The situation, in brief
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is planning an Airport Express rail line that will connect Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Clark International Airport in a single journey with only two stops—in Makati and Alabang—as part of the North-South Commuter Railway master plan, Transportation…
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is planning an Airport Express rail line that will connect Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Clark International Airport in a single journey with only two stops—in Makati and Alabang—as part of the North-South Commuter Railway master plan, Transportation Secretary Giovanni “Banoy” Lopez said Saturday.
Lopez made the statement in an interview on DZRH News program Special on Saturday on August 29, as part of the DZRH SONA 2026 Series featuring the Department of Transportation (DOTr).
The Transport chief said the Airport Express is embedded in the NSCR master plan, meaning it does not require a separate rail line to be built but uses the existing NSCR corridor with a limited-stop express service connecting the two airports.
“Kasama po kayo sa nagplano dito, ‘yung sinasabi nating Airport Express mula Clark all the way sa ating NAIA na may dalawang stopover. May dalawang istasyon lang yata, I think it’s Makati and Alabang, pero Airport Express,” Lopez said.
Lopez said the combination of the Airport Express, the NAIA subway station, and the intermodal terminals in Parañaque and Taguig represents a comprehensive rethinking of how Filipinos and visitors move between airports, provinces, and the capital region.
The Transport chief added that the Airport Express illustrates the DOTr’s philosophy of building an interconnected transportation ecosystem rather than isolated projects, noting that a passenger arriving at Clark can board a train and reach NAIA without the current hours-long drive through heavy traffic.
Undersecretary for Railways TJ Batan said the Metro Manila Subway’s NAIA Terminal 3 station, whose groundbreaking is expected this month, is part of the same connectivity vision, ensuring that the subway system links directly to the airport for travelers within Metro Manila.
