The Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) will introduce four-car train sets by June 2025 to address rising passenger demand in the Philippines. A turnback facility at North Avenue station, constructed by Japanese maintenance contractor Sumitomo, will accommodate the new configuration.
Sumitomo is also upgrading the MRT-3’s rail tracks, signalling, and catenary system. Currently, the MRT-3 operates 12 to 14 three-car train sets daily, each carrying 1,182 passengers. The shift to four-car sets will increase capacity to 1,576 passengers per train. In 2024, MRT-3 recorded an average daily ridership of 375,474.
The expansion aligns with a two-year rehabilitation program that includes refurbishing 72 light rail vehicles. The Department of Transportation clarified that the EDSA Carousel busway will not be removed despite earlier speculation. Four-car trains were previously tested in 2022 but only operated during peak hours.
