CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga — Travelers may soon be able to reach Makati’s central business district from Clark International Airport in less than an hour through the planned Airport Express service under the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR), a major transportation project expected to improve connectivity between Central Luzon and Metro Manila.
Department of Transportation (DOTr) Assistant Secretary for Right-of-Way Acquisition for Rail and Road Irish “IC” Calaguas said the Airport Express will make Clark Station the northern terminal of a direct rail service connecting Clark International Airport to Makati’s financial district.
The station, which forms part of the 147-kilometer NSCR, will be located within the Clark International Airport complex and linked to the passenger terminal through an elevated walkway, allowing travelers to transfer between rail and air transport more conveniently.
Calaguas said the connection is intended to create a seamless travel experience for passengers while strengthening Clark’s role as one of the country’s major transportation gateways.
Once the NSCR becomes fully operational, the railway is expected to accommodate up to 800,000 passengers daily along its route from Clark, Pampanga, to Calamba, Laguna, significantly reducing travel time for commuters and airport passengers.
The railway project follows portions of the historic Philippine National Railways corridor, including areas associated with the Bataan Death March during World War II, preserving an important transportation route while modernizing it for present-day mobility.
Passenger rail, not freight
Transportation officials clarified that the NSCR is designed exclusively for passenger operations.
According to Calaguas, while the trains will have sufficient space for travelers carrying luggage, they are not intended to transport cargo.
Instead, freight services are expected to be handled by the proposed Subic–Clark–Manila–Batangas Railway, an expanded rail network currently undergoing a feasibility study. The existing Subic–Clark Railway Project has already secured approval from the Economic Development Council and is expected to connect the Subic and Clark Freeports for both cargo and passenger movement.
Supporting Clark’s airport city vision
The Airport Express project is expected to complement the long-term development of the Clark AeroDistrict, a 759-hectare master-planned airport city recently unveiled by Luzon International Premiere Airport Development (LIPAD) Corp., the private operator of Clark International Airport.
LIPAD President and Chief Executive Officer Noel Manankil said the development aims to transform Clark into the country’s first world-class airport city while helping ease congestion and capacity limitations experienced in Metro Manila.
The AeroDistrict’s master plan, prepared by global infrastructure consulting firm AECOM, includes four primary development zones covering passenger terminals, cargo and logistics, aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), and general aviation.
One of its flagship projects is the planned Cargo City, a 30-hectare logistics hub designed to accommodate increasing cargo volumes, strengthen supply chains, and attract additional logistics companies and investors.
Manankil said LIPAD remains open to partnerships through joint ventures and long-term lease arrangements to accelerate development within the AeroDistrict.
Passenger traffic continues to grow
Clark International Airport continues to record steady passenger growth.
According to LIPAD, the airport handled 2,753,101 passengers in 2025, representing a 14 percent increase from the 2,404,888 travelers recorded in 2024.
Airport officials are optimistic that passenger traffic will surpass three million this year as more airlines expand their operations.
