Heads up, commuters: LRT-1 to have higher fares starting April 2
The Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1 will have higher fares starting in April upon the approval of the Department of Transportation.
On its website, Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC), the LRT-1's concessionaire, shared a letter, signed by Railways Undersecretary Jeremy Regino, showing a new fare formula.
The new boarding fare will be P16.25 and the distance fare will be P1.47 per kilometer. To date, the boarding fare is P13.29 and the distance fare is P1.29 per kilometer.
This means that a single-journey ticket (one station) will have a minimum fare of P20 from P15. An end-to-end trip, meanwhile, will cost P55 from P45.
"In accordance with the Railway Regulatory Unit's Rules of Procedure, LMRC is hereby instructed to publish the Approved Fare at least once a week for three consecutive weeks in a newspaper or general circulation," Regino said.
The new fares will take effect starting April 2.
The LMRC earlier petitioned for a fare increase, citing necessary improvements in the LRT-1.
At the time, LRMC President and CEO Enrico Benipayo noted that the LRMC, which took over the LRT operations in 2015 via a concession agreement with the DOTr and the Light Rain Transit Authority (LRTA), only implemented one fare increase for LRT-1. Under the agreement, the company is allowed to adjust fare every two years.
The LRMC asked for fare adjustments in 2016, 2018, 2020, and 2022, but were all deferred.
Benipayo said the deferred fare hikes resulted in a fare deficit of P2.17 billion as of November 2024.
This year's hike, he noted, will cover the deferred adjustments during those years.
“Assuming no fare increase will be granted until 2028," Benipayo said, "LRMC is projecting a total of P4.9 billion in fare deficit for the next three years, bringing the total fare deficit to P7 billion."
The LRT-1 travels in a general north-to-south direction from Dr. Santos to Monumento, and then east-to-west from Monumento to Fernando Poe Jr. stations. It has 25 stations running on 26 kilometers.
