LRT/MRT Fun Ride

Days from now, the Light Rail Transits and Metro Rail Transit will finally have its fare hike. There will be an addition of 10 pesos to the present fare (i.e. the 15 pesos fare from Santolan terminal station to Recto terminal station will now be 25 pesos). A total bad news for the commuters, however, there's a proposed student discount (oh yeah).

So before the hike is put in action, I made a fun ride on all these lines of rapid transit:

LRT Line 1 - the old and shaky
LRT Line 2 - the fast and smooth
MRT Line 3 - the all-time rush hour


Exactly 3:30 PM, I walked my way to Pureza Station (nearest from my place) of LRT 2. My plan was to have a round trip from Pureza Station to Recto Terminal, then from Recto to Santolan Terminal and back to Recto Terminal again. That would cost me x + y + z, where x = Pureza to Recto, y = Recto to Santolan, and z = Santolan to Recto, (12 pesos + 15 pesos + 15 pesos = 42 pesos). People were staring at me while I shoot at the train (medyo nakakahiya). When the train reached Recto Terminal Station, I quickly bought a ticket to Santolan at the vending machine, passed through the entrance control, and got into the train for another ride.

From Recto to Santolan, it was roughly 30 minutes. I saw nothing but people, buildings and people and some Rizal poetic lines. I quickly transferred to the other train without buying a ticket from Santolan to Recto. When I reached the Recto station again, the ticket I bought from the same station just won't let me pass. I told the guard about this and he told me to go to Passengers Assistance Office, who then asked me to pay 12 pesos. Note: round trips are not allowed on LRT. It's a ONE ticket ONE way policy.

I left LRT Line 2 and walked to Doroteo Jose Station of LRT Line 1 via a footbridge. I bought a ticket to EDSA for 15 pesos. It was my second time to ride this train and still it was shaky and old, there was no music either, you'll only hear the noise of the oxidized iron rails and the train itself. Note: be ready to be shaken.

There is another footbridge that connects LRT 1 EDSA station to MRT 3 Taft station.  I bought a ticket from Taft station to North station, which costs me 15 pesos. This train is not as big as the train of LRT Line 2, but a bit larger than Line 2's train. I like this train because of two things: the perfect view of the sunset and the trivia every station. The music here was good too, I never had a chance to sit though. People always crowd the train, "sardine can" moment, as if it was always on the rush hour every hour. Note: be cautious on your things.

The North station is connected to Trinoma Mall. One nice way to end a day tour is through window shopping.

I was just wondering if the proposed MRT 4 - running from Recto to Novaliches via España Blvd, Quezon Ave, and Commonwealth Ave - will someday level to these 3 existing rapid transit lines.


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