LRT 1 increasing train trips

Light Rail Manila Corp., or LRMC, the private operator of the LRT Line 1, is increasing the train line's trips and trains deployed starting in October to better serve passengers.

In a press statement on Thursday, the company said the service boost was driven by the notable spike in the number of commuters in Metro Manila as mobility eases, especially as the Christmas holiday season nears.

"Our transport capacity will increase by almost 10 percent for weekday operations and about 20 percent on weekends," LRMC chief operating officer Rolando J. Paulino III said.

"We at LRMC are continuously thinking of ways to better serve our passengers with increased capacity and shorter waiting times," he added.
LRMC will run an expanded fleet composed of up to a maximum of 23 train sets.

A new train timetable will thus be implemented, increasing the number of trips on weekdays from 410 to 460 and on weekends from 293 to 331 trips on Saturdays and 307 trips on Sundays.

To date, a total of seven Generation 4 train sets are running along the main line for commercial service. However, this development entails changes in train schedules that would require passengers to plan their trips properly.

During weekends and holidays, the first train is scheduled to depart from Baclaran and Fernando Poe Jr. stations at 5 a.m. The last trip leaving Baclaran Station is at 9:30 p.m., while the last train leaves Fernando Poe Jr. Station at 9:45 p.m.

There will be no changes in the weekday schedule of LRT-1, with the first train leaving both Baclaran Station and Fernando Poe Jr. Station at 4:30 a.m., while the last trip is still at 10:00 p.m. and 10:15 p.m. from Baclaran Station and Fernando Poe Jr. Station, respectively.