How to get from Banaue to Manila

Why visit Manila?

Manila is the capital of the Philippines — an old city often disregarded by travellers who use it only as a gateway to the country’s more visually appealing islands. But if you have an extra day in your itinerary, we think Manila’s colourful history is a great way to kick off your trip.

Explore the walled city of Intramuros, Fort Santiago, Manila Cathedral and San Agustin Church — all of which were first built in the late 1500s. Art and anthropology also attract many locals to Manila. You will find here the National Museum, a complex of three museum buildings that tell the story of the Filipinos.

There are 3 ways to travel the 385 kilometers (239 miles) from Banaue to Manila. You can choose between the bus, private transport and flight. The journey takes 5 hours 10 minutes to 11 hours 30 minutes and the quickest way is by flight. If you're on a budget, the cheapest option is by bus with tickets starting at 795 PHP ($14.20).

Coda Lines and Ohayami Trans are well-known bus companies that offer daily trips from Banaue to Manila.

They both provide standard service and make bathroom/meal stops along the way. Both Coda Lines and Ohayami Trans provide night trips for this route.

The travel time from Banaue to Manila takes 9 hours to 11 hours 30 minutes. Bear in mind that the buses pass through EDSA, undoubtedly the busiest road in the entire Philippines, so the journey can take up to 11 hours on a really bad day. Bus fares start at 795 PHP ($14.20) for a one-way trip.

There are no direct morning trips from Banaue to Manila, but thanks to a tip from a reader, we found an alternative route via Solano. After additional research, we are happy to share this route option in more detail with you below.

First, you need to take a jeepney from Banaue to Solano. Jeepneys are available in the city centre and operate every hour from 06:00 to 14:00 daily. Travel time is around 2.5 hours to Solano, and tickets cost about 250 PHP ($4.50).

You’ll be dropped off at  Runruno Jeepney Terminal. From here, you might need to ride a tricycle to where Manila-bound buses usually stop. They typically pick up passengers along the highway. Tricycle fare starts at 20 PHP ($0.40).

The last leg of your trip is a bus ride from Solano to Manila. Bus tickets start from 630 PHP ($11.20) for a 5-6-hour ride to Manila. You can ride buses originating from Cagayan and Isabela, operated by GV Florida, Victory Liner, and Five Star.

If you decide to fly from Banaue to Manila, the nearest airport to Banaue is in Cauayan City. To get to the airport, you have to arrange for a van transfer from Banaue.

TIP: If you decide to travel by plane, please consider including a carbon compensation fee to reduce your impact on the environment.

You can ask your hotel in Banaue to help you arrange for a van transfer to Cauayan Airport (CYZ). It costs about 4,000 PHP ($71) - 5,000 PHP ($89) for a van ride of 4 hours. A great idea is to ask around if there are other tourists taking the same flight as yours. This way you could share the cost of the van ride.

The other way is to commute. You would need to go by jeepney then by bus and local transport to get to the airport. However, the travel time is too long and you have to be at the airport at least 2 hours before your flight to Manila. This wouldn’t make it worth the journey compared to taking the bus from Banaue to Manila.

Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines both offer direct flights from Cauayan to Manila every day. You’ve got three daily departure times to choose from: 11:00, 13:55, and 15:45. All flights leave from Cauayan Airport (CYZ) and arrive at Manila Airport, Terminal 3. The flight time is just 1h 10m.

The usual ticket price starts from 1,800 PHP ($32) , but they can go lower during sale periods. We recommend booking your ticket at least 2 months in advance for the best prices.

Arrival in Manila

Once you land at Manila Airport Terminal 2 and 3, you can easily hail a taxi to your hotel. There would normally be taxis waiting outside the arrival area. We recommend avoiding the yellow metered taxis as these are more expensive. Another great alternative to hailing a taxi is using the taxi app Grab.

If you are flying straight to another destination, you may need to transfer to another terminal. You can just catch the Airport shuttle bus outside Terminal 3. This free shuttle ride is available 24 hours, every 15 minutes. Note that to be able to board the bus, you’ll need to show your flight booking or boarding pass.

Private transport from Banaue to Manila is the easiest and most convenient option. The journey takes 10 hours, and you’ll be dropped off right at your accommodation — no need to worry about extra transfers.

Prices for private cars start at 19,000 PHP ($345) for a 3-seater. Split it with your group, and it’s about 6,500 PHP ($115) each.

Private Transport options from Banaue to Manila