LOOK: Airport Express Line Set to Make Clark-Makati Commute in Less Than an Hour

It's going to make your commute to Clark easier.
by AJ Martinez | July 22, 2026

Getting to and from Clark International Airport has always meant budgeting a good two to three hours of travel time, mostly stuck in traffic along NLEX. But that’s about to change. This new airport express line will soon allow you to skip the hassle.

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has confirmed that an Airport Express line, part of the 147-kilometer North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR)—making it the largest railway project in Philippine history—will connect Clark International Airport directly to Makati Central Business District in under an hour. Here’s everything we know so far:

What exactly is the Airport Express Line?

The Airport Express Line is a dedicated express train service running on the Malolos-Clark segment of the NSCR, the country’s first-ever airport railway express service. At the center of it is the Clark Station, located within the Clark International Airport complex itself and connected to the terminal via an elevated walkway.

According to Irish “IC” Calaguas, DOTr Assistant Secretary for Right-of-Way Acquisition for Rail and Road, the Clark Station will serve as the terminal stop of the upcoming Airport Express service, linking CRK directly to Makati CBD within the hour.

What should commuters expect?

The NSCR is being developed by the DOTr and the Philippine National Railways (PNR), with construction co-financed by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB). This means that the trains and systems will use advanced Japanese rail tech similar to Shinkansen standards, and are designed to run up to 160 km/h, making them the fastest in the country once operational.

The 147-kilometer NSCR will connect Malolos, Bulacan with Clark International Airport, and Tutuban, Manila with Calamba Laguna. It will also have a total of 35 stations and three depots once complete.

Moreover, NSCR is designed to handle up to 800,000 passengers, compared to Metro Manila’s MRT-3 which currently carries about 300,000–400,000 passengers daily.

According to DOTr, partial operations on the Malolos to Valenzuela segment are projected by December 2027, and the Clark to West Valenzuela at around October 2028. Meanwhile, full operations across the entire NSCR system are expected by January 2032.

How to get to Clark Airport for now

Currently, these are ways you can travel to and from Clark International Airport:

Point-to-Point (P2P) buses

P2P buses operate daily, connecting the airport across Metro Manila, Northern Luzon, and Central Luzon, including NAIA Terminal 3, PITX, Trinoma, and Cubao. Travel time runs about two to three hours depending on traffic.

Private car or taxi

Driving straight to Clark from Makati takes around 1.5 to 2 hours via NLEX or the SCTEX under normal traffic conditions, whether self-driving or taking a taxi or ride-hailing service.

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