TWELVE stations of the Metro Rail Transit line 7 (MRT-7) are set to start partial operations by the fourth quarter of 2025, while full operation is expected by 2027.
Jeremy Regino, transportation undersecretary, said in a statement the MRT-7 stations from North Avenue up to Quirino, Quezon City, will be up and running by next year.
The remaining two stations, Tala Station in Caloocan and San Jose Station in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, are targeted to be operational by 2026 and 2027, respectively.
Meanwhile, San Jose Station, should plans not hit a snag, will be serviceable by 2027 or 2028.
“We’ll extend to 2028 on a worst-case scenario,” Regino said.
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has been working with the local government of San Jose del Monte to settle the issue of the proposed change in the alignment of station.
A 22-kilometer stretch, MRT-7 consists of 14 stations, namely, Quezon North Avenue Joint Station, Quezon Memorial Circle, University Avenue, Tandang Sora, Don Antonio, Batasan, Manggahan, Doña Carmen, Regalado, Mindanao Avenue, Quirino, Sacred Heart, Tala and San Jose del Monte.
Once in full operation, the MRT-7 will reduce travel time from Quezon City to San Jose Del Monte to just 35 minutes.
The railway system is expected to carry 300,000 passengers in its inaugural year of operation.
This year, DOTr is also expected to start the operation of five stations of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) line 1 Cavite extension project. The full operation is set in 2026.
The first package of LRT-1 involves the operation of five stations: Redemptorist-Aseana, Manila International Airport Road, Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange, Ninoy Aquino Avenue and Dr. Santos Avenue (formerly Sucat Road).
It will cut travel time between Baclaran and Dr. Santos Avenue, Parañaque, from the current 20 to 40 minutes via local roads to only 14 minutes.
