Manila to Naga City by train

In late 2011, Philippine National Railways resumed daily long-distance passenger trains between Manila and Naga City, after they'd been discontinued some years previously due to typhoon damage.  The Bicol Express train was a comfortable and safe way to travel between Manila and Naga, overnight with comfortable air-conditioned sleepers bought second-hand from Japanese Railways.  In 2012, the Mayon Limited trains were added, later renamed Isarog Limited, and train service was extended beyond Naga to Ligao, not far short of Legazpi.  It was hoped to extend trains to Legazpi in due course.  However, the trains didn't last.  In late 2012 all trains were suspended again after hurricane damage and they have not run since.  There are still metro trains around Manila.

After hurricane damage, Filipino mainline trains were suspended in late 2012 and remain suspended in 2023.  The railway may never run again, at least in its narrow-gauge form.  For alternative bus services see 12go.asia.

How much does it cost?

£1 = approx 65 pesos.  $1 = 52 pesos.  Promo rate = temporary cheap fare.

How to buy tickets...

You can buy tickets at the station.

A family sleeper on the Bicol Express.  Photo courtesy of Ryan Anawaty

What's the Bicol Express like?

The Bicol Express has Executive sleepers** (single-berth compartments), Family sleepers (open plan berthgs with curtains), Reclining air-con seats, and Economy seats.  The Executive sleeping-car is an ex-Japanese Railways car with cosy single-berth sleeper compartments arranged in an ingenious 'duplex' design with alternate compartments 'upper' or 'lower'.  The Family sleepers are comfortable and carpeted ex-Japanese Railways sleeping-cars with a side corridor from which open bays of four berths (upper and lower on each side).  There is no door between the bays of 4 berths and the side corridor, but each berth has curtains for privacy and an individual reading light.  The sleepers provide a flat padded velour bunk to sleep on, but no bedding is provided.  Reclining seats are smart air-conditioned unidirectional seating.  Economy seats are fixed padded seats arranged in bays of 4 either side of a central aisle.  Further feedback or photos would be appreciated!

** It's been reported that the Executive sleeping-car is only attached to the Bicol Express if there's sufficient demand, meaning a certain number of tickets have been sold.  So don't be surprised if in practice you have to opt for Family sleeper instead!

What are the Isarog Limited Deluxe & Mayon Limited Ordinary like?

The Isarog Limited Express has three air-conditioned coaches bought second-hand from Japanese Railways, with spacious and comfortable Executive reclining seats with individual armrests in a carpeted saloon.  The Mayon Limited Ordinary has three older forced-ventilation cars with far more basic fixed bench seats.  Neither train has any sleepers.  For photos of the interiors, see http://wowlegazpi.com/pnr-adds-trips-to-ligao-guinobatan/.

Traveller's reports

Traveller Ryan Anawaty reports:  "I rode the Bicol Express train from Manila to Naga City 2 days ago.  The train cars are in decent shape with male/female bathrooms and running water.  They are maybe 15-20 years old (but refurbished) from Japan.  There is no dining car or food vendors, so bring all that you need.  4-bed 'family' sleepers are comfortable and air-conditioned, but no bedding is provided.  The beds are covered in a brown velvet-like fabric, have large privacy curtains around each berth and individual reading lights. There are no doors between the side corridor and each compartment of 4 berths, and there's a single small jump seat is in the corridor outside each compartment.  There are ladders to climb to top bunk and a small table by the window for the bottom bunk. Windows cannot be opened and are covered in metal cage. Windows are hard to see out of, but do have a retractable privacy screen.  The train is bumpy and the horn blows without pause for the first 3 hours while leaving Manila's endless suburbs, but it's way better than the bus.  Buy tickets at any train station ahead of time. The train was maybe 30% full midweek."

More information

If anyone has any more information, photos or travel reports that would be useful for this page, please e-mail me!

Reclining air-con seats on the Bicol Express...  Photo courtesy of Ian Moffat		Manila's Tutuban railway station...  Photo courtesy of Ian Moffat

Find hotels in the Philippines

Other hotel sites worth trying...

• www.tripadvisor.com is the place to find independent travellers' reviews of all the main hotels.

• www.booking.com is my own preferred hotel booking system (Hotels Combined being a search/comparison system).  It has a simple interface, a good selection in most countries worldwide, useful online customer reviews of each hotel, and decent prices, usually shown inclusive of unavoidable extras such as taxes (a pet hate of mine is systems that show one price, then charge you another!).

Backpacker hostels...

• www.hostelworld.com:  If you're on a tight budget, don't forget about backpacker hostels.  Hostelworld offers online booking of cheap private rooms or dorm beds in backpacker hostels in most cities at rock-bottom prices.

Travel insurance & VPN

Always take out travel insurance...

Never travel overseas without travel insurance from a reliable insurer, with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover.  It should also cover cancellation and loss of cash and belongings, up to a sensible limit.  An annual multi-trip policy is usually cheaper than several single-trip policies even for just 2 or 3 trips a year, I have an annual policy myself.  Here are some suggested insurers.  Seat61 gets a small commission if you buy through these links.

www.staysure.co.uk offers enhanced Covid-19 protection & covers you even if the FCDO advises against non-essential travel.

If you have a pre-existing medical condition or are over 65, see www.JustTravelCover.com.

You can use Confused.com to compare prices & policies from many different insurers.

  If you live in the USA try Travel Guard USA.

A Curve card saves foreign transaction fees...

Most banks give you a poor exchange rate, then charge you a currency conversion fee.  A Curve MasterCard means no foreign transaction fees and gives you the mid-market exchange rate, at least up to a certain limit, £500 per month at time of writing.  The balance goes straight onto one of your existing debit or credit cards.

How it works:  1. Download the app for iPhone or Android.  2. Enter your details & they'll send you a Curve MasterCard - they send to most European addresses including the UK.  3. Link your existing credit & debit cards to the app.  4. Now use the Curve MasterCard to buy things online or in person or take cash from ATMs, just like a normal MasterCard. Curve does the currency conversion and puts the balance onto whichever of your debit or credit cards you choose.  You can even change your mind about which card it goes onto, within 14 days of the transaction.

I have a Curve Blue card myself - I get some commission if you sign up to Curve, but I'm recommending it here because it's great.  See details, download the app and get a Curve card - they'll give you £5 cashback through that link, too.

Get a VPN for safe browsing.  VPNs & why you need one explained...

When you're travelling you often use free WiFi in public places which may not be secure.  A VPN means your connection to the internet is encrypted & always secure, even using unsecured WiFi.  In countries such as China where access to Twitter & Facebook is restricted, a VPN gets around these restrictions.  And lastly, you can select the geographic location of the IP address you browse with, to get around geographic restrictions which some websites apply - for example one booking site charges a booking fee to non-European visitors but none to European visitors, so if you're not located in Europe you can avoid this fee by browsing with a UK IP address using a VPN.  VPNs & why you need one explained.  ExpressVPN is a best buy and I use it myself - I've signed up as an ExpressVPN affiliate, and if you go with expressvpn.com using the links on this page, you should see a special deal, 3 months free with an annual subscription, and I get a small commission to help support this site.

Carry an Anker powerbank...

With so much now held on your mobile phone (tickets, reservations, vaccination records, etc) I recommend carrying an Anker powerbank.  This can recharge your phone several times over if you're on the move and can't get to a power outlet.  I never travel without one.

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