Philippines

How to get fromManila to La Union

Want to explore the 3 best ways to travel from Manila to La Union? In this guide, we'll explain how to travel this 265 kilometers (165 miles) distance and compare each option by duration, price, and comfort. For each transport method, we'll help you pick the best provider and show you where to book your tickets.

Written by Ela - Senior Travel WriterReviewed by Abegail - Travel WriterLast updated: October 6, 2024

Leaving from...

Going to...

Transport Options

Bus Bus going to Ilocos or Abra Private Transfer

Show all options

What to expect when visiting La Union

Looking for a nice beach to chill, surf or have a little party? La Union is a little surfer town located on the island of Luzon, the same as the capital city, Manila. Only a 5 to 8-hour ride from Manila, it’s an ideal spot to visit for a few days.

The region is known for longboarding, but occasionally you also find some bigger waves that are perfect for intermediates. And if you’re not an avid surfer, La Union is still a laidback spot to escape the chaos of the city.

Keep in mind that many locals head to La Union from Friday to Sunday and during holidays. This means buses can get fully booked. We suggest booking your bus ticket at least a week in advance to secure a seat. Alternatively, you can take a private transfer for a more convenient trip.

3 ways to get from Manila to La Union

The 3 ways to travel the distance of 265 kilometers (165 miles) from Manila to La Union are by: bus (6 hours to 7 hours 25 minutes), private transfer (5 hours) and bus going to Ilocos or Abra (6 hours). The journey duration ranges between 5 hours to 7 hours 25 minutes and the quickest way is by private transfer. The lowest priced tickets start from 590 PHP (€9.70) for the bus going to ilocos or abra.

Transport

Duration

Pricing

Transport Options

Bus

6h - 7h 25m

From €12.90

Book Tickets

Bus going to Ilocos or Abra

From 590 PHP (€9.70)

Private Transfer

From €270

Book Tickets

Manila to La Union by Bus

Duration: 6h - 7h 25m

Costs: €12.90

Duration: 6h - 7h 25m

Costs: €12.90

Partas Transportation is the only bus company offering direct routes from Manila to La Union with the convenience of online booking. Other operators on this route include Viron Transit and Maria De Leon, though they may not have frequent departures or online booking options.

We suggest taking either a late-night or an early-morning trip — between midnight and 02:00 in the morning. This way, you can avoid heavy traffic during the day and sleep through the trip.

Bus prices start from €12.90 for a journey of 6 hours to 7 hours 25 minutes.

Partas Transport

Partas Transport offers Luxury, Super Deluxe and Deluxe buses. All of these have good legroom and reclining seats so you can expect a comfortable journey.

Partas has a terminal in Cubao and in Pasay. It has several departures throughout the day, but note that those departing in the morning up to early afternoon are usually regular buses with very basic amenities and smaller seats. Also, they generally make more stops, which means longer travel time.

Kate's insider tip

When departing from Manila in the evening, around 20:00-22:00, let your accommodation know beforehand that you’ll arrive in the middle of the night. With fewer pickups and drop-offs at night, the bus journey could take as little as 5 hours. There’s a high chance everything will be closed when you arrive in La Union.

Bus Schedule from Manila to La Union

Partas Transportation Pasay

Deluxe

San Fernando Partas Bus Terminal

09:00

7h 18m

16:18

09:00

7h 18m

16:18

13:00

7h 18m

20:18

13:00

7h 18m

20:18

16:00

7h 18m

23:18

16:00

7h 18m

23:18

20:00

7h 18m

03:18

20:00

7h 18m

03:18

23:55

7h 18m

07:13

23:55

7h 18m

07:13

Partas Transportation Company

€12.90

Partas Transportation Cubao

Super Deluxe

San Fernando Partas Bus Terminal

21:00

7h 4m

04:04

21:00

7h 4m

04:04

22:00

7h 4m

05:04

22:00

7h 4m

05:04

23:00

7h 4m

06:04

23:00

7h 4m

06:04

Partas Transportation Company

€13

Partas Transportation Pasay

Deluxe

San Juan La Union

09:00

15:00

09:00

15:00

13:00

19:00

13:00

19:00

16:00

22:00

16:00

22:00

20:00

02:00

20:00

02:00

23:55

05:55

23:55

05:55

Partas Transportation Company

€13.40

Partas Transportation Pasay

Deluxe

Sebay

09:00

7h 25m

16:25

09:00

7h 25m

16:25

13:00

7h 25m

20:25

13:00

7h 25m

20:25

16:00

7h 25m

23:25

16:00

7h 25m

23:25

20:00

7h 25m

03:25

20:00

7h 25m

03:25

23:55

7h 25m

07:20

23:55

7h 25m

07:20

Partas Transportation Company

€13.40

Partas Transportation Cubao

Super Deluxe

San Juan La Union

21:00

04:00

21:00

04:00

22:00

05:00

22:00

05:00

23:00

06:00

23:00

06:00

Partas Transportation Company

€13.50

Partas Transportation Cubao

Super Deluxe

Sebay

21:00

7h 11m

04:11

21:00

7h 11m

04:11

22:00

7h 11m

05:11

22:00

7h 11m

05:11

23:00

7h 11m

06:11

23:00

7h 11m

06:11

Partas Transportation Company

€13.50

Show 1 more operator(s)

Departure Stations

Partas Transportation has different departure stations in Metro Manila:

Pasay City (5 km from Makati)
Cubao, Quezon City (11 km from Makati)

Makati is the most popular area in Metro Manila to stay. All bus stations are accessible by Grab or taxi from anywhere in Metro Manila. Fares start from 250 PHP (€4.10).

Arrival Stations

There are two drop-off points in La Union.

Maria De Leon buses arrive at Bataan Transit Bus Terminal in San Fernando. From here, you can take a 10-minute jeepney or tricycle ride to San Juan Beach, the main surfing beach in the area. Fares range from 10 PHP (€0.20) to 120 PHP (€2).

The buses from Pasay operated by Partas Transportation make their last stop at San Juan bus stop. This stop is in front of the municipal hall, about a 5-minute drive from the popular San Juan Beach. You can ask the conductor to drop you off in this area. If you miss this stop, you can also take a jeepney or a tricycle back to the beach area.

Note: Beware of people in terminals offering van rides to La Union. Van drivers are known for driving too fast, and they often overcharge passengers. Also, the legroom and overall comfort offered in buses are better than vans.

Manila to La Union by Bus going to Ilocos or Abra

Duration: 6 hours

Costs: 590 PHP (€9.70)

Duration: 6 hours

Costs: 590 PHP (€9.70)

Most buses operating from Manila to La Union make their last stop in the town of San Fernando. This is still 10 km away from the surf town in San Juan. But the good thing is, these aren’t the only buses that can take you to La Union.

If you want a bus that goes directly to San Juan, you can catch any of the buses departing for the following areas:

Province of Ilocos: Narvacan, Vigan, Laoag, Candon, Cabugao
Province of Abra: Bangued

You should be able to see bus signs for these destinations as you arrive at the terminal. But if you don’t, an attendant can point you in the right direction.

Travel time is also 6 hours, the same as the buses travelling from Manila to La Union. The only difference is that these buses continue their journey north after dropping off passengers in La Union.

Some companies operating on this route are Viron Transit (from Cubao), Viron Transit (from Dapitan), Maria De Leon (from Avenida), Partas (from Pasay), Partas (from Cubao) and Fariñas Transit (from Sampaloc). Bus ticket prices from Manila to Ilocos/Abra via La Union start from 590 PHP (€9.70). We recommend buying your tickets at their respective bus stations.

Although some tickets are available for online booking, most likely they will charge you the full price to Ilocos or Abra even though you’re getting off in La Union.

Bus schedules from Manila to Ilocos/Abra via La Union

Manila

La Union

11x departures a day 02:30-22:30

Viron Transit (from Cubao)

590 PHP (€9.70)

Get Your Tickets

Manila

La Union

6x departures a day from 03:30 to 22:00

Viron Transit (from Dapitan)

590 PHP (€9.70)

Get Your Tickets

Manila

La Union

6x departures a day from 06:30 to 19:30

Maria De Leon (from Avenida)

620 PHP (€10.10)

Get Your Tickets

Manila

La Union

20x departures a day from 02:30 to 23:55

Partas (from Pasay)

745 PHP (€12.20)

Get Your Tickets

Manila

La Union

25x departures a day from 02:00 to 23:55

Partas (from Cubao)

745 PHP (€12.20)

Get Your Tickets

Manila

La Union

10x departures a day from 07:00 to 23:00

Fariñas Transit (from Sampaloc)

1,000 PHP (€16.40)

Get Your Tickets

Show 1 more operator(s)

Maria de Leon Transport

Tickets with Maria De Leon can be reserved via their Facebook page. Travel time usually takes 6 hours. Note that the first trip does not take the expressway, so the bus journey can take 7-8 hours. Maria De Leon departs from Avenida (10 km from Makati).

Viron Transit

When travelling with Viron Transit, tickets are only available at their terminal. You can buy tickets in advance, but still only at their bus station at EDSA Cubao, Quezon City (12 km from Makati).

Fares are slightly more expensive for advanced booking, though. For any inquiries, you can visit the Viron Transit Facebook page. They are very responsive!

Fariñas Transit

Of the choices above, only Fariñas Transit does not operate direct trips from Manila to La Union, but it does offer daily bus trips to Laoag in Ilocos Norte.

With fares from 1,000 PHP (€16.40), it’s more expensive compared to the other choices. But it’s worth noting that Fariñas is known for its reliable bus service. It also offers clean buses that come with wide seats and good legroom.

Manila to La Union by Private Transfer

Duration: 5h

Costs: €270

Duration: 5h

Costs: €270

Travelling in a group? You can also consider taking a private transfer from Manila to La Union.

We think it’s worth getting a private transfer for convenience. When you divide the cost among your group, it’s only a little more expensive compared to taking the bus. Plus, with this door-to-door transfer, you save on taxi costs because you don’t have to find your way to/from bus stations

Rates start from 6,000 PHP (€98) for a car that can fit 4 people. There are also vans that can accommodate up to 10 people with prices from 11,000 PHP (€180).

For long-distance trips like this, we don’t recommend hailing just any taxi from the streets. There are plenty of companies operating private transfers from Manila to pretty much any province in Luzon. You can ask your hotel for referrals or you can check out Facebook groups dedicated for private transfers from Manila to La Union.

Normally, we’d recommend online booking platforms like BookAway or Klook. But for this route, their rates are quite expensive with prices from €270 for a 3-seater car.

Private Transfer options from Manila to La Union

Standard

Standard Car 3 PAX

Price per person = €90

Anis Transport

€270

Get Your Tickets

Standard

Standard Car 5 PAX

Price per person = €68

Anis Transport

€340

Get Your Tickets

Frequently Asked Questions about Manila to La Union

How do I commute from Manila to La Union?

You can take a bus from Manila to La Union. Buses depart from three terminals in Metro Manila: Avenida, Pasay and Cubao. Bus fares range from 580 PHP (€9.50) to 1,000 PHP (€16.40).

How long is the trip from Manila to La Union?

When travelling by bus from Manila to La Union, the journey takes 6-8 hours. Driving your own car is faster (around 4 hours) because you can take a series of expressways: the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx), the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx), and the Tarlac-Pampanga-La Union Expressway (TPLEx).

Which is better San Juan or San Fernando La Union?

Both San Juan and San Fernando in La Union have their own unique attractions and offer different experiences.

San Juan is known for its surf spots — Urbiztondo Beach and Bacnotan Beach — making it a popular destination for surfers and beach-goers. San Fernando, on the other hand, is the capital city of La Union province. It offers a more diverse range of attractions, like Pindangan Ruins, the Poro Point Lighthouse, and the La Union Botanical and Zoological Garden.

Why should I go to La Union?

If you’re looking for a quick beach getaway from Metro Manila, La Union is one of the best options. You’ll find here scenic beaches, good waves (from October to April), a wide array of accommodations (from budget-friendly guesthouses to luxurious resorts), and a long list of restaurants and cafes (which makes it a popular food trip destination, too!).

PRO TIP: Head to El Union Coffee for your caffeine boost and Tagpuan sa San Juan for affordable yet tasty Filipino rice bowls.

Do I need a negative RT-PCR test to enter La Union?

The last time we checked (January 2023), you don’t need a negative RT-PCR test to cross the border to La Union. But, you need to show your vaccination card, NAPANAM QR code, and your booking confirmation from an accredited accommodation.

Rounding it up

We hope this guide was helpful in planning how to get from Manila to La Union. If there's anything else you're wondering about, drop us a comment and we'll do our best to answer you within a few days.

PS: If you've recently travelled this route, share your experience with fellow travellers and help us improve this post. Thanks for helping out our travel community!

About the author(s)

Ela

Ela is a storyteller, content producer, solo traveller and a mermaid-in-training. When she’s not in front of her laptop, you will find her barefoot and living her best tan on some island in the Philippines… Or exploring the depths of its seas as a budding freediver. An island girl at heart, she’ll be happy anywhere there is sea, sand, sun and coffee.

Abegail

Abby is a writer who finds joy in mountains, beaches, and road trips. She considers her solo backpacking trip to the rice terraces of Bontoc one of the most fulfilling moments in her life. She’s loyal to the islands of her home country, the Philippines, but Thailand’s beaches also have a special place in her heart.

0 Comments

Inline Feedbacks

View all comments