PNR: Sweet Bicol Express

It wasn’t the smoothest and the most comfortable ride. But as for Ephraim Arriesgado's words “first time are sweet times". Indeed it was a sweet ride. Imagine doing something you are looking forward to almost a year or more! Did I overreact? Well, say it I really overreacted. Hehe…

PNR Naga Station

I traveled from Naga to Manila for a whopping 12 hours inside a tunnel-like train. Yes, tunnel-like train. Why? You can’t see anything from outside! Traveling at night makes the situation worse! Claustrophobic people are not advised to ride the PNR train with this route.

PNR Naga Station

What to do on a 12 hours train ride?

Things would have been better if the LCD TV was working or there’s Wi-Fi. If I remember it right, the management announced when they re-opened the operation that there will be Wi-Fi on the train. Given the fact that the reception of the people with regards to train travel was more of negative than positive because of a much more longer travel time as compared to the bus ride, the management plan for a comfortable train journey was kinda’ delayed. But I guess they will be soon to install it. They also plan to put a lounge area for socializing just like riding the Trans-Siberian Railway. But I found none when I asked one of the train police (yes there is train police). At least the management has these plans to improve the service. I look forward to these things happening. So all in all I did nothing except to thinks and sleep. Hehehe…




What I experience during the Travel?

Ok, I will be honest. I didn’t experience comfort. Sorry, I don’t mean to put PNR down. Why?  

 Because:
  1. It was cold… This was my fault, I was wearing shorts and a tee-shirt therefore I was susceptible to freezing…. This is a plus point for PNR (eye blink)
  2. Rails are bumpy… it was like riding on a roller coaster in some areas especially in the provincial part. Things would better once in Manila part because rails in Manila were renovated.
  3. People living beside the railway were stoning the train! I don't what the sin of the train for them to stone it top death...hehe... This is happening in the Bicol area and Manila area. This is the reason why they put a steel screen on the window so that the stones with mud will not break the glass window. I hope the government will do something with this. In fact, there should be no houses on railways because it is dangerous for the people.
PNR Route Map
http://www.pnr.gov.ph/img/pnrroutemap.jpg

I am hopeful that things would be better in the coming years. My dream is a country connected by trains. I don’t why, maybe because I love playing with toy trains when I was a kid or even now in simulation games that I came to like riding trains. Trains are designed for comfortable and smooth transportation. So let us hope for the best. =)

PNR Fare Table


Source: PNR Website

For more information you can contact PNR at these numbers:

Manila/Tutuban:
(02) 319-0048
Lucena:
(042) 661-2990
Naga:
(054) 698-2123
Location: Naga City, Philippines

Popular posts from this blog

Seoul Slowly: An 8-Day Journey of Work, Wander & Winter

Image
A decade ago, you had to file for a week or two if you were traveling to any destination. You worked 8 AM–5 PM, had weekends off for a quick trip or hike to the mountains, planned for a major local or international trip in anticipation of a promo fare, and targeted holidays adjacent to weekends—that was the cycle. Until the pandemic happened in 2020. Everyone was working from home. Desktops were replaced by laptops, and soon you could even work using your iPads. The pandemic really changed the way we work. Although people are now going back to the office, many still have the privilege to work remotely or at least on a hybrid setup.
Read more

How We Got Our South Korea Visa in 2026 | Simplified Visa Application for Filipinos

Image
Applying for a South Korean tourist visa was one of the things we had to take care of before our trip to Korea. Honestly, I thought the process was going to be complicated. I've heard stories about the documents you need to prepare, financial requirements, bank statements, and all the other paperwork that comes with applying for a visa. But fortunately for us, we were able to take advantage of the Simplification of Visa Application Documents for eligible credit card holders , which meant we did not have to submit some of the financial documents normally required for a tourist visa application. This is extended until Dec 31, 2026.
Read more

Japan Budget & Itinerary: 8 Days in Nagoya, Osaka, Nara, Kyoto & Kobe

Image
For many, Japan is a dream destination. Now I understand the feeling. When I started traveling 10 years ago, I did not set my eyes on East Asian countries like Japan, Taiwan, and Korea. My eyes were set on Southeast and South Asia. But the pandemic and recent world events changed my perspective, and I started planning trips around East Asia. Japan was the first country on my mind. But as it turned out, we were able to visit Taiwan first—because why not? Japan is such an incredible country, and I knew that we would eventually make our way there. In this blog, I will share our experience, our 8-day Japan itinerary , and our actual travel expenses from our trip. We visited Nagoya, Gifu, Osaka, Nara, Kyoto, and Kobe, and I will also share how much we spent on airfare, transportation, food, attractions, accommodation, and shopping.
Read more