Deployment of Gen-4 trains boosts LRT-1 capacity by up to 20%
MANILA -The Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1 saw an increase of 10 percent to 20 percent in its transport capacity following the deployment of 4th generation (Gen-4) train sets on the railway.
Jacqueline Gorospe, spokesperson of LRT 1 private operator Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC), told the Inquirer that its current fleet is now serving 460 daily trips from 410 on weekdays. On weekends, the railway saw an uptick in transport capacity from 293 daily trips to 331 on Saturdays and 307 on Sundays.
It currently operates a fleet of 23 units, which include nine Gen-4 trains. In July, LRMC rolled out the first Gen-4 train set, which carries four light rail vehicles (LRVs) and has a passenger capacity of 1,388 per trip.
“Our target is to deploy a total of 20 Gen-4 trains for commercial service by yearend,” Gorospe said. Another 10 Gen-4 units are expected to arrive between November 2023 and February next year. By the fourth quarter of next year, all 30 Gen-4 units will be traversing the main line.
The Gen-4 trains will also be used in the Cavite extension line, which is currently under construction. The first segment is expected to be operational by the fourth quarter of next year.
The 11.8-kilometer extension project, which covers major cities such as Quezon City, Caloocan, Manila, Pasay and Parañaque, starts at the Baclaran station of LRT 1. It is designed to cater to up to 800,000 passengers daily. For this project, the LRT 1 private operator is working with construction company Bouygues Travaux Publics.
On Aug. 2, a fare hike took effect as LRMC seeks to generate more revenues for infrastructure upgrades and maintenance. It was approved in June. The minimum boarding fare increased to P13.29 from P11 while the additional fare per kilometer rose to P1.29 from P1.
Under the revised fare matrix, LRT 1 rides paid via stored value cards now cost P14 to P35 (from P12 to P30) while single journey tickets are priced P15 to P35 (from P15 to P30). The last approved fare hike for the rail line was in 2015.
LRMC filed petitions for adjustments in 2016, 2018, 2020 and 2022 but all were deferred.
