The Department of Transportation (DOTr) aims to partially open the Metro Rail Transit Line 7 (MRT-7) by the second quarter of 2027, with its first 12 stations set to begin service.
Stretching 22 kilometers, the rail line will connect North Avenue in Quezon City to San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, cutting travel time between the two areas from up to three hours to just 35 minutes, according to Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez.
The project’s private concessionaire, SMC MRT-7 Corporation – a unit of San Miguel Corporation – has signed an operations and maintenance agreement with Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL). Starting July 2025, KORAIL will provide technical guidance on setting up core systems, safety rules, and maintenance processes, drawing on its experience managing large rail networks. Initial work over the first year will focus on meeting pre-launch requirements and stabilizing systems, with long-term support to ensure smooth operations and share global best practices.
The full MRT-7 will have 14 stations in total. It is projected to serve 300,000 passengers in its first year of operation. Related facilities will include an intermodal transport hub for other public transport modes, plus a 19-kilometer highway linking San Jose del Monte to Bocaue, Bulacan.
