Express train passengers endure long lines

NESTOR CORRALES/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—Metro Rail Transit (MRT)-3 passengers continued to exercise patience as they endured long lines on Thursday to be able to ride in the experimental express trains, which would get them to their destinations faster.

On the second day of the MRT-3 express train service kilometric lines of commuters were seen at the starting station for south-bound passengers, the North Avenue Station in Quezon City. Rush-hour commuters waited for 20 to 30 minutes just to get inside the express trains, which pick up passengers and let them alight only in selected stations including one of three Quezon City stations, Ayala, Buendia and Magallanes stations in Makati, and finally Taft Avenue station in Pasay City.

North-bound express trains service will start next week. From 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., express trains departing from Taft Avenue stop at either Magallanes station, Ayala station, or Buendia station. They then make stops in Cubao, GMA-Kamuning and Quezon Avenue stations before the final destination, the North Avenue station.

The two-week experimental MRT-3 express train service was launched on Wednesday.