Nearly a decade after the government broke ground on the project, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) is now targeting the first quarter of 2028 for partial operations of the common station for Metro Manila railways, with full completion expected two years later.

Acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez said the long-delayed Unified Grand Central Station is moving forward again following the approval of the project's variation order.

“The Economy and Development Council recently approved the project itself, so we can now begin work. We are aiming to at least achieve partial operations by the first quarter of 2028," he said during an interview on True FM.

The ED Council, chaired by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., recently approved the variation order for the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) Cavite Extension Project to include the construction of the common station.

The DOTr, under then-transportation secretary Vince Dizon, previously issued a notice of termination to the joint venture of BF Corp. and Foresight Development and Surveying Co. due to project delays.

The agency has since tapped Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC), the private operator of LRT-1, to take over the project through a variation order—an amendment to its existing contract for the LRT-1 Cavite Extension.

Lopez noted that one of the main hurdles facing the project is the signaling system, which is critical to integrating Metro Manila’s three railway lines.

Located along North Avenue in Quezon City, the common station will connect the LRT-1, the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3), and the upcoming MRT-7. It is also planned to link with the Metro Manila Subway.

Ahead of the targeted 2028 partial launch, Lopez said the DOTr has arranged interim measures so commuters can seamlessly transfer between lines while construction continues.

To support this, the DOTr secured a commitment from the management of TriNoma to provide an accessway to the MRT-3 station, allowing passengers to transfer indoors rather than walking outside.

Lopez added that once the North Avenue station of the MRT-7 is operational, commuters will already be able to access the common station's concourse and platform.

Full construction of the common station is slated for completion in 2030, he said.

With a budget of ₱2.78 billion, the facility was originally scheduled to open in 2019 after breaking ground in 2017. Its target operational date was subsequently pushed to 2021, then to 2023, before facing further delays.

Once operational, the Unified Grand Central Station will serve as a major transport hub in northern Metro Manila, integrated with a ground-level intermodal transport system for buses, jeepneys, and taxis.

According to the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center, the station is projected to serve up to 1.28 million passengers daily.