PNR’s Calamba to Lucena Route Is Finally Back
With two daily trips.
(SPOT.ph) It’s no April Fool’s joke—the Philippine National Railways (PNR) is finally bringing back the Calamba-Lucena route starting today on April 1.
The new schedule for the reinstated route will feature a daily trip from Lucena to Calamba at 5 a.m. and Calamba to Lucena at 5:45 p.m. It’s a highly limited schedule, but hey, it’s better than nothing.
The minimum fare from Lucena, Quezon to Calamba, Laguna is at P20, with discounts for seniors, students, and persons with disabilities. Running time from Lucena to Calamba is two hours and 33 minutes, according to the PNR.
Also read: PNR to Halt Certain Routes for Five Years to Make Way for the NSCR
Why the PNR has been halting operations
Since early 2023, the PNR has been suspending selected train-line operations like the Malabon and Muntinlupa to Laguna route for around five years to make way for the construction of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) project. The move will hasten the massive construction project by eight months and save around P15 billion, according to the Department of Transportation (DOTr).
By March, it has officially stopped operations in Metro Manila.
"We need to stop the operation of PNR if we want to finish this project," NSCR Undersecretary Cesar Chavez was quoted as saying in the Inquirer. "One of the causes of the delay for the South Commuter project and of Manila to Malolos is because of PNR’s continuous operations.”
Since the NSCR will be built mostly on elevated structures, Chavez said continuing train operations will also put the PNR at higher risk of falling debris.
The NSCR is a 147-kilometer stretch of urban rail transit connecting New Clark City to Calamba, which will cut travel from four hours to less than two hours. It is set to be completed by 2028 or 2029.
Also read: Clark to Calamba in Less Than Two Hours? The NSCR Wants to Make It Happen