleeper Coach

Sleeper Coach

Bicol Express Comfort Room

PNR also has a daily train schedule for Manila Tutuban-Binan route. The train leaves Binan for Tutuban at around 5:20 in the morning and another train leaves Tutuban going to Binan at 6:45am. There is also a train that ply the Tutuban to Alabang route. It leaves Tutuban for Alabang at around 5:05am while the train in Alabang that is bound for Tutuban leaves at around 6:05am. You can also check this link. http://www.pnr.gov.ph/metro_commuter.htm

PNR also has a train that ply the Naga City to Sipocot, Camarines Sur route and the Naga City to Ligao City, Albay route. The Naga City to Sipocot train schedule is during weekdays only, while the Naga City to Ligao City is during weekends only. For Naga to Ligao, there is only 1 trip for Saturday and Sunday. The train departs at Naga City station at 8am and arrives at Ligao City at around 9:45am, and then the train will leave Ligao City for Naga City at 10am. The fare is 45 pesos. For Naga to Sipocot, the first train bound for Sipocot leaves Naga City station at 5:15am and then arrives at Sipocot at around 6:25am. The train will then leave Sipocot for Naga City at 6:35am and arrives at Naga at 7:45am. The next train schedule for train bound for Sipocot from Naga City is at 3:10pm and then the train will leave Sipocot for Naga City at around 4:40pm. The fare is 30 pesos.

For more information about PNR, visit their website at www.pnr.gov.ph

PNR's Bicol Express

I was supposed to travel from Manila to Naga City by train, but since I don't have any information about the PNR's train schedule, I then decided to take the bus bound to Naga City. Two days after my arrival in Naga City, I decided to check personally the PNR Naga City office for the train schedule.

Naga City PNR Station

Good thing for me, upon arrival at Naga City train station, the train bound to Manila was at the station. The security guard allowed me to take photos of the train, and check out the different coaches of the Bicol Express train.

The Bicol Express

The Bicol Express train

The PNR calls the Manila to Naga and Naga to Manila train as Bicol Express train. The train plying this route has 3 coaches. One coach for reclining seats, and 2 coaches as the sleeper coach. The sleeper coach has a small room which can accomodate 4 person. The fare for reclining seat is 543 pesos and for the sleeper coach, it's 950 pesos.

Reclining seat coach

The Sleeper Coach

The Sleeper Coach

The Sleeper Coach

Both the reclining seat coach and sleeper coach are air-conditioned coach. The train also has several lavatories within each coach. Checking their lavatories, it is still clean and well-maintained and I hope the PNR management can maintain their train clean and well-maintained.

The Bicol Express train departs daily from their Manila Tutuban station at around 6:30pm and the estimated time of arrival in Naga City is 4:30am.  Also from Naga City station, a train also departs daily to Manila Tutuban at around 6:30pm and the estimated time of arrival in Tutuban is around 4:30am also. The Bicol Express train also have 1 to 5 minute stopover at these following PNR station. España, Pasay road, Alabang, Calamba, Biñan, San Pablo, Lucena, Gumaca, Tagkawayan, Ragay, Sipocot and Libmanan station.

Train schedule

Train schedule and fare

The PNR personnel also informed me that by the end of October, they might extend the route from Manila to Legazpi City, but as of now they are still rehabilitating the railroad track section from Ligao to Legazpi City. Aside from the Bicol Express train, there is also a train plying the route Sipocot, Camarines Sur to Ligao City, Albay, and vice versa.

Here are the contact information for PNR. Naga City station - (054) 319-0044
Tutuban Station - (02) 487-8778