MRT-3 Extends Operating Hours by At Least One Hour
Here's the new schedule.
(SPOT.ph) Good news, commuters: The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has ordered the MRT-3 to extend its evening operating hours by at least one hour.
Starting March 24, the last train leaves North Avenue station at 10:25 p.m. and from Taft Avenue at 11:04 p.m., respectively. The extended hours are only applicable from Monday to Friday, giving commuters—especially those with late shifts or evening plans—more time to catch a ride on weekday nights.
The weekend schedule remains unchanged, with the MRT-3's last train leaving at North Avenue at 9:25 p.m. and Taft Avenue at 10:04 p.m.
Check out the updated MRT-3 schedule for weekdays and weekends below.
Also read: LOOK: What Happens Inside MRT-3’s Underground Maintenance Operations
Improving the MRT-3
This decision follows Dizon’s inspection of the MRT-3 on March 17, where he rode the train and spoke to passengers about how train services can be improved. The timing is especially critical as the planned rehabilitation of EDSA—starting with the bus lane—is expected to cause significant traffic congestion.
In addition to longer operating hours, the DOTr has instructed MRT-3 to deploy additional trains during peak periods to accommodate the increasing number of passengers.
MRT-3 has a total of 13 stations: Taft Avenue, Magallanes, Ayala, Buendia, Guadalupe, Boni, Shaw Boulevard, Ortigas, Santolan-Annapolis, Araneta Center-Cubao, Kamuning, Quezon Avenue, and North Avenue Station.
You might be wondering why such a decision wasn’t made earlier. SPOT.ph asked the same thing to DOTr in 2023—and the answer is simpler than you’d think: Maintenance activities like inspection, cleaning, and troubleshooting take up the whole night from 10 p.m. until 4 a.m. every day.
How the MRT-3 will adjust its schedule to make this work remains to be seen.
Also read: Why the MRT-3 Can't Operate 24/7
UPDATED (March 24, 2025): This article has been updated to include the MRT-3's implementation date for the extended operating hours for weekdays.