- The Department of Transportation signed on March 18 the contract for 304 train cars for the North-South Commuter Railway project
- The 147km rail project comprises 37 stations and features 464 train cars
- The project has 3 segments: PNR Clark Phase 1, PNR Clark Phase 2 and PNR Calamba
The Department of Transportation signed on March 18 the contract for 304 train cars for the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR), the largest flagship project of the Duterte administration under the “Build, Build, Build” program.
Transportation Secretary Art Tugade thanked the Japanese government for funding the project.
Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koshikawa Kazuhiko said Japan is committed to the “successful completion of the NSCR, and all other railway projects here in the Philippines.”
Despite the pandemic, he said “important milestones in the transportation projects have been achieved one after another”, attributing the same to “the strong leadership and determination of Secretary Tugade.”
For his part, Transport Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan said: “With projects approved, financing secured, contracts awarded, and construction and deliveries already ongoing, we are not only on track, but we are also full steam ahead to realizing President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s promise of ushering in the Philippines’ Golden Age of Infrastructure, and delivering a more comfortable life for every Filipino.”
The NSCR project is a 147km rail transport route, comprising 37 stations and featuring 464 train cars. It stretches across 28 cities and municipalities within the three regions of Central Luzon, National Capital Region, and CALABARZON. It is expected to serve over a million of passengers a day, once fully operational.
The NSCR encompasses three segments. The PNR Clark Phase 1 (Tutuban-Malolos) is a a 38km rail line that will connect Tutuban, Manila to Malolos, Bulacan, and will significantly reduce travel time from 1 hour and 30 minutes to just 30 minutes.
The 53km PNR Clark Phase 2 (Malolos-Clark) will trim travel time from Malolos City, Bulacan to Clark, Pampanga from 2 hours to just 30-35 minutes. It will feature the first-ever Airport Railway Express Service connecting Makati City to Clark International Airport with travel time of 55 minutes from the current 2-3 hours.
The third NSCR segment, PNR Calamba (Solis-Calamba), is a 56km train line that will connect Metro Manila (Solis Street, Tondo) and Calamba, Laguna. When completed, travel time will be one hour, from the current four.
Meanwhile, the first-ever eight-car Electric Multiple Unit for the Philippine National Railway Clark Phase 1 (Tutuban-Malolos) was also unveiled.
The eight-car train set measures 160 meters long. The train has an operational speed of 120kph, able to serve around 2,228 passengers per train set.
