Manila Transport
Manila is served by a vast bus network, but it suffers from choking traffic, especially at peak hours. The Metrorail, or MRT, runs north-south and lets you sail above the nightmare traffic. The trains get very crowded as people travel home from work, but the system is still much quicker than crawling along in a bus, taxi or jeepney.
By metro
The Manila Light Rail Transit System, popularly known as the LRT, is the main metropolitan rail system serving the Metro Manila area. The LRT operates two lines: LRT-1, called the Yellow Line, and LRT-2, called the Purple Line. It’s the fastest, cleanest and safest mode of transport in the city. The southern terminal is at Baclaran in Pasay City and the northern terminal is at Monumento in Caloocan City. Hours of operation are from 05:00 to 21:00.
By rail
The MRT stands for Metro Rail Transit. It passes along the busy thoroughfare of EDSA and will bring you to your destination from North EDSA to its final station along Taft Avenue in Manila. The MRT offers easy access to the business districts of Makati and Ortigas Centre.
By bus
Public buses and jeepneys (a cross between a van and a jeep) zigzag Metropolitan Manila and are the cheapest form of travel for areas not served by the LRT or the MRT. Buses are good for longer trips, and jeepneys are best for shorter ones. For example, a bus is recommended to reach Quezon City from Ermita, but within Ermita, or between districts, a jeepney is the better choice. The latter can hold 12 to 15 passengers and is probably the city's most colourful form of public transport, with vehicles vividly decorated with blinking lights and English slogans.
Taxis
Taxis are more expensive than other means of public transport, but they're still fairly cheap. However, although rates are supposedly standardised, a number of cab companies turn a blind eye to their drivers' tampering with the meters. If you suspect the fare shown is inflated, politely say so. Often the driver will allow you to pay less than what is shown. Try to take a taxi from the larger hotels, where cabs are always waiting and hotel doormen note the taxi number, which is useful in case of problems.
Horse-drawn carriages
The kalesa or karitela are charming carriages pulled by horses, offering an exciting and interesting means of travelling around the historical landmarks of the city of Manila such as Intramuros, Rizal Park, Divisoria and the Chinatown districts of Binondo and Ongpin.
From the airport
The airport has a bus which runs to Metro Manila. There is also a fairly inexpensive and frequent Metrobus which runs to the city. Passengers are advised to only make use of taxis with a Department of Tourism (DOT) accreditation. Taxis on the road outside the airport are very expensive and can be unsafe. To avoid trouble, make sure to book a taxi at one of the taxi desks before leaving the airport.
If travelling by hire car, the journey time can vary greatly depending on the time of day. In rush hour traffic, it could take you up to 2 hours to reach the city, but usually only about 30 minutes. The government-run railway has a line operating from Manila to the airport. The trains are uncomfortable, slow and have been involved in several accidents. This journey is only for the courageous or desperate, and we recommended that passengers make use of other means of transport.