The Department of Transportation (DOTr) plans to launch a new railway system that will merge the seven existing and future rail networks and serve six provinces, with the aim of being fully operational by 2030.
With the Greater Capital Region Railway System, the DOTr aims to connect at least seven railway systems, including LRT, MRT and the upcoming Metro Manila Subway and North-South Railway Commuter Project.
According to the map, it will run through six provinces, namely Pampanga, Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite, Laguna and Metro Manila, and is expected to be fully operational by 2030.
The DOTr is also building the extension of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR), which is now 81% complete, according to Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista.
Partial operations are expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2027 and will cover a stretch from Clark to Valenzuela. The main depot will be located at the Clark Freeport Zone in Mabalacat, Pampanga, where heavy maintenance and light repairs will be carried out. It will also house the Operations Control Center that oversees the management operations of the entire line.
“Dream Nation’s train system will operate similarly to the train systems in Japan and other developed countries,” Bautista said, according to an ABS-CBN News report.
There are also plans to connect the NSCR with LRT Line 2 and MRT Line 3.
“In the future, we will ensure that MRT passengers can travel to the LRT stations. For now, we want to privatize the operation and maintenance of the MRT 3,” Bautista added.
