Pasig River Cruise

In 2007 the Pasig River Ferry Service opened its doors to the public, addressing the weary concerns of heavy traffic along the streets of Metro Manila. The service uses closed, air-conditioned catamarans which has a capacity of 152 people. Currently there are five stations ready for operation: Escolta, Santa Ana, Guadalupe, Hulo and Lambingan.

Boats
The entire system uses twin-hulled, double-engined, catamaran-type boats that have a maximum seating capacity of 150 people. The boats are air-conditioned and all boats are equipped with radio, sound systems and a public address system and utilizes fixed plastic chairs and also contains separate comfort rooms for male and female.


Stations
The stations are fully-air conditioned and all are housed with separate comfort rooms for male and females. Also, every station are employed with cashiers that sells tickets for passengers.

When it comes to ticketing, some stations employ the paper-based traditional tickets similar to tickets issued in the buses in the Philippines. However, some stations, especially the first 5 stations (Escolta, PUP Station, Santa Ana, Hulo and Guadalupe) are employing the bar-code based ticketing system which are scanned with a bar-code reader before the passenger enters the station.


Fares
There are three prices of tickets available in the ferry, a P25, P35 and a P45 ticket. The Pasig River Ferry Service also provides student discounts for student passengers. A P20 ticket is available for students regardless of the distance.

Landmarks
Pasig River's location and the subsequent growth of Manila and the surrounding settlements has made the river a focal point for development and historical events. The foremost landmark on the banks of the river is the walled district of Intramuros, located near the mouth of the river on its southern bank and was built by the Spanish colonial government in the 16th century. Further upstream is the Hospicio de San Jose, an orphanage located on Pasig's sole island, the Isla de Convalescencia. On the northern bank stands Malacañang Palace, the official residence of the President of the Philippines. Also on Pasig River's northern bank and within the Manila district of Sta. Mesa is the main campus of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines.

In Makati City, along the southern bank of Pasig, is the Sta. Ana Racetrack and the Rockwell Commercial Center, a high-end office and commercial area containing the Power Plant Mall. At the confluence of Pasig River and Marikina River is the Napindan Hydraulic Control Structure, which regulates the flow of water from the Napindan Channel.


Source: Wikipedia