# Getting Around Metro Manila: Grab, Trains, Buses, Jeepneys and the Ferry

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Published: 2026-10-17

*How to get around Metro Manila as a visitor: Grab and taxi rates, MRT-3, LRT-1 and LRT-2 fares and last trains, the BGC Bus, jeepney fares since 28 September 2026, the Pasig River Ferry and what visitors get wrong.*

Most visitors get around Metro Manila by Grab, which shows the price before you book. The three rail lines, MRT-3 along EDSA and LRT-1 and LRT-2 through old Manila, are far cheaper but close at around 10pm. Inside BGC (Bonifacio Global City) the BGC Bus is the easy option, jeepneys start at ₱14, and the Pasig River Ferry is a slow, scenic daytime ride. The single biggest mistake visitors make is planning by distance rather than by traffic: a short trip at the wrong hour can take longer than a flight.

Updated October 2026.

## Grab and taxis

**Grab** is the default for visitors, and for good reason. The app gives you an upfront fare for a GrabCar, you pin your exact pickup and drop-off so nothing is lost in translation, and you can pay without cash. GrabTaxi is also in the app: those are metered taxis, and you pay the meter plus a booking fee.
Book in the Grab app. At NAIA (Ninoy Aquino International Airport), Grab's "Airport to Anywhere" cars have prices disclosed upfront that stay fixed however long the trip takes.

**Metered taxis** are cheaper when the traffic moves and costlier when it does not. Fares went up on 28 September 2026: the LTFRB (Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board) raised the flag-down for yellow airport taxis from ₱75 to ₱115 for the first 500 metres, with the ₱4 charge for every 300 metres unchanged, according to the Philippine News Agency. Regular taxi fares were also being adjusted at the end of September 2026, and NNIC (New NAIA Infra Corp., the airport operator) still lists the older rates on its own transport page, so go by the fare matrix posted in the car. Coupon taxis at the airport charge a fixed rate by destination.
Good to know: at NAIA, staff give every taxi passenger a dispatch slip with complaint numbers. Keep it and do not hand it to the driver.

## Trains: MRT-3, LRT-1 and LRT-2

Rail is the fastest way to cover long distances at rush hour, when roads stop moving, and the cheapest by far. The trade-offs are crowds at peak times and early closing.

**The Beep card** is the reloadable card that works on all three lines. The LRTA (Light Rail Transit Authority) sells it for ₱30 plus a minimum load, and it is accepted at all LRT-1, LRT-2 and MRT-3 stations. Single journey tickets are also sold, but each one works on one line only.

**MRT-3** runs along EDSA, the main ring road, through 13 stations from North Avenue in Quezon City to Taft Avenue in Pasay. For visitors the key stops are Ayala (for Makati), Guadalupe, Shaw Boulevard, Ortigas and Araneta-Cubao. The standard fare runs from ₱13 to ₱28 depending on distance, and the LRTA says the Department of Transportation has applied a 50% discount for all MRT-3 and LRT-2 passengers since 23 March 2026, so you pay half the posted fare.
Weekdays: first trains 4:36am from North Avenue and 5:18am from Taft Avenue; last trains 9:30pm from North Avenue and 10:11pm from Taft Avenue. On weekends and holidays the last train from Taft Avenue leaves two or three minutes earlier.

**LRT-1** runs north to south through the old city, from Fernando Poe Jr. station down to Dr. Santos, with stops including Carriedo, Central, UN Avenue, Pedro Gil, Baclaran, EDSA, PITX and Ninoy Aquino Avenue. LRMC (Light Rail Manila Corporation), which runs the line, pitches it as the way into Intramuros, Binondo and Quiapo. Single journey fares run from ₱20 to ₱55.
Monday to Friday: first trains 4:30am; last trains 10:30pm from Dr. Santos and 10:45pm from Fernando Poe Jr. Weekends and holidays: first trains 5am; last trains 9:30pm and 9:45pm.

**LRT-2** runs east from Recto in Manila to Antipolo, through Cubao, Katipunan and Marikina. The standard Beep fare runs from ₱13 to ₱33 before the current 50% discount.
All stations open at 4:50am. The last eastbound train leaves Recto at 9:25pm, and the last westbound train leaves Antipolo at 8:55pm.

## Buses: P2P, the BGC Bus and city buses

**BGC Bus** is how most people get into and around Bonifacio Global City without a car. Routes connect EDSA Ayala, Market! Market! and Uptown, and the main terminal is at EDSA Ayala, on the Telus side.
Pay with a Beep card or a QR ticket.

**Airport buses** leave from the terminal curbs. UBE Express runs a premium point-to-point (P2P) service from Terminal 3, Arrival Curbside Bay 12, to stops that NNIC lists as including Robinson's Mall Manila, Ayala Malls South Park and One Ayala in Makati. P2P fares rose by 15% on 28 September 2026, so check UBE Express's official pages for the current schedule and fare before you rely on it. NNIC also lists an Airport Loop bus from Terminal 3, across Bay 10, to the Pasay City MRT station for ₱40.

**City buses** follow fares set by the LTFRB. Since 28 September 2026, ordinary buses charge ₱15 and air-conditioned buses ₱18 for the first 5 kilometres. Signs on the windscreen show the route; if in doubt, ask the conductor before you sit down.

## Jeepneys

The jeepney is Manila's most famous ride and still the cheapest way to cover a few kilometres. Routes are painted on the side and on a board in the windscreen. Since 28 September 2026, traditional jeepneys charge ₱14 for the first 4 kilometres plus ₱2 for each extra kilometre, and modern jeepneys charge ₱17 plus ₱2.40. Students, senior citizens and PWDs (persons with disabilities) get a 20% discount.
Good to know: carry coins and small notes. Pass your fare forward along the bench to the driver and say where you are getting off; the change comes back the same way. Say "para po" when you want to stop.

## The Pasig River Ferry

The **Pasig River Ferry Service**, run by the MMDA (Metropolitan Manila Development Authority), is the slow road through the middle of the city and the only one with no traffic. Trips from Guadalupe in Makati run to Escolta in Manila, calling at Hulo, Lambingan, PUP, Quinta and Lawton, which makes it a pleasant way to reach Binondo from the Makati side. In May 2026 the MMDA said that "the ferry fare remains free".
Trips from Guadalupe in the April 2026 schedule left at 7am, 7:30am, 8:30am, 10:30am and 11:31am, and 12:30pm, 2:30pm, 3:30pm and 4:15pm. There are no evening trips, and service is suspended for maintenance and bad weather, so check the MMDA ferry page on the day.

## What visitors get wrong

**Planning by the map.** Ten kilometres can be 20 minutes or two hours. Group your days by area, and avoid crossing the city on weekday mornings and early evenings.

**Expecting late trains.** The last trains leave between 8:55pm and 10:45pm depending on the line and direction. After that it is Grab or a taxi.

**Getting into unofficial cars at the airport.** Use the taxi booths, the Grab pickup points or the buses at the curb, and keep your dispatch slip.

**Arriving without small change.** Jeepneys and some buses need coins and small notes, and drivers often cannot break a ₱1,000 note.

**Ignoring the weather.** Heavy rain slows everything and floods some streets. On a wet afternoon, add time to every trip and expect the ferry to stop.

For how this fits into a trip, see our [things to do in Manila at night](https://whatsonmnl.com/blog/things-to-do-in-manila-at-night) and our [free things to do in Manila](https://whatsonmnl.com/blog/free-things-to-do-in-manila).

## Questions people ask

**What is the best way to get around Manila as a tourist?**
Grab for most trips, because the fare is fixed before you book. Use the trains for long trips at rush hour if you are travelling light.

**How much is the MRT-3 fare?**
The standard fare is ₱13 to ₱28 depending on distance. A 50% discount has applied to all MRT-3 and LRT-2 passengers since 23 March 2026.

**What time does the MRT close?**
On weekdays the last MRT-3 trains leave North Avenue at 9:30pm and Taft Avenue at 10:11pm.

**Can I use one card on all the trains?**
Yes. The Beep card works on LRT-1, LRT-2 and MRT-3, and also pays the BGC Bus.

**How much is a jeepney ride in Manila?**
₱14 for the first 4 kilometres on a traditional jeepney and ₱17 on a modern one, since 28 September 2026.

**How much is an airport taxi from NAIA?**
Yellow airport taxis start at ₱115 for the first 500 metres since 28 September 2026, plus ₱4 for every 300 metres. Coupon taxis charge a fixed rate by destination.

**Is the Pasig River Ferry free?**
The MMDA said in May 2026 that the ferry fare remains free. It runs in the daytime only, with no evening trips.