Dalian trains finally hit MRT-3 tracks after 10-year wait – Marcos
NEW TRAINS A Dalian train set – part of the 48 light rail vehicles purchased by the government in 2014 – finally hit the tracks of the MRT-3 on Wednesday (July 16, 2025). President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. boarded the Dalian train and vowed to make all LRVs operational to improve MRT-3 services. (RTVM screengrab)
MANILA, Philippines – President Marcos on Wednesday announced the long-awaited deployment of the Dalian trains for commercial use at the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) 3, nearly a decade after the government had purchased the train sets.
“This is the first day that these Dalian trains are finally in service — mula noong binili, hindi pa nagamit ito (Since they were purchased, they haven’t been used until now),” Marcos said as a Dalian train coasts by the MRT-3 Santolan-Annapolis Station.
The Philippines acquired 48 light rail vehicles in 2014 from CCRC Dalian Co., but technical compatibility issues prevented their operation on the MRT-3 system.
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After years of storage, only three of the train sets — comprising nine coaches — are now ready for use.
“Ngayon pa lang, three trains na tatlong karwahe. So, nine nitong cars na ito… tuloy-tuloy natin na titingnan at gagawan ng paraan para magamit dahil sampung taon nakaparada ito eh (For now, three trains with three coaches each — nine cars total — will be used. We will keep working to make all of them operational after being parked for 10 years),” he said.
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Trains tweaked
Modifications to the trains were made at no cost to the Philippine government.
German firm TUV Rheinland oversaw a full technical audit, while MRT-3’s current maintenance provider, Japan’s Sumitomo Corporation, conducted final safety checks.
Once all 48 Dalian cars are deployed, the capacity is expected to increase significantly, with reduced intervals between trains from four minutes to as low as 2.5 minutes.
The MRT-3 currently serves around 380,000 passengers daily.
“Kaya nakakatuwa naman. Hindi naman nasayang ang ating pondo (It’s very encouraging. Our public funds were not wasted after all),” the President said.
