Unified ticketing system to go live on MRT3 starting October 3

MANILA, Philippines – Starting Saturday, October 3, commuters riding the Metro Rail Transit (MRT3) will be able to use the new contactless tap-and-go beep™ cards to pay for their rides.

Three months after the new automated fare collection system (AFCS) first went live Light Rail Transit line 2 (LRT2), all MRT3 stations will soon be implementing the new system and easing out the old magnetic tickets.

“Come October 3, commuters can already maximize the use of the beep card in all stations of the MRT3, LRT1 and LRT2. Train passengers will no longer need to fall in line twice to buy a new ticket when they transfer lines,” AF Payments Inc CEO Peter Maher said.

The new unified ticketing system for Metro Manila’s 3 elevated trains began its trial run in July on the LRT2, and the southbound LRT1 stations in August.

Earlier this week, AF Payments announced that the northbound LRT1 stations were also fully operational for the new system.

By next week, all 3 train lines in Metro Manila will be using the unified ticketing system.

“We hope that this new automated fare collection system will not only improve the train riders’ buying and paying experience, but also facilitate seamless transfer between lines with the card’s inter-operability feature,” Maher said.

To anticipate public demand ahead of the new system’s rollout on the MRT3, AF Payments will start pre-selling beep™ cards on Monday, September 28, in the following stations:

• North Avenue
• Cubao
• Shaw Boulevard
• Ayala
• Taft

AF Payments Incorporated, the consortium of Ayala Corporation and Metro Pacific Investments Corporation, is behind the P1.7-billion ($36.29-million) public-private partnership project.

LRT1 runs from Roosevelt in Quezon City to Baclaran in Parañaque City while LRT2 runs from Santolan in Marikina City to C.M. Recto in Manila.

The MRT3 runs from North Avenue station in Quezon City to Taft Avenue in Pasay City. – Rappler.com

$1 = P46.85