You might find yourself short a few pesos for a Single Journey Ticket or realize you’ve forgotten your wallet at home only when you arrive. Luckily for commuters who prefer cashless payments, the new contactless fare system at MRT-3 offers a convenient solution.
Photo: DOTr MRT-3/Facebook
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced that commuters can now use their e-wallets and Mastercard credit, debit, and prepaid cards starting on Friday, July 25, to pay the fare for all MRT-3 stations.
For every MRT-3 station, there will be one turnstile that accepts cashless payments, while another will be allotted for debit or credit card payments. Passengers can simply tap their phones to pay for the fare.
This move highlights Southeast Asia’s shift toward open-loop payment systems, made possible through collaboration among governments, transit agencies, financial institutions, and partners like Mastercard. With this system, commuters can use their bank cards or mobile wallets to pay directly for fares. Mastercard users also enjoy added protection against skimming and fraud through built-in security features.
However, senior citizens, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and students who are entitled to discounted fares will still have to purchase single-journey tickets for now.
Cashless payments are also set to roll out at LRT-1 and LRT-2 stations in the coming months.
In May 2025, DOTr Secretary Vince Dizon announced that they would deploy cashless turnstiles for the Automatic Fare Collection (AFC) system, in line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to make public transport more convenient.
“Nakikita na naman natin ito sa ibang bansa. So, iyon ang sabi ng ating Pangulo, gawin na rin natin ‘yung mga modern facilities sa ibang bansa dito para sa mga kababayan natin (We’re already seeing this in other countries. So, as our President said, let’s also implement those modern facilities here for our fellow Filipinos),” Dizon said according to a report published by the Presidential Communications Office.
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