Exploring Marikina City: A Guide to the LRT Line 2

Thanks to the Metro Manila Light Rail Transit, commuters benefit from the LRT Line 2 going to and from Marikina City.

This public transportation system connects Recto in Manila to Antipolo in Rizal. Antpolo, Marikina, and Santolan Stations are the three stations that pass through Marikina City. They provide access to the city and main commercial malls for commuters from the city's eastern and northern portions.

The LRT Line 2 system is made up of 13 stations, all of which are within a few blocks of one another. All of the stations have modern amenities like escalators, elevators, and air conditioning. Passengers can buy tickets at the stations and pay using contactless cards.

The LRT Line 2 provides a quick and effective route to Marikina City. It is intended to minimize traffic congestion and pollution's impact on the environment. A single train can carry 232 passengers. It can also carry an additional 1,396 standing passengers on its roomy coaches. During traffic and peak hours, taking the LRT 2 is substantially faster than other modes of transit. As a result, the trip from Manila to Marikina will take around 30 minutes.

Additionally, the line is connected to shopping malls such as SM City Marikina, Sta. Lucia East Grand Mall in Cainta, Robinsons Metro East in Pasig, and SM Masinag in Antipolo.

For a complete list of stations and fares, visit https://www.lrta.gov.ph/tickets-and-fares/

Follow the Official LRT for updates. A Twitter account can be found at https://twitter.com/OfficialLRTA.

Remembering the Marikina Line through the Riverland Express Train

If you enter Marikina City from Quezon City via C5, you'll be passing through Marikina Riverbanks Center and one of the prominent structures you'll notice is the Riverland Express Train.  The train is located beside a studio-warehouse opposite Riverbanks Mall facing the side of Marikina River.

From 1906 to 1936, the "Marikina Line" was one of three lines of the Manila Railroad Company (Cavite, Marikina and Antipolo Lines) which started from Rosario, Pasig (Tramo) and continued all the way to the towns of Marikina (Daang Bakal), San Mateo and Montalban totalling 24.27 kilometers.

This locomotive, owned and donated by the now defunct Pampanga Sugar Development Corporation, was an actual vintage steam train used in Pampanga and Tarlac in early 20th century.  

Today, the Riverland Express Train is a landmark signifying the historical significance of Marikina being a part of early 20th century locomotive transportation.

References: 
"The modern train system of our past" (Inquirer)
Philippine Trains Wikia

All Aboard The Riverland Express

The Riverland Express train at Marikina Riverbanks Center.