PNR in a Nutshell… A Literal Nutshell

The Philippine National Railway has been a part of daily commuters going to Manila. It is the most affordable and most convenient way to travel around the capital city of the Philippines.

However, at some points, PNR is not as convenient as we thought it would be. Here are some of my bizarre experiences inside of what I could best describe as a literal nutshell. 

PNR Sardines

Since PNR is such a convenient means of transportation for locals, it would also result in a huge amount of commuters every single day. During rush hours, the Philippine National Railway is the fastest way to reach your destination. However, it is also not the most comfortable means to reach there. 

Every morning, several stations on the northbound route are filled with commuters. Most of them are students from different universities, working personnel, and casual commuters who want to visit Divisoria. 

With that, all train wagons are heavily congested with commuters from different stations. Imagine being trapped in a box filled with people for like a whole hour of traveling while standing. For me, it is such a burden to experience such a chaotic environment early in the morning going to school. 

Summer Season Ahead

The aircon inside the train will help every commuter along the way to be more comfortable while traveling along the tracks of PNR. However, it is not always a chilling experience when traveling in PNR. 

What happens when the air-conditioning unit suddenly stops working? Well, one thing is for sure. Everyone on that train will start to feel the scorching heat stored inside each wagon. It feels like you are inside a human-sized oven with the heat you will be experiencing along the way. 

Lucky for those who are in an older version of the PNR train, they have the option to open the windows inside the wagon. However, this is not the case for the newly installed PNR train. The windows in the newest wagons can not be opened. Thus, people have no choice but to endure the heat inside each ride. 

The PNR Time

The train schedules are delayed or not strictly observed due to multiple circumstances. With that, always hope for the best every time you will choose to ride on the Philippine National Railway. 

Most of the time, the cause of delays is mechanical failures along the way. PNR would stop most of its operation to give way to fix the issue on a certain train stuck on the tracks. Imagine you are rushing to work when all of a sudden, the train stops on its tracks and announces that there is an issue with the train. 

Aside from that, the PNR is also not safe when it comes to natural disasters such as typhoons. The tracks and route of PNR, both southbound and northbound, are located along the mainland which makes it susceptible to flooding. 

Let’s be real here, the transportation system in our country still has to undergo a lot of improvement. In order to provide the best for everyone, the higher-ups must attend to the needs of their constituents.