VALENZUELA CITY, Philippines — The initial car of the third eight-car electric multiple unit (EMU) trainset intended for the Malolos-Tutuban line of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) has arrived at the Malanday Depot in Valenzuela City, transportation officials confirmed.
According to the Department of Transportation (DOTr), the remaining seven cars are slated to arrive at the facility within the week to complete the full trainset assembly.
Manufactured in Japan, the third batch of trainsets was shipped to the Philippines in August as part of the rolling stock procurement for the major railway project.
The DOTr aims to start partial operations along the segment connecting Valenzuela City and Malolos, Bulacan, by December 2027.
Once fully completed, the 147-kilometer commuter rail line will span 35 stations, connecting key regions across Central Luzon, Metro Manila, and Calabarzon. The entire alignment, stretching from Clark, Pampanga, to Calamba, Laguna, is targeted for full operational status by the third quarter of 2033.
Transportation authorities project that the finished railway will dramatically slash travel time between Clark and Calamba from the current four-hour commute to around two hours.
Upon full scale operations, the system is expected to serve up to 800,000 passengers daily, creating an essential transit corridor across Luzon.