PNR Calamba to Lucena Route Reopens on April 1

No, this is not April Fool's—the Philippine National Railways (PNR) is officially reintroducing the Calamba-Lucena route.

Commencing today, April 1st, the reinstated route will offer a single daily trip from Lucena to Calamba at 5 a.m. and from Calamba to Lucena at 5:45 p.m. It's a limited schedule, but certainly a welcome return.

The fare from Lucena, Quezon to Calamba, Laguna starts at P20, with discounts available for seniors, students, and persons with disabilities. According to the PNR, the journey time from Lucena to Calamba is approximately two hours and 33 minutes.

The reason behind the PNR's operational hiatus stems from early 2023 when certain train-line operations, such as the Malabon and Muntinlupa to Laguna route, were suspended for about five years. This suspension was to facilitate the construction of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) project, aimed at expediting the massive construction endeavor by eight months and saving approximately P15 billion, as reported by the Department of Transportation (DOTr).

Here's a guide to the new PNR/LTFRB Augmentation Bus Schedule for Alabang-Tutuban (Divisoria)

As of March, operations within Metro Manila have been officially halted. Concerns regarding the PNR's continued operation alongside the NSCR construction include heightened risks of debris-related incidents due to the predominantly elevated structure of the NSCR.

The NSCR, spanning 147 kilometers of urban rail transit from New Clark City to Calamba, promises to reduce travel time from four hours to under two hours upon completion, slated for either 2028 or 2029.

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