Philippines Bus

Bus Types

For long distance land transportation in the Philippines you will have to use the bus (eg. from Manila to Banaue or Caticlan to Iloilo). There are basically 3 types of buses:
- the new air conditionned official buses with TV
- the older non-aircon official buses
- private buses

The largest bus company in the Philippines is CERES with their CERES Liners. Most of them are painted in bright yellow or yellow and white. On Mindanao we found some older CERES buses in red.

Most comfortable are the new aircon buses. For very long distances, up to 10 hours and more, in the night, they are really the best choice. Put earplugs in your ears and you may even expect to sleep some hours. During the day we do not like them because everybody closes the curtains and you miss the beautiful landscape. Do not forget to have some warm clothes with you, otherwise you get freezed and catch an ugly cold. ( I just caught one on the 2 hours trip from Balingoan to Cagayan de Oro).

The older CERES Liners are amazing. The seats are narrower than in the aircon buses. The windows are usually open to get a bit of fresh air (and dust and smoke). But yes, you will take these ones if you are a smoker. Their engines sometimes stall and their tires get sometimes flat. If the bus should break down during your journey, you are refunded. You get back the exact amount due between the place of breakdown and your destination. You simply have to wait for the next bus. good luck.

The last category are private owned buses. They are much smaller and older than the CERES Liners, but carry the same number of passengers. This is a transportation solution for shorter distances or when there is no large bus available. They are somehow a mix between bus and jeepney. They also are decorated with religious motives and often display a prayer.

Bus Fares

Bus fares are very modest. Currently the fare is about 1km = PHP 1.00
The fare and distance are punched into your bus ticket.

Bus Timetables

All buses run on well defined routes. Buses with no special sign do stop in all major municipalities and often in some barangays. Buses with the sign "direct" or "express" do only stop in towns. We know, there are timetables, but we are afraid, we cannot publish them on this website. They are not available in electronic format and they change very, very often. Ask local people or go to the nearest bus terminal to get the needed information.

Bus Terminals

Buses usually do not go to the city-centers. They stop at peripheral bus terminals. Small cities as Baccolod or Iloilo have only one terminal. Big cities like Manila or Cebu-City do have several terminals. Each of them deserves a particular region. There is no problem to find the right terminal. Tell the taxi driver or the tricycle driver where you want to go and he drives you to the corresponding bus terminal.

Bus Security

The large buses drive as hell (80 kph and more). Everybody knows them (except the tourists). Buses do have absolute priority! During the wet season in northern Luzon, the Cordillera, a bus might get off the slippery mud road. When this happens on a mountain road, it is often fatal.