What is the best way to travel to Angeles City from Manila (NAIA) airport?

[NicolaNewman]

I'm from Angeles and It's easy and cheap to ride a taxi from NAIA airport to cubao 5 star terminal / Victory Liner terminal and ride a bus going to DAU then you can ride a jeep or tryke to Angeles.

[Shark5]

I think 10 per cent of the fare, about p300, is enough plus buy him some food or drink if you stop.

This is about what I tip as well and I usually stop mid way and get some food. I have bought a meal for the driver as well. Just make sure you check the cab before booking it. One time I just jumped in and it was the junkiest cab I have ever seen. Rattled and made loud noises all the way to AC, plus the seats were crooked. Gave me a back ache.

[Dg8787]

I should have been incoming 4th year already. Sayang, I got delayed.

Brat4 - do you know Vanni Cristi?

For the quickest way is to use the transportation representatives as you exit the airport. They have a chart with the listed price to each destinations. They should have a set price for Angeles.

[JamesJoymn]

I should have been incoming 4th year already. Sayang, I got delayed.

Brat4 - do you know Vanni Cristi?

[Amavida]

I would think the best solution would be to fly into CRK instead of MNL. Clark Airport is right near the perimeter and I think many hotels would pick you up for free.

Of course it would which I live in Clark instead of Manila but airlines are steadily reducing service to CRK. Most international folks are forced to arrive via MNL. Work into your plans? Arrive Manila or Cebu, meet lots of girls, head to Angeles by hotel car from Manila or flight Cebu-Clark for 72 hours of quality time with the ladeez then back to your debarking city for a wrap up fling.

[Random99]

I'm genuinely bewildered at the seemingly endless discussions about how to get to Angeles. Guys are spending thousands of dollars on airline tickets, hundreds more on hotel rooms, meals, bar fines and drinks, all for the purpose of having as much fun as possible. Given the size of the financial outlay why would anyone not just spend Php2,700 or so and arrange for a private car. Who cares about the savings of $25-30 within this context? I read with amazement the stories of guys taking jeepneys, trikes and cramped vans, thus sacrificing precious time and physical comfort, all for the sake of a few bucks. It makes zero sense to me.

GE.

LOL, I shop at SM supermarket (1 km away) to buy cheaper vegetables rather than the Robinsons Select (walking distance).

[RoqueHard]

As usually when I arrive Manila I go up to Pangasinan and passing by Angeles I describe my usual route.

Option 1 (Cheap, no much husteling, but slow):

1. Grab Uber ride from NAIA to Victory Liner Passay or 5 Star Liner at EDSA. (If you're really on the cheap you can wait for the Airport Shuttle wich goes around Airport Terminal, Heritage Hotel, EDSA).

2. At the Victory or 5 Star bus Terminal grab the next bus going northern (Bolinao, Baguio, Dagupan, Vigan, Laoag), 90% of the buses take a stop in Angeles / DAU (DAU is the big Bus Terminal in Angeles) so just to make sure ask the conductor if that bus is going to Dau.

That tour is heavy dependent on the traffic in Manila because you need to pass manila mostly completely, and can range from 2 h to 6-8 h in high traffic.

Option 2 (Cheap and fast but a bit more husteling).

1. Grab an Uber ride or Airport Shuttle going to EDSA.

2. AT Edsa walk up the stairs to LRT1, buy a ticket to "Monumento" (around 30 php) and ride the train to Monumento (direction Roosevelt).

3. At Monumento go down the Stairs, cross the street and walk around Victory Mall or if you want you also can go through the Mall, the Victory Station is right behind.

4. Bord the next bus going Northern (Bolinao, Baguio, Dagupan, Vigan, Laoag), 90% of the buses take a stop in Angeles / DAU (DAU is the big Bus Terminal in Angeles) so just to make sure ask the conductor if that bus is going to Dau.

That bus tour to Angeles is about 1 - 1,5 hours in mostly any traffic situations because you're starting your bus ride in Caloocan and the Expressway is only 3-5 kilometers away and so you prevent manila traffic. Its a bit more husteling if you got lots of luggage because you need to go up and down the LRT stairs, but if you can carry all your stuff at once up the stairs its no problem. In my opinion it is the fastest way from NAIA leaving Manila in northern direction on daytime traffic. On daytime its like impossible to cross manila in taxi or uber in less than 1,5 to 2 hours.

Arriving in Angeles / DAU, you can directly check in at SOGO wich is directly besides the bus terminals cheap place to stay but for 1 or 2 night ok.

Greetz.

Roque.

[Blanquiceleste]

I have my transportation setup through Margarita station and I have a question for you guys. Do you tip that driver? If so how much? I'm used to tipping almost everyone but don't want to ruin it for everyone else by tipping when I shouldn't or tipping too much. I figured if I had him stop for food I'd buy a meal and maybe a small tip. Let me know.

Assuming you are travelling from NAIA to AC (given that you posted in this thread) the "current" damages are 2700 P-2800 P one way. I hand out 3 bills of 1000 and ask the driver to keep the change. I stop sometimes for a snack midway, but I have not offered to buy the driver any. And he does not seem to mind.

[Hutsori]

I have my transportation setup through Margarita station and I have a question for you guys. Do you tip that driver? If so how much? I'm used to tipping almost everyone but don't want to ruin it for everyone else by tipping when I shouldn't or tipping too much. I figured if I had him stop for food I'd buy a meal and maybe a small tip. Let me know.

I think 10 per cent of the fare, about p300, is enough plus buy him some food or drink if you stop.

[Tojo 5445]

I have my transportation setup through Margarita station and I have a question for you guys. Do you tip that driver? If so how much? I'm used to tipping almost everyone but don't want to ruin it for everyone else by tipping when I shouldn't or tipping too much. I figured if I had him stop for food I'd buy a meal and maybe a small tip. Let me know.

[MS Clive]

I would think the best solution would be to fly into CRK instead of MNL. Clark Airport is right near the perimeter and I think many hotels would pick you up for free.

2 reasons as far as I can tell:

1) Fewer flight options which can be more expensive too.

2) No visa on arrival for passport holders of some countries.

[SlutLuster]

I would think the best solution would be to fly into CRK instead of MNL. Clark Airport is right near the perimeter and I think many hotels would pick you up for free.

[Pantot]

I'm genuinely bewildered at the seemingly endless discussions about how to get to Angeles. Guys are spending thousands of dollars on airline tickets, hundreds more on hotel rooms, meals, bar fines and drinks, all for the purpose of having as much fun as possible. Given the size of the financial outlay why would anyone not just spend Php2,700 or so and arrange for a private car. Who cares about the savings of $25-30 within this context? I read with amazement the stories of guys taking jeepneys, trikes and cramped vans, thus sacrificing precious time and physical comfort, all for the sake of a few bucks. It makes zero sense to me.
GE.

In my country (US) you would be considered a classic conservative republican. Heheh.

Why doesn't everyone have the same values as me? Why doesn't everyone take the safest fastest most antiseptic albeit most expensive route? Why do people not have an unlimited budget?

Well the Phils is a third world country and Angeles in particular is one of the worlds most famous budget sex monger destination. Just 10 years ago there were no 4 or 5 star hotels there and barely any 3 star. Even today probably well over 50% of the hotel rooms where foriegners stay are 1 and 2 star. They mostly don't post here and brag about it but AC is not Makati and few there are on an expense account.

For alot of us its an adventure and a game and we don't mind rubbing elbows with the unwashed masses from time to time. I'm there 3 to 4 times a year for 15 to 20 days at a time and I have taken every travel method imaginable.

1) AC hotel private car is not always an option for some of us who are winging it and not aways sure exactly when we might be going to AC depending on how things go with the other girls not in AC.

2) Swaggy bus takes you direct to your hotel, so if the times they Fly line up with your schedule and getting to or being near Ermita is in your plan you can save P2000 to 50 USD not bad, and may cost you a couple of hours.

3) The Taxi to Victory bus may seem like a ghastly inconvienence to you but for you, but for some of us like me on a 400 hour adventure to the Phils spending a couple of extra hours in an afternoon to save a that P2000 is at times worth it and part of the adventure.

Often a jeep can get you the same place or close enough in the same amount of time for 1/10th the cost of a trike in AC. We are talking about AC here right? There are no taxis to speak of in the monger areas have you been there? You pick up a girl at a bar and your hotel taxi waits outside? Not in the AC I know.

I for the past 5 years was a loyal Delta flyer to get the perks so I always had that early morning return flight home from Manila. My Phils adventures always ended up in AC so as to not give my province GF's the clap, so yeah I always milked the last few days like a (mostly sober) drunken sailor and stayed up all night that last blessed night and took the private car to the airport curled up in the back seat. The driver last August was able to find a Mercury drug somewhere along the route open at 5 am to get that Zithro that I eventually would need this time so it all worked out.

But yeah not all Mongers stay in 4 and 5 star hotels and some like to save a few pesos and don't mind public transport and enjoy the adventure of lifes unknowns.

[Engine Driver]

I'm genuinely bewildered at the seemingly endless discussions about how to get to Angeles. Guys are spending thousands of dollars on airline tickets, hundreds more on hotel rooms, meals, bar fines and drinks, all for the purpose of having as much fun as possible. Given the size of the financial outlay why would anyone not just spend Php2,700 or so and arrange for a private car. Who cares about the savings of $25-30 within this context? I read with amazement the stories of guys taking jeepneys, trikes and cramped vans, thus sacrificing precious time and physical comfort, all for the sake of a few bucks. It makes zero sense to me.

GE.

I fully agree with you. The best way to get to AC is by taxi. Either arrange for your AC Hotel to pick you up or you can book on line at Margherita Station and they will send a nice taxi to pick you up for PHP 2,800. You can even get a taxi at the Arrivals area upstairs and negotiate with the driver. He will charge around PHP 2,500.

Depending on the time of day, even in a taxi, it could you take you two hours just to clear Manila metro traffic before getting on the North Luzon Express Way to AC. This then makes it a 3-hour trip.

Sure you can save a few pesos by taking a taxi to the Victory Liner Terminal in Pasay City, then getting the bus to Dau and then getting the trike to your AC Hotel. But trust me, it's not worth the hassle. It will just add another hour to your trip, plus the waiting around at Pasay City for the bus to Dau.

[Hutsori]

Who cares about the savings of $25-30 within this context?

I think there is more than one context. Sure, someone who's flying in for a few days to two weeks would likely prefer to travel to AC as expeditiously and as comfortably as possible. But, there's also blokes who are on extended holidays of months or years or retired and are more budget minded.

Intent here was to post all the options in one easy-to-locate place so that we don't have to keep reading what's-the-best-way-to-AC posts in the AC thread.