Thursday, March 3, 2011

To Tutuban on a (PNR) Train!

I am re-acquainting myself to take the public transport again. Oh no, don't get me wrong. I didn't grow up like a princess being 'driven' around town in a horse carriage. Sure, I was shuttled to and from school by a private school bus but we didn't have a car when I was growing up and I was used to taking the public transportation in Manila until about a few years ago.

Now that the price of fuel is escalating non-stop, I had to cut back on fuel expenses (also one of my 'green-er efforts') somehow and spend on more important things so I've been taking the public transportation again. The last time I did, the fare was only P4 (P3.50 for students), now it's P8! Lately, I've been taking the bus, the jeep or the tricycle when I'm not in a hurry or when I don't have business meetings especially when I'm just going to the nearby mall or to the church alone.

A trip to Divi (Divisoria for the unacquainted) is something I dearly missed in my five years of 'absence' in the Philippines. Divi is a paradise for 'shoppingera-on-a-budget'. Every trip is a memorable one and brings joy and pride in every 'tawad' (no matter how small it is) you make. Best of all, everything you need under the sun is available in Divi!

I've been to Divi twice or thrice since we went back. Usually, I'd park my car in SM Manila and take a jeepney ride from there to Divi. Going back entails renting 'kuliglig' for P100 since taking the jeepney back to SM Manila would mean 'more walk' after shopping with our heavy 'shopping' bags.

Yesterday, I asked my Mom if she can accompany me to Divi to buy loot boxes / bags and loot contents for my daughter's upcoming birthday party. And since my car was on 'coding' yesterday, I informed her beforehand we'll be taking the public transport from Alabang. I gave my Mum instructions as to what time and where to meet in Alabang and asked which bus route we should take going to Manila. I was surprised when she texted back that we'll meet in front of Liana's Alabang where we'll be taking the train.  I clarified if she meant LRT/MRT and reminded her that the station of buses that would take us to MRT/LRT is in Metropolis Mall and not in Liana's. Then I realised even before she replied back that she meant taking the TRAIN as in the PNR train!

I guess most of us have had bad memories of PNR trains. Not that I've been to one before this Divi trip but, in my mind, it was a picture of dingy, dirty, smelly, uncomfortable, super-crowded-to-the-roof coaches that take 'probinsyanos' (people from the province) from Bicol to Manila and run on rail tracks with the unsightly view of 'home-along-da-riles'.

So I was taken aback when Mum told me we'll take the PNR train that goes straight to Tutuban from Alabang. She knows I'm not 'maarte' but I wouldn't compromise safety and comfort for a cheap fare. She assured me the coaches are all new, airconditioned, and comfortable. I trusted her and good thing I was in for an adventure that day! I'm glad I did!

I arrived Liana's Alabang at 7.25am and I got a text from Mum saying the train's next trip is in 10 minutes and that I should go to Metropolis because the train station is at the back of Metropolis Mall. Though I can walk beside the rail track from Liana's Alabang to the train station, she discouraged me because the road going there was slippery. The trip is every 30 minutes so if we missed the 7.35am trip means waiting for another 30 minutes which I didn't want to waste so I braved the muddy, slippery, foul smelling road beside the train track to the station. I was walking carefully when suddenly I heard the train's honk and so I dashed, ran and held my breath for as long as I could not minding what I was stepping onto. A few meters later, I already saw my Mum waving at me. Believe it or not, the train didn't catch me! We hurriedly bought two tickets to Tutuban at P20 each, boarded the train, and hoped we get out in one piece!
View from my (train) window; Sucat Station
The trip isn't a one-stop trip to Tutuban. It stops on a few stations like Sucat, Bicutan, Nichols, FTI, Pasay Road, Laong Laan and a few more but the last stop is Tutuban. I'm used to taking the MRT in Singapore and the (PNR) train ride felt almost exactly like it -- less the crowd and smell (peace!). Most of the passengers are similar to what you'd encounter in Manila MRTs/LRTs -- mostly students (from PUP Bicutan & Manila as there are train stops almost in front of their campus) and working class, less of the yuppies though.
MRT? Nope, inside one of the coaches of PNR train

New, clean, comfortable -- the new PNR train coaches

The PNR train from the outside

This even looked like the old sign inside Singapore MRTs

Last station...ready for check-up before hitting the 'road' again

Train schedule - Tutuban to Alabang

The surprisingly clean and well-maintained Tutuban PNR Station

Old train coaches on display in front of the Tutuban park, er, station

 

Overall, it was a fun and exciting journey from Alabang to Tutuban that I am so glad I took. Not only did I save on time and effort in hopping from one mode of transport to another, I also saved on fare! It was a steal to go to Divi from Alabang for P20. Plus, the temperature inside the coaches was surprisingly a lot more comfortable than I expected. My Mum even had to put on her shawl on our trip back to Alabang even if the train was packed with commuters!

Now, I have more reasons to go to Divi even every week if I please! :)

(Kudos to PNR for a job well done and I hope they extend the trip to Pacita where a lot of Makati workers live. Isn't it good to sometimes think that at least we know where "some" of our taxes go? *wink*)


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