HOW TO GO TO MAKATI

With or without a Makati map in tow, there are numerous ways to commute in and out of Makati.

BY CAR

Two of Metro Manila’s main roads lead you to Makati. Epifanio De los Santos Avenue (EDSA) passes along the southeast part of Makati and connects the city with Mandaluyong City and Pasay City. The South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) runs through the western part of Makati and connects the city with Manila to the north and with southern Metro Manila. The Skyway, an elevated highway built on top of SLEX, provides residents from southern Metro Manila a speedy alternative to reach Makati.

Other major roads in Makati include Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue (also known as Buendia), which connects with EDSA and SLEX in the north; Ayala Avenue, a main street that runs through the Central Business District; and Makati Avenue, which connects Ayala Avenue with Buendia Avenue and also extends north to cross the Pasig River to Mandaluyong City.

BY BUS

Buses with routes along EDSA pass through the Makati Central Business District daily. Note the separate loading and unloading zones along Ayala Avenue.

UNLOADING ZONES

From EDSA to Makati Avenue – Rustan’s

Other destinations in the zone:

Ascott Makati
Glorietta
Makati Shangri-La
Ritz Towers
Discovery Primea
The Peninsula Manila
Somerset Olympia
6750 Ayala Avenue

Drivers of public utility vehicle (PUV) usually refers to this unloading zone as “Rustan’s.” Tell them Rustan’s if alighting to any of the destinations above or headed to Makati Avenue.

From Paseo De Roxas to V.A. Rufino Street – PBCom Tower

Other destinations in the zone:

Alphaland Tower
Ayala Life FGU Center – Makati
BPI Building
GT Tower
Insular Life Building
Lepanto Building
LKG Tower
Multinational Bancorporation Centre
Makati Sky Plaza
Philamlife Tower
Robinsons Summit Center
Rufino Pacific Tower
Security Bank Centre
Smart Tower
Solaris One
SSS Makati Branch

PUV drivers usually refer to this unloading zone as “PBCom” or “Paseo.” Mention these places to disembark in this segment of Ayala Avenue.

LOADING ZONES

From Makati Avenue to Paseo De Roxas:

– Allied Bank Center
– Ayala Tower One
– Makati Stock Exchange
– The Enterprise Center

From V.A. Rufino Street to Salcedo Street:

– Convergys One Building
– GT Tower
– SLC Building
– Rufino Pacific Tower

JEEPNEY ROUTES

Like other commercial centers and bustling cities in the country, commuting via jeepneys is one of the preferred methods to reach Makati CBD. Below are the jeepney routes to remember when heading to the throughfares on the Makati CBD vicinity map.

Guadalupe (East) – Cartimar (West)

To reach Buendia Avenue, get on the Guadalupe-Cartimar jeep. It goes through the length of Buendia from EDSA (Makati) to Taft Avenue (Manila).

Ayala MRT (East) – Washington (West)

To travel to Ayala Avenue, select the Ayala-Washington jeep. It goes through Ayala Avenue from EDSA to Yakal (Ayala Extension near the Fire Station).

Pasay Road (East) – Libertad (West)

Ride the Pasay Road – Libertad jeep to pass through the length of Antonio Arnaiz Avenue from Makati Avenue (near Landmark) and Taft Avenue (Manila).

PRC (North) – Mantrade / Kayamanan C (South)

To reach Chino Roces Avenue, get on the PRC-Mantrade C jeep as it traverses the length of Pasong Tamo from J.P. Rizal and EDSA (near MRT Magallanes Station).

Ayala (South) – Pateros (North)

The Ayala-Pateros jeep goes through the length of Makati Avenue from Paseo de Roxas and Pasay Road (near Landmark).

Ayala Loop

Get on the Ayala Loop jeep to traverse the length of Paseo de Roxas from Pasay Road to Ayala Avenue (Northbound only).

Makati Loop

Meanwhile, the Makati Loop is the ride for traversing the length of Makati Avenue from Buendia Avenue and Pasay Road (near Landmark).

Unfortunately, some parts of Paseo de Roxas aren’t open for jeepneys. The only option is to walk the along the stretch. These parts are:

Between Ayala Avenue and Makati Avenue near the Ayala Triangle Park (500 meters)

Between Ayala Avenue and Pasay Road southbound from Ayala to Pasay Road (1 kilometer)

Ayala Avenue and Pasay Road northbound when Ayala Loop jeepney is not available (1 kilometer)

In addition, parts of Ayala Avenue have no pedestrian crossing. There are underpasses at specific intersections to allow people to reach various parts of Ayala Avenue and Paseo de Roxas. Using a Makati map, find these underpasses at:

– Ayala Avenue corner Makati Avenue
– Ayala Avenue corner Paseo de Roxas
– Ayala Avenue corner V.A. Rufino
– Paseo de Roxas corner Sedeno

POINT-TO-POINT (P2P) SCHEDULED BUS SERVICE

P2P Bus Service is available within Metro Manila to and from malls in the North (TriNoma), South (Alabang Town Center), and Ortigas (SM Megamall and Robinsons Galleria).

Today, P2P buses transport people from North EDSA, Fairview, Ortigas, Alabang, and South Park several times daily. The fare ranges from P30 to P100. There are new P2P Bus Service routes from Las Piñas, Cavite and Rizal. Tickets start from P100 to P150.

PREMIUM BUS

In partnership with Ube Express, airport transfers to Makati are also available. Premium buses transfer people from NAIA 1, 2 and 3 to Ayala Center 4x daily. The fare is only Php150.

AYALA FORT BUS

The Ayala Fort Bus serves as a link between the Makati Central Business District and Bonifacio Global City. It mainly traverses McKinley Road and the following roads in Bonifacio Global City: McKinley Parkway, 5th Avenue, 26th Street, Rizal Drive, and 32nd Street.

Other than the Fort Bus, buses with codes B1 to B3 pass through EDSA, Ayala-Buendia, and SLEX.

More info here: https://www.jica.go.jp/philippine/english/office/topics/news/pdf/mmtm_makati_103_2.pdf

BY TRAIN

The Metro Rail Transit (MRT) is a quick and inexpensive way to get into the city. Also known as the “Blue Line” or “Line 3,” the MRT is composed of 13 stations stretched across EDSA. Its operating hours are from 5:00 AM – 1:00 AM during weekdays, and 5:30 AM – 10:30 PM during weekends.

The MRT elevated train has four stations along the main thoroughfare EDSA that can bring you to Makati. These are the Guadalupe, Buendia, Ayala and Magallanes stations. Getting off at the Ayala Station will set you in the middle of the Ayala Center, a complex of shopping malls and restaurants.

In here, you can go from Cubao to Makati. MRT fares cost from Php 13 to Php 28. Buendia MRT station is your likely drop off point. The Ayala Triangle Garden is just 15 minutes away from Ayala Avenue.

The cost of an MRT ticket ranges from 11 to 14 pesos. The Manila Train Guide is a useful app that has a map and tips on how to use the train system.

GOING AROUND MAKATI

In Makati City, particularly in the central business district (CBD), jeepney is the primary mode of transportation. Here are the jeepney routes in Makati you need to take.

Senator Gil Puyat/Buendia Avenue – Guadalupe – Cartimar
Ayala Avenue – Ayala MRT – Washington
Antonio Arnaiz Avenue/Pasay Road – Pasay Road – Libertad
Pasong Tamo/Chino Roces – PRC – Mantrade/Kayamanan
Makati Avenue – Makati Loop and Ayala – Pateros
Paseo de Roxas – Ayala – Pateros and Ayala Loop
Salcedo Village/Legaspi Village – Makati Green Route (MGR)