THE North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) is moving closer to the start of passenger operations on its first segment, with additional trainsets arriving in the Philippines to support testing and commissioning activities ahead of the planned opening of the Valenzuela-Malolos line in December 2027.
In a statement, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) said the Department of Transportation (DOTr) recently received the project’s third trainset at the Malanday Depot in Valenzuela City, while a fourth trainset has arrived in the country and is undergoing customs clearance and unloading.
JICA said seven trainsets are expected to be in the Philippines by September 2027 to support operational readiness activities for the railway’s initial service between Valenzuela City and Malolos, Bulacan.
The trainsets form part of the rolling stock package for the NSCR, one of the country’s largest railway infrastructure projects.
A total of 13 trainsets, each composed of eight cars, are being manufactured and supplied by the Japan Transport Engineering Company (J-TREC)-Sumitomo Joint Venture.
Each trainset can carry up to 2,288 passengers and is designed to provide safe, reliable and comfortable transport for commuters traveling within Metro Manila and neighboring provinces.
The NSCR is a 147-kilometer electrified railway network that will connect Clark, Pampanga, Metro Manila and Calamba, Laguna.
The government has identified the Valenzuela-Malolos section as the first segment scheduled to begin operations, with the Malolos-Clark portion targeted to follow in 2028.
Once fully operational, currently targeted by 2033, the railway is expected to serve about 800,000 passengers daily and significantly expand the country’s public transportation capacity.
JICA said the project will substantially reduce travel times, with trips between Clark and Makati projected to take less than an hour. It is also expected to help decongest major roads, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support sustainable urban development.
As a key component of the Luzon Economic Corridor, the railway is expected to improve access to employment, education, healthcare and other essential services while promoting investments and economic activity in communities along the route.
JICA said the project also highlights the continuing infrastructure partnership between the Philippines and Japan as the two countries mark 70 years of diplomatic relations.