Getting to Manila
There are a variety of options for getting to the Philippine capital. Most visitors arrive in Manila by air at Ninoy Aquino International Airport. This airport provides connections with major Asian, European and North American destinations. Other options include bus or rail travel from within the Philippines. Sea-Interisland ships connect Manila to major ports, while ferry services connect the smaller islands.
By car
Manila is located in a narrow region of central Luzon and roads to the city come from the north and south. The South Expressway leads into southern Manila from Batangas, San Pablo and Legazpi in southern Luzon, while the North Expressway leads into Manila, north, from San Fernando and Baguio.
By rail
The Philippines have one train line that connects Manila to Legazpi in the Bicol region in the south. However, the train service is slow and can be dangerous. For regional passenger services, PNR designates first-class coaches as ‘de luxe’. These usually have reclining seats that can be swivelled for face-to-face meetings. Tourist coaches are similar to ‘de luxe’ services, but without air-conditioning. Economy coaches have face-to-face seats. Passengers sleep sitting upright.
By bus
A popular form of transport to and from the provinces, coach transport can be an interesting travel experience. Philtranco operates a service south to Legazpi, Sorosogon, Davao on Mindanao Island and Tacloban on Leyte. Victory Liner (www.victoryliner.com/) operates services north to Baguio, Alaminos, Tuguegarao, Olonaop, Iba and Dagupan. There is no central bus terminal in Manila and bus companies operate their own stations around the city, with both Philtranco and Victory Liner having terminals in Pasay City.
By air
Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport is located seven kilometres from the centre of the city and is a modern facility offering daily scheduled flights to and from a large number of Asian, EU and international destinations. The airport has a bus which runs to Metro Manila. There is also a reasonably inexpensive and frequent Metrobus which runs to Metro Manila. Meanwhile, taxis are on hand, as are car hire companies. The airport offers good passenger facilities including ATMs, bureaux de change and information desks.
Manila Airport
Manila Airport operates three terminals, from which all arrivals and departures are dealt with. The NAIA Terminal handles all international flights operated by non-Philippine airlines, the Domestic Terminal operates all domestic flights by non-Philippine airlines and the Centennial Terminal handles Philippine airlines flights only.
The airport has two banks, one outside Arrivals Terminal 1 and the other in the Arrivals Terminal 2. Both banks provide a currency exchange service which is available during the same hours as flight operations. Two duty-free shops are located in the North Wing on the Departures Level and in the North Wing on the Arrivals Level. Tourist information desks are located in both the Arrivals and Departures halls.
Manila airport transportation
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, be sure to book a taxi at one of the taxi desks before leaving the airport.
If travelling by hire car, the journey time varies greatly depending on the time of day. In rush hour, traffic can cause the journey to take up to 2 hours, but usually it only takes about 30 minutes.
The government-run railway has a line operating from Manila Airport. The trains are uncomfortable, slow and accidents are not uncommon. This journey is only for the courageous or desperate. It is recommended that passengers make use of other means of transport.
By ferry
Since the Philippines is a country of so many islands, there is an extensive network of inter-island ferries. The main companies are WG & A Super Ferries, Super Cats, Cebu Ferries and Negros Navigation.
Due to the difficulty and expense in maintaining these transport services, standards are questionable. In recent years, there have been many terrible ferry disasters which have resulted in the loss of life. These accidents can be a result of human error, over-crowding, weather conditions or mechanical malfunctions. Except for the tourist ferries to Corregidor and Bataan, which seem to be quite well maintained, we do not recommend these services.