Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Contactless beep cards can now be used for all trips at the LRT-1, as the new automated fare collection system (AFCS) goes live at its northbound lane on Sunday (September 20).
Last month, the LRT-1 rolled-out the new system, but only at its southbound lane. The northbound lane, on the other hand, used paper tickets.
Related: LRT-1 readies for ‘tap and go’ system
AF Payments, Inc. (AFPI) and the Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC) made the announcement through a news release on Friday (September 18). The new system was first rolled out at the LRT-2, where pilot tests were conducted last July.
The new system allows seamless transfers across all three lines in the metropolis. It was also “developed to make the payment process more convenient.”
“Over the past six weeks, our technical and operations teams, together with the DOTC (Department of Transportation and Communications) and the LRTA (Light Rail Transit Authority), have been working round the clock to complete all equipment installation and end to end testing so that LRT-1 train riders can benefit fully from the beep card and use it on both directions at the soonest possible time. We are pleased to say that we are now ready to activate the new ticketing system on Sunday, September 20th,” Peter Maher, CEO of project concessionaire AFPI, said.
Once the AFCS goes live, the selling and use of paper coupons in all stations of LRT-1 will be stopped.
AFPI added that it expects to launch the “tap and go” system at the MRT-3 in the coming weeks.
The LRMC took over the reins of the LRT-1 last July 12. It will operate and maintain the system for 32 years and plans to extend the line of the country’s oldest light rail system until Bacoor, Cavite.
Related: MPIC-Ayala joint venture takes over LRT-1 operations
The LRMC is a joint venture of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC), Ayala Corp., and Macquarie Infrastructure Holdings (Philippines) Pte. Ltd.
