DOTr reopens PNR San Pablo-Lucena after 10-year hiatus

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced that the PNR San Pablo-Lucena has now been reopened to the public.

The operations of PNR San Pablo-Lucena return

Led the ceremonial ringing of bells to send off the Philippine National Railways (PNR) trains were President Rodrigo Duterte and DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade. This marks a significant step for the surrounding regions as the reopened line had stopped its operations for almost 10 years due to damaged structures.

The PNR San Pablo-Lucena is a 44-km railway that serves four municipalities and one city in the provinces of Laguna and Quezon. It is built with two main stations and four flag stops. According to the government agency, the railway can accommodate up to 3,683 passengers at any given time.

Moreover, the reopened line will be an important piece in completing the PNR Bicol or “Bicol Express.” The PNR Bicol aims to provide Filipinos with a convenient railway service by connecting Metro Manila to Southern Luzon provinces, including Laguna, Quezon, Camarines Sur, and Sorsogon.

President Duterte and DOTr Chief Tugade led the opening ceremony

The Bicol Express will coincide with the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR), a 148-km railway project which will link Calamba and Clark via three phases. These include the PNR Clark Phase 1 (Tutuban – Malolos), PNR Clark Phase 2 (Malolos – Clark), and PNR Calamba (Solis – Calamba).

“I’d like to recognize the DOTr headed by Art, the Philippine National Railways, and local government units for making this happen. We know that with [an] effective transport system, we make places more accessible and easier to manage thereby strengthening trade within rural and urban areas,” said Duterte.

A convenient way of traveling in and out of the provinces of Laguna and Quezon

The reopened PNR San Pablo-Lucena line is one of the many railway projects the agency is championing. Over in Metro Manila, the Common Station, also known as Unified Grand Central Station, is expected to be opened this month, interconnecting the LRT-1, MRT-3, MRT-7, and the mega Metro Manila Subway project.

Get the latest infrastructure project updates at Philkotse.com.