| LRT Line 1 | |
|---|---|
.svg){kind=icon} | |
 TwoLRTA 13000 class trains atEDSA station (February 2025) | |
| Overview | |
| Status | Operational |
| Owner | Light Rail Transit Authority |
| Line number | 1 |
| Locale | Metro Manila, Philippines |
| Termini |
|
| Stations | 25 |
| Website | LRMC |
| Service | |
| Type | Light rapid transit |
| System | Manila Light Rail Transit System |
| Services | 1 |
| Operator(s) | Light Rail Manila Corporation Former operators
|
| Depot(s) | Baclaran Zapote (future) |
| Rolling stock | |
| Daily ridership | 323,000 (2024)[1] |
| History | |
| Commenced | September 1981; 44 years ago (1981-09) |
| Opened | December 1, 1984; 41 years ago (1984-12-01) |
| Last extension | November 16, 2024; 15 months ago (2024-11-16) |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 26 km (16 mi) |
| Number of tracks | Double |
| Character | Elevated |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)standard gauge |
| Loading gauge | 4,050 mm × 2,600 mm (13 ft 3 in × 8 ft 6 in)[2] |
| Minimum radius | 100 m (330 ft) (mainline) 25 m (82 ft) (depot) |
| Electrification | 750 V DCoverhead catenary[3] |
| Operating speed | 60 km/h (37 mph) |
| Signalling | Alstom Atlas 100ETCS-1 |
| Maximum incline | 3.535% (mainline)[5] 4% (depotspur line)[5] |
| Average inter-station distance | 1.03 km (0.64 mi) |
TheManila Light Rail Transit Line 1, commonly referred to asLRT Line 1 orLRT-1, is alight rapid transit line inMetro Manila, Philippines, and as part of theManila Light Rail Transit System. Originally referred to as Metrorail and the Yellow Line, LRT Line 1 was reclassified as the Green Line in 2012. It travels in a general north–south direction fromDr. Santos toMonumento, and then east–west from Monumento toFernando Poe Jr. Currently, the line consists of 25 stations and runs on 26 kilometers (16 miles)[6][7][8] of fully elevated route. Although it has the characteristics oflight rail, such as with the type of rolling stock used, it is more akin to arapid transit system owing to its totalgrade separation and high passenger throughput.
First envisioned in a 1977 study conducted byFreeman Fox and Associates which suggested a street-level railway in Manila, the government revised this recommendation to an elevated system. In 1980, President Ferdinand Marcos created theLight Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) and construction of the line began the following year. With its partial opening in 1984 and completion the following year, it became the first rapid transit service in Southeast Asia.[9] In 2015, the operation of the line was privatized and transferred to theLight Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC), which also oversaw the line's extension to Cavite, partially completed in 2024.
LRT Line 1 is one of the busiest among Metro Manila's three rapid transit lines, as it currently serves roughly 323,000 passengers daily.[1] The line is integrated with the public transit system in Metro Manila, and passengers also take various forms of road-based public transport, such as buses andjeepneys, to and from a station to reach their intended destination. Although the line aimed to reduce traffic congestion and travel times in Metro Manila, the transportation system has only been partially successful due to the rising number of motor vehicles and rapid urbanization. Expanding the network's revenue line to accommodate more passengers, through extension projects,[10] is set on resolving this problem.[11]
TheMetro Manila Transport, Land Use, and Development Planning Project (MMETROPLAN), a fourteen-month study conducted byFreeman Fox and Associates and funded by theWorld Bank, recommended the construction of a street-level (at-grade)light rail line in Manila and the proposed four lines that were included in the study that would run along Rizal Avenue, Taft Avenue,España Boulevard,Quezon Avenue, andShaw Boulevard.[12][13] A year later,public works secretaryAlfredo Juinio announced that the system would consist ofstreetcars that were seen before theWorld War II, and they would accept bids for the project in the next few months.[14]
Following a review by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, later theDepartment of Transportation (DOTr), the proposal was revised to anelevated railway to avoid building over the city's many intersections,[12] while the option for an underground line was rejected due to the highwater table in Manila and has a half a meter below sea level;[15][16] this raised the project's cost from ₱1.5 billion to ₱2 billion. An alignment along Rizal and Taft avenues, which spanned fromMonumento,Caloocan in the north toBaclaran,Pasay in the south, was selected because it followed a relatively straight path for most of its route.[12]: 36
On July 12, 1980, PresidentFerdinand Marcos created theLight Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) and assignedFirst Lady andGovernor of Metro ManilaImelda Marcos as its chairman. While the LRTA confined its roles to policy making, fare regulation, and future planning, the line's operations were assigned to Meralco Transit Organization (Metro, Inc.), a sister company ofMeralco. The line came to be referred to as Metrorail.[17] During that month, a Belgianconsortium was chosen over other bids from France, Germany, Japan, and Switzerland.[16]
TheBelgian Government granted a ₱300 millionsoft and interest-free loan for the project's construction, with a repayment period of 30 years. Additional funding was later sourced from a ₱700 million loan, provided by a Belgian consortium consisting ofACEC,La Brugeoise et Nivelles, Tractionnel Engineering International, and Transurb Consult. The consortium also supplied the line's first light rail vehicles, power control, signalling, and telecommunications, as well as provided training and technical assistance. Designed as apublic utility rather than aprofit center, the line was expected to incur a deficit through 1993, but complete its repayments within a period of 20 years.[17]
The government-ownedConstruction Development Corporation of the Philippines was the project's sole contractor.[12]: 36 Single columncast-in-place concrete piers carryingprecast concrete T-girders and a concrete deck slab were used for the original line from Monumento to Baclaran. The columns are spaced apart by 20 to 27 meters (66 to 88 ft) rising from a cap on top ofbored or driven concrete piles. Four of the 2.1-meter (7 ft) wide girders are side by side in each span to accommodate bidirectionalstandard-gauge railway tracks located 6.1 meters (20 ft) above the street level.[15]
Driven piles were originally used for 80 percent of the project, with spread footings being used for the remaining portion. However, during construction, it was determined that bored piles should be utilized in some areas to mitigate noise and avoid potential damage to nearby buildings. Additionally, the original use of stockpiled precast piles caused clutter on the streets during construction.[15]
In 1981, aneconomic recession hit the country, and the government was unable to provide counterpart funds for civil works andright of way acquisition, which amounted to 60 percent of the project's total cost. This led to a delay in construction.[13]: 170 Work finally resumed after the economic recession in September of that year along Taft Avenue, betweenEpifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) and Libertad Street.[18] In order to make way forCarriedo station and a segment of tracks approaching thePasig River, adepartment store and a classroom building nearbyFEATI University were demolished.[12]: 36
The southern section known as Taft Line, which mostly traversesTaft Avenue between theBaclaran andArroceros stations, was inaugurated on September 11, 1984, by PresidentFerdinand Marcos. Commercial operations along this section commenced on December 1. It was later extended whenCarriedo station was opened on April 14, 1985. The line became fully operational on May 12, 1985, when the Rizal Line, the northern section traversing Rizal Avenue between Carriedo andMonumento, was opened.[19] During the first several years, two-car trains that could accommodate up to 748 passengers were utilized. This amounted to a capacity of 20,000 passengers per direction.[20]
In July 2000, with the looming expiration of its contract with the LRTA, a labor strike was launched by employees of Meralco Transit Organization (METRO, Inc.). It paralyzed the operations of the line for a week. The LRTA decided not to renew its contract with METRO, Inc. that expired on July 31, 2000, and the former assumed operational responsibility.[21]
Line 1 would eventually reach capacity by 1990 due to traffic congestion and air pollution. This led to an extensive refurbishing and structural capacity expansion program funded by Japan'sofficial development assistance. The signing of the loan agreement in December 1994 marked the start of the project.[11] Aconsortium ofMarubeni Corporation,Adtranz, andABB was tapped in 1996 to execute the₱4.1 billion project.[22][23] As part of the initial phase of the expansion project, in addition to structural improvements,Hyundai Precision & Industries suppliedseven four-car trains, while theoriginal two-car trains were converted into three-car trains in 1999. In line with the introduction of four-car trains, the station platforms were also extended.[11] The project was completed in 2002.[11]
On April 7, 2000, a loan agreement was signed by the Philippine government and theJapan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC).[24] JBIC extended an₱8.893 billion loan for the second phase of the capacity expansion project,[25] which was initiated in preparation of the expected high demand by 2004 once therailway network in Metro Manila is completed with the full opening of theLRT Line 2.[26][27]
The implementation of the project was delayed for three years amid allegations of irregularities with the bidding conducted by the LRTA.[24] The joint venture ofSumitomo Corporation andItochu was awarded the contract and was given the go-ahead in March 2005, paving the way for the project to move forward.[28] The second phase of the capacity expansion project was divided into two packages. Package A involves the procurement oftwelve four-car trains, upgrades to the signaling and communications systems, and upgrades to the stations and depot. Package B, on the other hand, involves the procurement and installation ofair conditioning units for the1000 class trains, replacement of faulty air conditioning units of the1100 class trains, renovation of 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) ofrailway track andrailway sleepers, and procurement of equipment and spare parts used for track works. The installation of equipment for theautomatic fare collection system was also included.[26] The project was completed in June 2009, five and a half years behind its initial deadline.[26]
With the completion of the first phase of theMRT Line 3 in 1999, there were plans to extend Line 3 towardsMonumento (Phase 2) to create a seamless rail loop around Metro Manila.[29] However, the extension was shelved by then-PresidentGloria Macapagal Arroyo in favor of a 5.7-kilometer (3.5 mi) extension of Line 1 to acommon station at North Avenue. The project involved the construction of three stations:Balintawak, Roosevelt (renamedFernando Poe Jr.), and theNorth Triangle Common Station. However, due to disputes in the common station's location, the station would only begin construction in 2017, however following the termination of its contractor due to repeated delays, resulted to opening date pushed back to 2027.[30][31]
Construction began in June 2008.[32] The joint venture ofDMCI and First Balfour built the viaduct and the two stations,[33] while the electrical and mechanical systems contracts were assigned to different contractors.[note 1] Balintawak station opened on March 22, 2010,[36] with FPJ station opening exactly seven months later.[37]
In September 2008, then-mayor ofCaloocanEnrico Echiverri, petitioned the government to constructMalvar station, an intemediary station between Balintawak and Monumento.[38] Two months later, two thousand residents from Barangay Bagong Barrio, where the station would be built, staged a protest alongEDSA to urge the government to build the station.[39] Malvar station would eventually be approved in July 2009.[40] Though it was reported that the feasibility study for the station was completed,[34] construction has yet to start.
A study about the integration of Metro Manila's railway network, published by JICA in 2001, proposes the through-operation of both LRT-1 and the MRT-3, which would have interoperability to create a seamless loop around the region. The trains would start from Monumento before turning back to the mainline of LRT 1 at Pasay Rotonda.[41][42]
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Plans to build a new railway line toCavite were pitched in the 1990s as the originalLRT Line 6, a 12 kilometers (7.5 mi)heavy rail line running between Baclaran station of LRT Line 1 andBacoor.[note 2] Submitted by the Public Estates Authority (PEA, now the Philippine Reclamation Authority),[43][44] the proposal was also identified in the Metro Manila Urban Transportation Integration Study Master Plan by theJapan International Cooperation Agency.[45] However, the project never materialized.
SNC-Lavalin then proposed a physical extension of LRT Line 1 to the province. The extension was first approved by theNational Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) on August 25, 2000, while its implementing agreement was approved on January 22, 2002.[46][47] In 2003, the company would invest more than $1 billion in the extension project.[48] After this proposal was terminated on May 3, 2006,[49] the government worked withInternational Finance Corporation,White & Case,Halcrow and other consultants to conduct an open-marketinvitation to tender for the extension and for a forty-year concession to run the extended line.[49][50] The project was later shelved, but on February 25, 2010, PresidentGloria Macapagal Arroyo revived plans to extend the line to Cavite.[51]
On March 22, 2012,[52] Arroyo's successor, PresidentBenigno Aquino III approved the ₱60-billion Cavite Extension Project.[53] Dubbed as the biggest infrastructure project underhis presidency, the bidding process started on June 4.[54] Although it attracted huge interest from foreign and local firms,[55] four managed to pre-qualify.[56] However, the bidding itself failed in August 2013 due to all but one withdrawing from the tender due to "financial risks", leaving the lone bidder—Metro Pacific Investments—submitting a conditional, non-compliant bid.[57] The revised bidding terms were then sent back to NEDA for re-approval; it was subsequently re-approved on November 21, 2013.[58] The project was subsequently rebidded and on September 12, 2014, theLight Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) was awarded the 32-year concession to operate, maintain, and extend the line to Cavite.[59] The concession agreement was signed on October 2,[60] with the turnover taking place on September 12, 2015.[61]
On May 4, 2017, the 11.7-kilometer (7.3-mile), three-phase Cavite Extension broke ground.[62][63] Another ceremony was held on May 7, 2019, to mark the start of construction,[64] although civil works began the following September 1.[65] It calls for the construction of eight stations,[note 3] with provisions for an additional two,[note 4] the construction of three intermodal facilities, one satellite depot at Zapote, and mass upgrades to the existing Baclaran depot.[66] The₱64.915 billion extension has sufferedcost overruns by an estimated two to three billionpesos as a result of construction delays caused by theCOVID-19 pandemic and pending right-of-way issues.[67] It was implemented in a hybrid funding scheme:₱17.80 billion was funded from the Japaneseofficial development assistance loan,₱39.57 billion from the LRMC, and₱7.55 billion from the budget of the Philippine national government.[68][69]
LRMC partnered withBouygues for civil works,[70]Alstom for the installation of the signaling and communication systems,[71] and theRATP Dev Transdev Asia for the overall engineering, procurement, consultation, construction and assistance services.[72] The extension was built using a full-span launching method, renowned as one of the fastest methods of construction for bridges and elevated viaducts, which cuts time and total land space needed for construction. As the first railway line to utilize the new construction method, a total of 203 pi-girders were used for the construction of the extension's first phase;[73] the last of which was laid on February 7, 2022.[74]
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On December 19, 2023, the first test run along the extension was successfully conducted by Alstom using anLRTA 1100 class train.[75] On November 15, 2024, Phase 1[note 5] of the extension was inaugurated by PresidentBongbong Marcos; it opened for commercial operations the following day.[76] The extension project is expected increase the ridership of the line by adding over 80,000 passengers daily in the first few years upon completion, and is set to increase to a total of 650,000 daily passengers in 2028.[1]
The construction of Phases 2[note 6] and 3[note 7] was delayed due to right of way issues; this is reportedly due to the original route been obstructed by a flyover (located at the intersection ofC-5 Extension andDiego Cera Avenue), with the plan being to finalize the new route alignment of Phase 2 through Q1 2025.,[77] Construction is estimated to start in 2026, with a target opening date of 2030.[78] Responding to the ROW issues and difficulties faced by LRMC, a proposal was announced by businessman and former SenatorManny Villar in August 2023 to take over the extension project. A portion of the extension will pass through his properties in Las Piñas and, according to Villar, ROW acquisition "will not be a problem". He also planned to further extend the line into Cavite province by seven more stations should the unsolicited proposal be approved.[79] However, this was opposed by the local government of Las Piñas, stating that the route that he planned would only benefit Villar's housing projects and his planned development of Villar City, a 3,500-hectare (8,600-acre)mixed-use development in the province.[80]
On June 16, 2025, Transportation SecretaryVince Dizon announced a ninth station,Talaba, to be constructed between Dr. Santos and Niog, upon the request of the local government ofBacoor.[81]
The line is predominantly aligned to the path ofTaft Avenue (Radial Road 2) which was chosen largely due to its straight course. Later on, as Taft Avenue ends, it shifts toRizal Avenue and Rizal Avenue Extension (Radial Road 9) then turning right onEDSA before ending at the corner of North Avenue, West Avenue, and EDSA. The south extension spans from the intersection ofQuirino Avenue,Harrison Avenue, andTaft Avenue Extension, then travels down from Redemptorist Road,Roxas Boulevard, andManila–Cavite Expressway. Afterwards, it will traverse through theParañaque River and will enterNinoy Aquino Avenue until reaching and traversing theC5 Extension Road; and will once again enter Coastal Road, crossing the Las Piñas-Bacoor Boundary Bridge along theZapote River, and traverse through theAlabang–Zapote Road andAguinaldo Highway intersection, until reachingNiog station located along Aguinaldo Highway inBacoor,Cavite.
The line links the cities ofQuezon City,Caloocan,Manila,Pasay, andParañaque, with the upcoming stations passing through the cities ofLas Piñas, and Bacoor in Cavite.
The line currently serves 25 stations along its route.[82] Following the opening of the first phase of the Cavite extension, three remaining stations, which are part of the second and third phases, are also set to start construction south of Dr. Santos by 2026.[78]Malvar station in Caloocan was previously proposed during the construction of the northern extension located betweenMonumento andBalintawak, becoming a bargaining object during the entire extension line's construction in the jurisdiction of Caloocan. However, the planned Malvar station was completely shelved by theAquino administration.[83]
Three stations serve as connecting stations between other lines in the metro.Doroteo Jose is indirectly connected toRecto of the LRT Line 2 through a covered walkway;Blumentritt is immediately above itsPNR Metro Commuter Linecounterpart; andEDSA is connected to theTaft Avenue station via a covered walkway. No stations are connected to other rapid transit lines within the paid areas. A connection with theMetro Manila Subway inPITX is also planned.[84]
| Date opened | Project | Stations |
|---|---|---|
| December 1, 1984 | Partial operations | Baclaran –Central Terminal |
| April 14, 1985 | Carriedo | |
| May 12, 1985 | Initial completion | Doroteo Jose –Monumento |
| March 22, 2010 | North Extension | Balintawak |
| October 22, 2010 | Fernando Poe Jr. | |
| November 16, 2024 | Cavite Extension Phase 1 | Redemptorist–Aseana –Dr. Santos |
| 2028 | North Extension | North Triangle |
| 2031 | Cavite Extension Phases 2 and 3 | Las Piñas –Niog |
| † | Existingterminus |
| Station Code | Station Name | Distance (km) | Connections | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Between stations | Total | ||||
| GL01 | Unified Grand Central Station | — | — | Interchange with  Manila MRT | Quezon City |
| GL02 | Fernando Poe Jr. † | — | 0.000 |
| |
| GL03 | Balintawak | 1.870 | 1.870 |
| |
| GL04 | Monumento | 2.250 | 4.120 |
| Caloocan |
| GL05 | 5th Avenue | 1.087 | 5.207 | ||
| GL06 | R. Papa | 0.954 | 6.161 | Manila | |
| GL07 | Abad Santos | 0.660 | 6.821 | ||
| GL08 | Blumentritt | 0.927 | 7.748 |
| |
| GL09 | Tayuman | 0.671 | 8.419 |
| |
| GL10 | Bambang | 0.618 | 9.037 |
| |
| GL11 | Doroteo Jose | 0.648 | 9.685 | ||
| GL12 | Carriedo | 0.685 | 10.370 |
| |
| GL13 | Central Terminal | 0.725 | 11.095 |
| |
| GL14 | United Nations | 1.214 | 12.309 | ||
| GL15 | Pedro Gil | 0.754 | 13.063 | ||
| GL16 | Quirino | 0.794 | 13.857 | ||
| GL17 | Vito Cruz | 0.827 | 14.684 | ||
| GL18 | Gil Puyat | 1.061 | 15.745 | Pasay | |
| GL19 | Libertad | 0.730 | 16.475 | ||
| GL20 | EDSA | 1.010 | 17.485 |
| |
| GL21 | Baclaran | 0.588 | 18.073 | ||
| GL22 | Redemptorist–Aseana | 0.869 | 18.942 | Parañaque | |
| GL23 | MIA Road | 1.303 | 20.245 | ||
| GL24 | PITX | 1.141 | 21.386 | ||
| GL25 | Ninoy Aquino Avenue | 1.393 | 22.779 |
| |
| GL26 | Dr. Santos † | 1.646 | 24.425 | ||
| — | Las Piñas | — | — | Las Piñas | |
| — | Zapote | — | — | Bacoor,Cavite | |
| — | Talaba | — | — | ||
| — | Niog | — | — | Proposed interchange with Manila LRT | |
| Stations, lines, and/or other transport connections initalics are either under construction, proposed, unopened, or have been closed. | |||||
The line operates from 4:30 a.m.PST (UTC+8) until 10:45 p.m. on weekdays, and 5:00 a.m. until 9:45 p.m. on weekends and holidays.[85] It operates almost every day of the year unless otherwise announced. Special schedules are announced via thePA system in every station and also in newspapers and other mass media. DuringHoly Week, apublic holiday in the Philippines, the rail line is closed for annual maintenance, owing to fewer commuters and traffic around the metro. Normal operation resumes on the first working day afterEaster Sunday.[86] During theChristmas season, operating hours are usually extended on the days leading up toChristmas Day,[87] but are shortened onChristmas Eve andNew Year's Eve to allow its staff to celebrate the holidays with their families.[88]
All stations in Line 1 are elevated, with the exception of Zapote station.
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Most stations are composed of only one level, accessible from the street below by stairway, containing the station's concourse and platform areas separated by fare gates. Some stations tend to have a concourse level below the platforms. The single-level stations of Line 1, however, was not built with accessibility in mind, due to the lack ofbarrier-free facilities such as escalators and elevators. Some stations are connected at concourse level to nearby buildings, such as shopping malls, for easier accessibility. Some trains have spaces for passengers using wheelchairs. Newer stations are barrier-free and have a separate level for the platform and concourse. The stations built for the Cavite extension also include amenities such asfirst aid rooms andlactation rooms, as well asplatform displays.[89]
All Line 1 stations havepublic restrooms. Older and smaller stations only have single-occupancy restrooms while newer stations have segregated restrooms as well as restrooms for persons with disability.[90]
Folding bicycles are allowed to be brought into trains provided that they do not exceed the LRTA's baggage size limitations of 2 by 2 feet (20 by 20 in).[91] The last cars of each train are also designated as "green zones", where folding bicycle users can ride with their bikes.[92]
All stations have side platforms except for Baclaran, which has one side and one island platform. Due to the high patronage of the line, part of the platform corresponding to the front car of the train is cordoned off for the use of women, children, elderly and passengers with special needs and/or disabilities.[93]
Inside the concourse of some stations are stalls or shops where people can buy food or drinks. Stalls vary by station, and some have fast food stalls. The number of stalls also varies by station, and some stations tend to have a wide variety.
Stations such as Fernando Poe Jr. (WalterMart Muñoz), Balintawak (Ayala Malls Cloverleaf), Monumento (SM City Grand Central and Victory Central Mall Caloocan), Tayuman (SM City San Lazaro), Doroteo Jose (Isetann Cinerama Recto), Carriedo (Good Earth Plaza, Isetann Carriedo, andSM Quiapo), Central Terminal (SM City Manila), Pedro Gil (Robinsons Manila), Vito Cruz (University Mall), Gil Puyat (Cartimar Shopping Center), Libertad (Victory Pasay Mall), EDSA (Metro Point Mall), Baclaran (Baclaran Super Mall), Redemptorist—Aseana (Parqal), MIA (Ayala Malls Manila Bay), Dr. Santos (SM City Sucat), and the upcomingNorth Triangle (Ayala Malls Vertis North,SM North EDSA, andTrinoma) are connected to or are near shopping malls and/or other large shopping areas, where commuters are offered more shopping varieties.
It is also accessible to major transport terminals in Metro Manila such as Avenida Bus Terminal via Doroteo Jose,Plaza Lawton via Central Terminal, Buendia Bus Terminal via Gil Puyat, Pasay Rotonda via EDSA,Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange via PITX, and the upcomingNorth Triangle Common Station.
The current designed daily ridership of the line is 560,000 passengers[94] and currently aims to increase the number of passengers being served on the line to more than 800,000 passengers, as the line's south extension is set to be fully operational by 2031. In 2022, the line served a daily average of 216,667, while the annual total of passengers served reached 78 million.[95]
In 2018, the line carried 300,000 to 500,000 passengers daily, due to the increased number of trains, from 86 vehicles to 113 vehicles available for daily trips. This gradually reduces the waiting time of passengers from 5 minutes to as much as 2 to 3.5 minutes.[96][97] It also carried as much as 14.63 million passengers monthly in 2018.[96] However, as of 2023, the waiting time has been officially reported at 5 to 6 minutes.[98] In the first few quarters of 2024, the line served a daily average ridership of 298,740 passengers,[99] and in the later months, the line served over 323,000 passengers daily.[1]
Ridership is relatively high during theFeast of the Black Nazarene, as some of Line 1's stations are nearQuiapo Church and along the route ofTraslación. Barefoot devotees are allowed to ride the train during the Traslación when it is typically prohibited to ride barefoot on regular days. On January 9, 2012, the line recorded 620,987 passengers during the feast, and since the day fell on a working weekday.[100]
The line utilizes a variety of trains in its history and has used three different configurations, such as two-car, three-car, and four-car trainsets. The two-car trains are the original first-generation BN and ACEC trains (railway cars numbered from1000). Most were transformed into three-car trains, although a limited number of two-car trains remain in service. The four-car trains are the more modern second-generation Hyundai Precision / Adtranz (1100), third-generation Kinki Sharyo / Nippon Sharyo (1200), and fourth-generation Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (CAF) / Mitsubishi (13000).[101][102][103] There are 259 railway cars grouped into 126 trains serving the line: 63 of these are first-generation, 28 second-generation, 48 third-generation, and 120 fourth-generation cars. Some of the cars, especially those from 1st generation, were decommissioned due to them being cannibalized or involved in accidents. Such as 1037, which was severely damaged in theRizal Day bombings in 2000, it was subsequently decommissioned afterwards and eventually scrapped.[3][104] The trains are permitted to run at a maximum operating speed of 60 kilometers per hour (37 mph).[105][106] Due to the introduction of theLRTA 13000 class trains, theLRTA 1000 class and theLRTA 1100 class trains were put into storage at Baclaran Depot and still serves as school trains for future train operators along the line.
Since 1999, the line's fleet has been modernized to cope with increasing numbers of passengers. In that year, seven four-car second-generation trains from Hyundai Precision were commissioned, providing an increased train capacity of 1,358 passengers while the original two-car trains capable of holding 748 passengers were transformed into three-car trains with room for 1,122.[101] In 2006, twelve new trains made in Japan by Kinki Sharyo and Nippon Sharyo were commissioned, providing a capacity of 1,388 passengers.[25][102][107][108] The fourth-generation trains, ordered in 2017 to replace the first-generation trains, were delivered in batches from 2021 to 2022 before entering revenue service on July 20, 2023.[109][110]
Prior to 1999, the first-generation trains were notorious for its lack of air conditioning, relying instead on forced-air roof ventilation for cooling.[111] This, however, resulted in hot and stuffy rides. Although the entry of the second-generation trains in 1999 marked the introduction of air-conditioned trains in the line, the problem was fully addressed after a preparatory rehabilitation program completed in 2001 allowed the installation of air conditioners to the older rolling stock in 2004.[112][113][114]
LRMC has also built an in-house laboratory for production, manufacturing, fabrication and repair of train parts that are no longer available in the market.[115]
ThePassenger Assist Railway Display System, apassenger information system powered by LCD screens installed near the ceiling of the train that shows news, advertisements, current train location, arrivals and station layouts, are already installed in the third-generation trains, along with the trains ofLine 2 and thefirst-generation trains ofLine 3. By 2023, these units were discreetly removed and, prior to removal, were no longer operating.
_1100_LRV_2021-12-18.jpg)
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The line maintains an at-grade depot inPasay, nearBaclaran,Parañaque. It serves as the center of the operations and maintenance of the line. It is connected to the mainline through aspur line. Before its expansion, the depot had a capacity of 145 light rail vehicles and an area of 6.4 hectares (16 acres).[116] It was expanded to an area of 10.6 hectares (26 acres) to accommodate 197 vehicles, withShimizu Corporation and First Balfour implementing the project.[117] Expansion works were completed after the depot was inaugurated on February 23, 2022.[118]
A satellite depot is being constructed in Zapote V,Bacoor,Cavite as part of the line's south extension project. When completed, the satellite depot will handle 72 light rail vehicles and is also the location of thenamesake station.[117]
Throughout its history, the line used differentsignaling systems. The line currently uses theAlstom Atlas 100 solution based onETCS Level 1.
The original signaling system used in the LRT Line 1 was based on fixed block and relay-type trackside systems. Trains had anautomatic train stop system that activates if the train passes by a red signal or over-speeding. Based on a procurement plan published by the Light Rail Transit Authority, most of the signaling equipment, includingtrack circuits, was supplied byACEC.[4]
In 2007, as part of a capacity expansion project, the original system was replaced with a train control system based onautomatic train protection (ATP) andautomatic train supervision (ATS); thefixed-block system was provided bySiemens Transportation Systems and BBR Verkehrstechnik. The ATP system monitors the speed of the trains, while the ATS system directs train operations. Prior to the 2022 upgrade, the signalling system was designed to operate at a headway of 112 seconds.[3][119] Aside from the ATP and ATS systems, its subsystems includetrain detection throughaxle counters, andmicroprocessor-based interlocking.[119]
The signaling system was again upgraded as part of the line's south extension.Alstom was awarded a contract in February 2016 to supply its Atlas 100ETCS Level 1 solution for the south extension and upgrade the existing system.[71] Between November 2021 and January 2022, the new system underwent testing and commissioning. TheLight Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) announced the completion of the upgrades on February 1, 2022.[120]
The tracks have three types:ballasted,slab tracks and concrete plinth. Ballasted sections are found in the original 15-kilometer (9.3-mile) section fromBaclaran toMonumento, while slab tracks are found in the north extension, and the newer Cavite extension uses concrete plinths, like the MRT-3 and LRT-2. For the ballasted and ballastless tracks, the rails are supported by twin-block concreterailroad ties, and have a track center distance of 3.2 meters (10 feet).[119][121]
The tracks in the original 13.8-kilometer (8.6-mile) line consist of 50-kilogram-per-meter (100-pound-per-yard) rails designed to the EB 50Trail profile, while the tracks in the future extension line consist of 54-kilogram-per-meter (110-pound-per-yard) rails designed to theUIC 54 rail profile.[5]
Due to the deterioration of the rail tracks in the original line, speed restrictions were implemented in 2011, decreasing the line's operating speed limit to 40 kilometers per hour (25 mph), except for the north extension, in which trains continued to run at 60 km/h (37 mph).[122] In 2012, a contract to replace 23 kilometers (14 miles) of rails was awarded to the joint venture of Oriental and Motolite Marketing Corporation,Korail, Erin-Marty Fabricators Company, Inc., and Jorgman Construction and Development Corporation.[123] However, there were delays in the project implementation until February 2014, when the then-Department of Transportation and Communications issued a notice to proceed for the joint venture.[124] The first phase of the replacement started in 2014,[125] while the rails atMonumento station were replaced in March 2015.[126] The first phase of the rail replacement was completed in December 2015.[127]
The second and final phase of replacement works commenced in August 2016 by theLight Rail Manila Corporation,[127] which contracted Joratech[128] to replace 26,458 lineal meters (86,804 ft) of rails[127] and was completed in 2017.[129] This was intended to increase the operating speed from 40 kilometers per hour (25 miles per hour) to 60 kilometers per hour (37 miles per hour) and was achieved on April 5, 2021.[122]
On December 30, 2000, during theRizal Day, a1000 classLRV train (Car number 1037) was involved in theRizal Day bombings atBlumentritt station. The attack on the line killed some 22 people and injured hundreds. Eight members of bothJemaah Islamiyah and theMoro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which include Hambal, Asia's most wanted man, andFathur Rahman al-Ghozi, were charged with plotting and masterminding the attacks in 2003, some three years after the attacks. Three suspects were put on trial,[130][131] with al-Ghozi receiving 17 years in prison due to the illegal possession of explosives. Al-Ghozi later died in a firefight after attempting to escape from prison.
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Media related toLRT Line 1 (Metro Manila) at Wikimedia Commons| Annual Riderships by cities |
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