The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is targeting the partial opening of the Unified Grand Central Station, or Common Station, by the first quarter of 2028, giving commuters earlier access to a key rail interchange designed to make transfers between Metro Manila's major train lines faster and more convenient.

Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez said on Thursday that the agency is now moving ahead with the project after the Economy and Development (ED) Council approved the variation order that allows the Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC) to continue the project following the termination of the previous contract.

"The ED just approved it. What happened here was that we terminated the contract. And when we terminated it, we talked to LRMC (Light Rail Manila Corporation) to see if they could continue the project by way of a variation order,” Lopez said. 

“Since it's a variation order, we have to follow the government's process, and just recently, the ED Council approved the project itself. So, we can now begin, because we are aiming to at least achieve partial operations by May—I mean the first quarter of 2028,” he added.

Lopez said the DOTr intends to open portions of the station even before the entire project is completed so commuters can begin using its concourse and platforms once the North Avenue station of MRT-7 becomes operational.

The transportation chief said signaling works remain underway, preventing the full completion of the facility by 2028, but the department is implementing interim measures to improve passenger transfers.

“Since that will only be completed in the first quarter of 2028 because we're fixing the signaling—the rail transport system requires signaling. What we will do now is ensure that once North Avenue and MRT-7 are completed and fully functional, our commuters will already be able to use the concourse and platform. We have also been talking to Trinoma, and they will provide, so to speak, an access road or access way leading to our MRT-3. In that way, they will no longer have to walk along the road,” Lopez said.

To further ease transfers, the DOTr has coordinated with Trinoma management to provide a covered access way connecting commuters to the MRT-3, allowing passengers to avoid walking along roads exposed to the sun or rain while the Common Station remains under construction.

Lopez said the full Common Station is targeted for completion in 2030, when passengers will be able to seamlessly transfer among LRT-1, MRT-3 and MRT-7, with a future connection to the Metro Manila Subway.