Train Commuting 101: Ways to Survive the MRT

If you've just visited Metro Manila for the first or second time, riding the trains through MRT and LRT could be an anxiety-inducing, not to mention embarrassing, activity. There's no easier way to get you tagged as a tourist than be in panic mode when you can't go past the turnstile with your train ticket. Don't feel too bad. We've all been there!

Whether you're a first-timer or a veteran MRT commuter, we created a list of survival tips to make your MRT train ride less stressful for you and your fellow commuters for that matter.

10 things to remember in your MRT rides

According to reports, more than 45.6 million commuters mounted MRT-3 from last year alone, with an average number of commuters gauged at 136,935 on a daily basis. This speaks a lot as to how highly patronized the MRT is despite the occasional glitches that inconvenience riders. After all, it remains to be the quickest mode of transportation, it's affordable, and no massive EDSA traffic to deal with.

In this handy guide, let us help you learn the ways to survive the crowded train that is the Metro Rail Transit (MRT).

1. Don't be near the doors once inside

Especially during rush hour in the stations of Araneta-Cubao and Ayala, commuters will scramble to enter the car and secure a spot no matter how claustrophobic it can get once aboard. If you managed to get in, the best spot to settle in is at the back of the vehicle, where you could rest on the end rail. The worst is standing next to the door. You will be at the receiving end of bumps here and there. Your safety is a top priority, so choosing the best personal space (or lack thereof) only makes sense.

2. Wear sneakers, not slippers

Physical contact with other passengers is common and inevitable during the morning rush hour, when riders scramble for a slot inside the vehicle so as not to arrive late at work or at school. Wearing sneakers and any other types of shoes that can withstand the pain of being stepped on is your best bet. Wearing slippers and heels is just an invitation for further discomfort and even injury.

3. Secure a stored value card

Invest in a reloadable beep card so as to make cashless fare payments for every LRT and MRT trip. This will give you the convenience of not having to wait in long queues at the ticketing booth to secure a train ticket every day. With just P100, with P80 as an initial load, you can make a payment for every ride with just a single swipe, no braving long lines in a scorching hot weather needed.

4. Avoid the rush hour

As much as possible, avoid rush hour at all costs. Whether it's the morning or evening rush hour, it's every commuter's funeral, so to speak. It's the peak of long queues, traffic is at its hellish worst, and where everybody will carelessly hasten for a spot, unmindful of any torment they may incur to one another because their current situation tells them to save themselves first before minding others' welfare. It's not apathy or lack of discipline, it's survival instincts.

5. Place your bag in your front

It's for you and your fellow commuters. Placing your bag in front of you will let you monitor your belongings and avoid the eyeing of ruthless pickpocketers lurking around the corner. Do not also make the mistake of pocketing your wallet and phone. Put them in your bag or hold them tightly across your chest. Unmindfully placing your bag in your back is one of the worst things you could do on a crowded ride.

6. Know your car designation

There are designated spaces for children, ladies, Persons With Disabilities (PWDs), and senior citizens. These privileges are mandated in law to avoid harassment for women and their children, as well as to aid the elderly and PWDs who may be physically and psychosocially challenged. It will also save you from bumping into inadvertently aggressive passengers who don't feel the need for empathy at a time when they're literally trying to survive in a claustrophobic and jam-packed car.

7. Familiarize yourself with all the stations

The Ayala Station is one of the busiest MRT train stops where students and employees usually alight. It is near Bonifacio Global City (BGC), SM Makati, and Ayala Center. Magallanes Station is the one closest to South Luzon Expressway (SLEX). Among the busiest stations also include Quezon Avenue, which caters to riders heading to UP Diliman, Philippine Science High School, and ABS-CBN, to name a few.

Here's the complete list of MRT stations to familiarize yourself with.

Quezon City

• North Avenue Station
• Quezon Avenue
• GMA Kamuning
• Araneta Center-Cubao
• Santolan-Annapolis

Pasig City

• Ortigas

Mandaluyong City

• Shaw Boulevard
• Boni Avenue

Makati City

• Guadalupe
• Buendia
• Ayala
• Magallanes

Pasay City

• Taft Avenue

8. Maintain your composure

Letting people alight first before hurrying to hop inside is an unwritten etiquette for any type of vehicle, be it a bus, jeepney, or the MRT and LRT. If you're not in a rush, it's best to maintain your composure, and put on an earphone with your favorite songs playing on Spotify. After all, losing your cool is inviting stress, and it's a choice you don't have to make. Keep calm, take a deep breath, and everything is going to be alright. It's a daily commuter challenge you have always managed to overcome. This day is no different.

9. Don't hesitate to seek help as needed

It's okay and normal to not know everything there is for MRT survival. This section is especially dedicated to first-timers and tourists who inevitably have to ride on an MRT train to reach their destination. When in doubt, seek help and ask just about anyone who could help you with directions and other stuff you'd need to know. Your fellow Filipinos are dependable when asking for this stuff.

10. Pay attention

If you're not the type of human who could approach a complete stranger without second thoughts, then simply paying attention will save your ass from the internal embarrassment of feeling lost as you wander about the station platform. Pay attention to announcements, read signages, and don't be too stressed out if you're lost, because only then will you feel the need to survive and be independent as you look for ways to figure it out yourself.

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