I’ve been a commuter of PNR (Philippine National Railway) Train for about 2 straight years now. I was 6 when I had my very first taste of this classic Philippine transport and looking back, I can say that this transport had really evolved in tune to modern transpo’s. Now I am 21 and I’m still enjoying the delight and convenience of using this as a means of going to places especially, to work. Be it in Makati or Ortigas, my current workplace now. I’d been riding the train ten times a week and I have 3 words to describe it; Fast, Accessible and Affordable.
It’s Fast. You can get to the next station as fast as 3-8 minutes at the most. You can save up to 2 hours of ride and most of all; you don’t have to deal with traffics and road obstructions anymore.
It’s Accessible. Look at the rail map below; you are just a train and 2 rides (at the most) away to every part of Metro Manila. In MRT, Commercial areas, Business places, Provincial terminals heading to south, Service roads, Malls. And those are just few of more places.
It’s Affordable. It’s very cheap, with just 10 or 15 pesos as the highest fare, you’ll get to ride an air conditioned train. It doesn’t have SV(Stored Value) card like the one on MRT/LRT’s. The ticket on the other hand is printed in a little piece of paper. Don’t throw it yet though, check my tips below.
So here are the Tips that I learned and earned during my commutes:
1. Try to be early as possible in the train station. Not only you’ll get a better chances of getting on the train but also, You definitely don’t want to miss the train and wait for another 30 minutes or an hour before the next train arrive. 5-10 minutes earlier is advisable.
2. Don’t bring a big/bulky bag or transport your package. With a huge and tight crowd, trust me people will hate you for your baggage. It will also be a big hassle for you, it might end up torn or damage during the trip. You can put it below the seat though. A hand carry or backpack is advisable.
3. Don’t bring kids! Or for pregnant women, please don’t take the risk. I always pity those kids who get squeezed in the crowd. But the situation is inevitable. So as much as possible, do not.
4. Its all about balance and patience. Suck it in and Stand in 90 degrees between your feet to maintain balance or better yet, grasp for a handrail or guide poles. Face the door always. Keep your cool. After all, furthest trip from the end to end stations is just less than an hour.
5. Put your headphones on. You’ll definitely don’t want to hear people bitching out. Some are entertaining but hey, don’t you have much drama in your life yet? And yes, we have the same complaints as yours. So the best way is to shut up and suck it.
6. Heading for just 3-5 stations away? I suggest don’t place yourself in the middle as this will be a big hassle when your about to get off to your destination. Resist the flow of the crowd as this will drive you to the middle as well.
7. Afraid of getting lost? Don’t worry, the train stations are printed on top of the train doors. Plus, the folks are announcing what station you are heading prior to the train stops. So keep yourself updated so that you won’t miss you station. Plus, there are guards or personnel on the door to ask to. They won’t bite!
8. Mind your belongings. Although compared to MRT, the crime rate in PNR is relatively low. But hey, thief can be passengers too. Keep your bag in front of you. Hug it like you don’t want to let it go. Cuz the wave of the alighting crowd can separate you from your stuff and who knows if this is a trick of the thieves. So be careful.
9. Keep the ticket. In most of the train stations, the guard collects the ticket before you exit the station. There is also a monetary fine if you wouldn’t be able to present your ticket.
And here are the downsides of riding the PNR Train.
The seating capacity and space for standing passenger are way too narrow. And to top it all, during the rush hour, it’s so crowded; passenger gets too aggressive like they’re pushing for their lives! People refer to the situation as “’di sardinas na siksikan eh, meatloaf kasi siksik talaga!” Incidents like stepping on the feet, extreme sweating despite of the air conditioned facility, pushing, and endless complaints are a common thing during the trip. And there is un-paralleled distribution of passenger. As an overview, the train comprises of 3 vehicles; the first one is intended for female, disabled and senior citizen and the other vehicles are for the male passenger. Obviously this is not a fair ratio as the first segments are big and growing rapidly making it impossible to cater the disabled and senior citizen passengers, and worst – they have to experience the tight crowd. Now tell me, where’s the priority in there? I sincerely hope that the PNR officials attend to this concern immediately. If not adding train schedules, then probably extending the allocation from the other half of the 2nd train vehicle.
Train Schedule:
I wish I can post a table here but the schedule varies on every station. Usually, the train schedule begins as early as 5 o’clock in the morning until 7:30 pm. Schedule changes during Sunday and Holidays. The time gap is 30 minutes from 5am to 9am and 3pm to 7pm. For those hours in the middle, the time gap is 1 hour. And just a heads up, Tutuban to Alabang route is usually on time - Sharp or even a minute earlier. But the Alabang to Tutuban route is usually delayed. 10minutes to delaying the whole scheduled trip.
There are also trips bound to Bicol from Tutuban, an eight hour trip with a fare of less than a thousand. They’ve converted the old train to an air-con type with beds in it. For more information, you can personally inquire to this hotline: (02) 319 00 41ext 112.
I hope these tips can help you for your travel convenience or gave you an overview of what to expect on the PNR Train. Enjoy the journey. See yah!
By the way, what’s your unforgettable experience or scenes inside the PNR Train?
12/26/2011
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