How to get from Sagada to Manila
Did you finish with all your adventures in the mountains and caves of Sagada? We recommend checking out Banaue as well, but if you’ve already seen its world wonders, it’s time to head back to (Metro) Manila.
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2 ways to get from Sagada to Manila
The distance from Sagada to Manila is 390 km (242 miles). In this post, we compare the 2 best options to travel from Sagada to Manila: by bus (11 hours) and by a combination of flight + taxi (7 hours). Total cost range from 1,090 PHP ($19) to 3,400 PHP ($59).
Although the bus takes 11 hours, we think it’s the most convenient way to travel from Sagada to Manila. Note that you won’t have a lot of bus choices. The standard tourist bus can be a bit cramped, but the VIP bus can provide a bit more legroom. Bus rates start at 1,090 PHP ($19).
With the flight, you can cut the travel time in half, but you still need to travel 185 km by land to the nearest airport in Tuguegarao. The combined travel time is about 7 hours. Flight fares start at 1,300 PHP ($22.50) while the taxi cost starts at 3,000 PHP ($52). You can save by taking public transport to the airport, but that would take much longer and defeat the purpose of taking a flight.
Itinerary from Sagada to Manila
Sagada to Manila by Bus
Coda Lines operates three direct buses from Sagada to Manila daily. You can choose to take a standard tourist bus or a VIP bus.
There is not so much difference between the semi-deluxe (tourist) and super deluxe (VIP) buses for this route. The VIP bus offers a little more legroom, but don’t expect a huge difference between the two.
Also, most of the buses arrive in the middle of the night in Metro Manila. There is one VIP day trip that will eat up a whole day of your vacation just on travelling, although this could be appealing if you want to enjoy the views along the way.
Expect to pay 1,090 PHP ($19) for the tourist bus and 1,150 PHP ($20) for the VIP bus. During peak season or on weekends, make sure to book your ticket online beforehand via BookAway.
Departure and arrival station
The buses depart from the Sagada Bus terminal near the Sagada Municipal Hall in the town centre.
The arrival location in Manila is at the Coda Lines Terminal in Cubao. Cubao is about 10 km north of Makati and a taxi costs around 250 PHP ($4.35) outside peak hours.
There are plenty of taxis or Grab cars in this area so you should have no problem getting to your end destination or hotel from the terminal.
Bus schedule from Sagada to Manila
Sagada to Manila by Flight
Instead of taking a bus from Sagada to Manila, there is another option. You can also travel back to the capital of the Philippines with a combination of a taxi and flight.
Flying via Tuguegarao is the most common option, but there is also an option to fly from Cauayan to Manila. Via Cauayan is normally a bit more expensive, but you can always check Skyscanner for the latest flight fares and compare the fares of both options:
Check Flights from Tuguegarao to Manila
Check Flights from Cauayan to Manila
Below we will explain how to travel from Sagada to Manila via Tuguegarao. Flight times from both Toguegarao and Cauayan are about the same. The taxi journey from Sagada to Cauayan is slightly longer (6 hours) and more expensive 3,500 PHP ($61).
Step 1: Sagada to Tuguegarao Airport by Taxi
If you don’t want to risk missing your flight, we recommend taking a taxi or private car from Sagada to Tuguegarao Airport. You can ask your guesthouse to assist you. Taxi fares start at 3,000 PHP ($52).
If you want to save money on the ride, ask if there are other tourists heading to the airport on the same day. This way you can share the taxi fare and split the costs.
The travel time by taxi is about 5.5 hours.
Sagada to Tuguegarao by Public transport
Another option is to take public transport. But this will include at least four transfers and can easily take about 6 hours.
If you’re really keen to make it work, read our page on how to travel from Sagada to Banaue first. From Banaue, you have to take a jeepney to Lagawe and then another one to Bagabag Junction. This costs about 150 PHP ($2.60).
Next, you wait for a bus going to Tuguegarao along the highway. The fare for the bus ride is about 250 PHP ($4.35). The bus station is not too far off from the airport so you can hail a local transport going there.
Keep in mind that you need to be at the airport, at the very least, an hour before your flight.
Step 2: Tuguegarao to Manila by Flight
There are only 2 flights operating from Tuguegarao to Manila daily. These depart at 08:35 and 13:55 from Tuguegarao Airport and arrive at Manila Airport Terminal 3. The flight takes a little over an hour.
Airfares start at 1,300 PHP ($22.50) but can go higher during peak season. On the other hand, there are sometimes seat sales with tickets selling as low as 800 PHP ($13.50).
Arrival in Manila
Once you land at the Manila Airport Terminal 3, you can easily hail a taxi to your hotel. Taxis are lined up outside the arrival area. It’s best to avoid yellow taxis because they are more expensive. Another great alternative to hailing a taxi is using the taxi app Grab.
If you are flying to another destination, you may need to transfer to another terminal. You can just catch the Airport shuttle bus outside Terminal 3. It is free to ride the bus but you need to show your flight booking or boarding pass.
