Benise Balaoing

The third Dalian train set hit the tracks of the MRT-3 as it undergoes validation testing, a process for rail-worthiness led by the Department of Transportation and the Philippine National Railways, from January 23 up to February 1, 2019. The validation of the train sets would be one step closer to add to the fleet of ageing trains. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Testing the Dalian train sets

Pia Gutierrez

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA -- The MRT-3 Dalian trains, which have been non-operational since 2016, returned to the dracks on Wednesday, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said. </p><p>At the sidelines of an event announcing a 50-percent discount on train fares for <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/16/marcos-announces-50-pct-train-fare-discount-for-seniors-pwds-0928" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">senior citizens and persons with disability</a>, Marcos said government has assembled 3 trains with 3 cars each.</p><p>&quot;Nakabili tayo ng 48 karwahe...hindi ito nagamit kaya ang ginawa natin binalikan itong mga ito, at tiniyak natin kung ano man yung kailangang gawin para magamit itong Dalian train na ito ay gawin na natin,&quot; the President said.</p><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display:flex;max-width:560px;width:100%;margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:10px"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1945294458402001189&amp;lang=en&amp;maxWidth=560px&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com%2F%23%2Fworkspace%2Fmonitoring%3Fitem%3Durn%3Anewsml%3Aod2-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com%3A2025-07-16T02%3A55%3A25.423089%3A32d04fb8-62e7-43df-9711-403437ca7f35%26action%3Dedit%26popup&amp;sessionId=16caf64ffe32c5e89371945ac9a5ce65e4d483eb&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&amp;width=550px" style="position:static;visibility:visible;width:560px;height:316px;display:block;flex-grow:1" data-tweet-id="1945294458402001189"></iframe></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8"></script><p>In a statement, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said the trains&#x27; manufacturer, Chinese firm CCRC Dalian Co., modified the trains to address compatibility issues at no cost to the Philippine government.</p><p>The Dalian trains were bought in 2014 under the term of former President Benigno &quot;Noynoy&quot; Aquino, but they were not used because they were not compatible with the MRT train system.</p><p>The issue with these trains returned to the fore last year after Sen. Raffy Tulfo said he planned to reopen an investigation into the purchase of the coaches.</p><p>Then-Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista explained that the trains were overweight, which meant deploying them would lead to higher operating and maintenance costs.</p><p>In September 2024, the DOTr said it wanted to deploy the Dalian trains by the middle of 2025 after years of being idle.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/9/5/dotr-aims-to-deploy-mrt-3-dalian-trains-by-mid-2025-2227" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">DOTr aims to deploy MRT-3 Dalian trains by mid-2025</a></div><p>The DOTr said the trains underwent safety checks and compliance procedures with Japan’s Sumitomo Corporation, MRT-3’s current maintenance provider, before they were deployed on Wednesday morning.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/6/6/dotr-asks-mrt-3-contractor-to-quicken-review-of-unused-dalian-trains-1300" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">DOTr asks MRT-3 contractor to quicken review of unused Dalian trains</a></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/business/2024/7/5/issue-with-dalian-trains-likely-headed-for-arbitration-says-dotr-chief-2126" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Issue with Dalian trains likely headed for arbitration, says DOTr chief</a></div><p>Marcos said government would continue to look into more of the Dalian trains so they could serve additional passengers.  </p><p>The 48 Dalian trains can each carry up to 1,200 passengers. Once fully deployed, they can reduce train intervals from 4 minutes to 2.5 minutes.</p><div> </div>

Dalian trains back on MRT-3 tracks after idling for nearly 10 years: Marcos

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Dalian trains back on MRT-3 tracks after idling for nearly 10 years: Marcos

Pia Gutierrez,

Benise Balaoing,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 16, 2025 11:42 AM PHT

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