Faster Travel from North to South? PNR Clark Calamba Trains Now at the Valenzuela City Depot!

Currently, the Valenzuela City Depot is home to the J-TREC PNR EM10000 class train set that will run the 148-kilometer Clark-Manila-Calamba line in the Philippines. There will be 36 stations on the 148-kilometer North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR), which would link the areas of Central Luzon, Metro Manila, and Calabarzon. Clark International Airport in the Pampanga Province will also be linked to the said train system.

The North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) of the Philippines

The Clark–Calamba Railway, a 148-kilometer urban rail transport system now under development on the Philippines' Luzon island, especially in the Greater Manila Area, is also known as the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR).

With 37 stops and 464 train carriages, it will run through the three areas of Central Luzon, National Capital Region, and CALABARZON and covers 28 cities and municipalities. It is expected to carry over a million people per day once it is fully functional.

NSCR Project Development

The North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) project of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Philippine National Railways (PNR) is making rapid progress with the arrival of the first set of trains in December 2021.

When the Duterte government took office, the PNR Clark Phase 1 project was finally able to get off the ground.

With funding from Japan International Cooperation Agency, the PNR Clark Phase 1 Project was conceived in 1993 and runs 38 kilometers from Tutuban Station in Manila through Caloocan and Valenzuela, as well as Meycuayan, Marilao, Bocaue, Balagtas, and Guiguinto municipalities before ending in Malolos City, Bulacan at the end of its first phase of construction.

Meanwhile, the PNR Clark Phase 2 (Malolos – Clark) is a 54-kilometer rail route that includes the country's first-ever Airport Express, which is projected to shorten travel time from the Clark International Airport in Pampanga to Makati City by around an hour.

The last phase of the PNR NSCR Project is the PNR Clark Phase 3 Manila-Calamba segment.

Both PNR Clark Phases 1 (Tutuban-Malolos; 38 km) and Phase 2 (Malolos-Clark; 53 km) are now in full swing thanks to assistance from the Japanese government through Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB). In addition, the delivery of the NSCR's 58 8-car Train Sets (464 train cars or bagons) has begun, with the first train set already delivered in November 2021.

This project is part of the Duterte administration's "Build, Build, Build" infrastructure development initiative, which seeks to improve mass transit and stimulate economic activity.

PNR's longest train project unveiled

The first eight-car Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) in the Philippines was launched by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) in March this year, which will be utilized in the operation of the PNR Clark Phase 1 under the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) project. Tutuban and Malolos Stations in Manila and Bulacan are covered by Phase 1 of the PNR Clark.

According to DOTr Sec. Art Tugade, the eight-car train set is 160 meters long and can reach 120 kilometers per hour in operation. Over 2,228 people are expected to be served by this train set using this system. It arrived in Manila in November 2021 and was transported to the Malanday Depot in Valenzuela in the following month.

According to the national government's attempts to enhance public transportation in the Philippines, Tugade indicated on March 18 that an extra 304 train cars will be delivered under the PNR after he signed a contract for these train cars.

Benefits of the PNR Clark Phase 1, 2, and 3

There are more advantages to pre-construction work and having pre-construction activities on the railway project for the economy and transportation of our country.

In point of fact, almost all of the country's passenger traffic and more than half of its freight is transported through road, due to a severe lack of rail facilities in the country. According to estimates from the government's National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), traffic congestion in and around Manila resulted in an estimated annual economic loss of roughly $ 24.8 billion in 2016.

As a result, low-income households, particularly those with children, women, the elderly, and those with disabilities, are unable to conveniently access schools, markets, work, and social services if they lack safe and efficient public transportation. This worsens the disparity between urban and rural economic development.

How can NSCR project help our economic development?

Under rigorous health procedures, the Philippine government is presently taking place the preparatory works for the NSCR, creating much-needed employment and boosting the economy. An estimated 500,000 tons of CO2 equivalent are predicted to be reduced yearly by commuters switching to rail from private automobiles as a result of the NSCR's development.

On top of that, NSCR will also include the Philippines' first airport rail shuttle as one of its most prominent features that connect Makati City. Through this, it would take no more than an hour to go from Clark International Airport to Makati City, the capital's major commercial center, compared to at least two hours by vehicle or cab. Reserved seats will be available on the airport trains.

There will also be two more tiers of service along the NSCR in addition to the airport shuttle: all-stations commuter trains and a semi-fast service that stops at certain stations with significant passenger demand.

Invest in communities near NSCR Project now!

These great developments in transportation and infrastructure can also be taken advantage of by property investors or homebuyers who are currently searching for a house and lot property.

Lumina Homes, one of the top leading developers in the Philippines, has various communities available near this developing railway project that property investors and homebuyers can choose from:

In Laguna

Lumina Calauan located in Brgy. Masiit, Calauan, Laguna

In Bulacan

Lumina Pandi located in Brgy. Pinagkuartelan, Pandi, Bulacan

Lumina Plaridel located in Brgy. Culianin, Plaridel, Bulacan

Lumina San Miguel located in Brgy. Buliran, San Miguel, Bulacan

Lumina Baliuag located in Brgy. Pagala, Baliwag, Bulacan

Bulacan Residences Calumpit located in Brgy. Bugurion Calumpit, Bulacan

In Pampanga

Lumina Pampanga located in Brgy. Panipuan, Mexico

Lumina San Fernando located in Fatima St., Calulut, San Fernando City

You can choose from our various home model units from townhouses, duplexes, and single firewall units plus amenities that your whole family will surely enjoy and love. Avail it now through our flexible payment schemes that include bank financing and in-house financing and make your home reservations now!