Philippines: $15.4-billion North-South Commuter Railway to beat Manila’s traffic nightmare?

Manila: The North–South Commuter Railway (NSCR) is not just another train project.

It's the Philippines' largest-ever rail investment aimed to beat the notorious traffic jams in the capital.

Poised to connect Clark, Pampanga to Calamba, Laguna, the new line will use a sleek electrified trains that could finally un-snarl Manila’s carmageddon.

Update: The NSCR is zooming forward.

Running on a full tank of hope, the project dreams of unclogging the capital’s brain-melting traffic jams — and if all goes well, “partial” operations could finally hit the road by 2027.

The NSCR is not a maglev or Shinkansen-level tech.

Rather, it boasts 51 Japan-inspired train sets, including eight-car Electric Multiple Units (EMUs) with up to 130 km/h speed.

Included in the project is a 2-km tunnel to Clark Airport, thus paving the way for the country’s first airport express train, slashing travel times.

With this new line, the commute from Manila to Clark Airport (and Free Zone) in Pampanga will only take about 45 minutes.

A full launch could follow by as early as 2029. This electrified lifeline, however, could be pushed back by the usual right-of-way (ROW) challenges.

Here's why:

Like most infrastructure projects in the country, the NSCR’s journey is hitting some bumps, some serious, some not.

There are reports that ROW issues and other snags could push back full operations to 2032.

Let’s dive into the details.

Among the key players behind this project are the Philippines' Department of Transportation (DOTr) and Philippine National Railways (PNR), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Asian Development Bank (ADB).

Designed to ease Metro Manila’s traffic, the ₱873.62 billion ($15.42 billion) NSCR is the country's priciest railway venture.

Stations: 35 modern stops

Trainsets: 51 commuter and 7 limited-express trainsets.

Daily Riders: Expected to serve ~800,000 passengers once fully operational.

Operating Speed: Express trains will zip between 120–130 km/h.

Right-of-Way (ROW) glitches

In the Philippines, right-of-way issues start at the Barangay (village) level. In 2024, Philippine Congress earmarked ₱53.26 billion (about $1 billion) for right-of-way procurement alone.

ROW acquisition is the main villain in infrastructure projects of national significance in the country.

According to the government, the Valenzuela-to-Sucat stretch (in Manila) now accounts to the bulk of disputes — mostly over land valuation and the relocation of 13,000 "informal settlers".

Such relocation challenges, especially when they go through local courts, could cause undue delays.

What it means in practice: The project proponent (in this case, the government) is obligated by law to talk to the sitting Barangay council alongside the owners of the land affected by the project in every village to settle disputes, especially over valuation and payments.

This village-level conciliation process is the just the start.

With NSCR, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) is wrestling with property clearance, utility relocations, alongside budget release delays.

Some headway had been achieved: DOTr has reported that it handed over 100% ROW for segments like Tutuban–Malolos stations, and 76% for Malolos–Clark.

This should help keep northern construction on track in the said segments.

A single ROW snag that ends up in a Philippine court, however, could delay the project for months, if not years.

The total project cost of ₱873.6 billion is backed by funding from Japan (JICA), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the Philippine government. In terms of budget slice, ₱76.34 billion was allocated to keep NSCR on track (in the 2024 national budget. In July 2025, a new public–private partnership (PPP) worth ₱229.32B was sanctioned to handle NSCR operation and upkeep, with depots in Clark, Valenzuela, and Calamba.

Funding breakdown:

Civil works & infrastructure:

Once completed, fares are pegged to match buses and jeepneys, according to transport authorities.

The current minimum fare for traditional jeepneys is ₱13, while for modern jeepneys it is ₱15, as per the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB, as of October 2023). 

Bus fares vary by service type, with city ordinary buses having a base fare around ₱13-₱15 as of late 2022, and provincial buses starting lower at ₱11.