Philippine Expressways 2026
The Philippines has 14 expressways in operation on this site's registry, 535 km in all, every one of them in Luzon. 13 charge a toll regulated by the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB); CLLEX is free. They are paid by RFID sticker, capped at 60 to 100 kph, and open to cars, trucks, buses and motorcycles of 400cc and up.
- What is an expressway
- How many expressways are there
- What is the longest expressway
- Who runs the expressways
- How do you pay on an expressway
- What are the rules on Philippine expressways
- How is traffic on the expressways
- What is the difference between an expressway and a highway
- Can motorcycles use the expressway
What is an expressway?
An expressway is a divided, controlled-access highway: vehicles join and leave only at interchanges and ramps, with no crossings, traffic lights or driveways along the way.
In the Philippines almost every expressway is also a toll road. A private operator builds and runs it under a concession, and the Toll Regulatory Board approves the toll rates each operator may charge. That is why an expressway here comes with toll plazas, RFID lanes and a posted limit of up to 100 kph, while the national highway beside it has none of these.
The next question is how many of these roads exist, and where they run.
How many expressways are there in the Philippines?
There are 14 expressways on this site, all in Luzon: 13 tolled roads and CLLEX, the one toll-free expressway. Together they run 535 km from La Union in the north to Batangas in the south.
The Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX) in the Visayas is not covered here yet. Each name below links to that road's exits, toll plazas, operator and hotline.
| Expressway | Region | Length | Pay with | Opened |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NLEX North Luzon Expressway | North Luzon | 84 km | Easytrip | 1977 |
| SCTEX Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway | Central Luzon | 93.8 km | Easytrip | 2008 |
| TPLEX Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway | Northern Luzon | 89.2 km | Autosweep | 2013 |
| SLEX South Luzon Expressway | South Luzon | 49.6 km | Autosweep | 1969 |
| Skyway Metro Manila Skyway | Metro Manila | 38.6 km | Autosweep | 1999 |
| Skyway Stage 3 Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 | Metro Manila | 18.8 km | Autosweep | 2021 |
| CALAX Cavite-Laguna Expressway | South Luzon | 44.6 km | Easytrip | 2020 |
| CAVITEX Manila-Cavite Expressway | South Metro Manila | 14 km | Easytrip | 1998 |
| MCX Muntinlupa-Cavite Expressway | South Metro Manila | 4 km | Autosweep | 2015 |
| STAR Tollway Southern Tagalog Arterial Road | South Luzon | 41.9 km | Autosweep | 2001 |
| NAIAX Ninoy Aquino International Airport Expressway | Metro Manila | 12.7 km | Autosweep | 2016 |
| NLEX Connector NLEX Connector Road | Metro Manila | 7.7 km | Easytrip | 2023 |
| Harbor Link NLEX Harbor Link | Metro Manila | 5.7 km | Easytrip | 2019 |
| CLLEX Central Luzon Link Expressway | Central Luzon | 30.7 km | No toll | 2021 |
What is the longest expressway in the Philippines?
Among the 14 expressways, the longest three are SCTEX (93.8 km), TPLEX (89.2 km) and NLEX (84 km), all north of Manila. The shortest is MCX at 4 km.
The oldest is SLEX, opened in 1969. Driven end to end, SCTEX, TPLEX, NLEX form one corridor from Metro Manila to La Union, the expressway route toward Baguio.
- SCTEX93.8 kmCentral Luzon
- TPLEX89.2 kmNorthern Luzon
- NLEX84 kmNorth Luzon
- SLEX49.6 kmSouth Luzon
- CALAX44.6 kmSouth Luzon
- STAR Tollway41.9 kmSouth Luzon
- Skyway38.6 kmMetro Manila
- CLLEX30.7 kmCentral Luzon
- Skyway Stage 318.8 kmMetro Manila
- CAVITEX14 kmSouth Metro Manila
- NAIAX12.7 kmMetro Manila
- NLEX Connector7.7 kmMetro Manila
- Harbor Link5.7 kmMetro Manila
- MCX4 kmSouth Metro Manila
Who runs the expressways in the Philippines?
Private concessionaires run 13 of the 14 expressways, led by SMC Tollways and Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC). The Toll Regulatory Board regulates them and approves their toll rates, and the DPWH runs the toll-free CLLEX.
Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC)
Private Infra Dev Corporation (PIDC)
Prime Asset Ventures Inc. (PAVI)
Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)
How do you pay on an expressway?
You pay by electronic toll collection (ETC): an RFID sticker on the car is read at the plaza and the toll is taken from its prepaid account. There are two systems, and the sticker follows the road, not the car.
Easytrip
NLEX, SCTEX, CALAX, CAVITEX, NLEX Connector and Harbor Link
Autosweep
TPLEX, SLEX, Skyway, Skyway Stage 3, MCX, STAR Tollway and NAIAX
A trip that crosses both networks, such as Manila to Baguio on NLEX, SCTEX and TPLEX, needs both accounts funded. The Autosweep vs Easytrip guide covers the One RFID arrangement, RFID installation sites lists where to get a sticker, and the toll calculator gives the exact toll for any entry and exit.
What are the rules on Philippine expressways?
The main rules are the posted speed limit, which is 60 to 100 kph depending on the road, a minimum speed where one is signed, keeping right except to overtake, and the vehicle classes allowed to enter. The limits below are each operator's class 1 maximum; the sign on the road always overrides the table.
- 100NLEX
- 100SCTEX
- 100TPLEX
- 100SLEX
- 80Skyway
- 80Skyway Stage 3
- 80CALAX
- 80CAVITEX
- 80MCX
- 100STAR Tollway
- 80NAIAX
- 80NLEX Connector
- 60Harbor Link
- 100CLLEX
How is traffic on the expressways?
Current speeds and incidents for each expressway are on the live traffic page, refreshed through the day. Pick a road to see its busy stretches and the best time to leave.
What is the difference between an expressway and a highway?
An expressway controls who enters and where, and a highway does not. Every expressway is a highway, but most highways are not expressways.
| Expressway | National highway | |
|---|---|---|
| Access | Interchanges and ramps only | Intersections, side streets and driveways |
| Toll | Toll set by the TRB on 13 of 14 | Free |
| Speed | 60 to 100 kph posted by the operator | Up to 80 kph for cars on open roads under RA 4136 |
| Motorcycles | 400cc and up only | All registered motorcycles |
| Run by | Private concessionaire (DPWH for CLLEX) | DPWH |
The RA 4136 limits are set out on our speed limits page.
Can motorcycles use the expressway?
Yes, if the engine is 400cc or larger. The TRB toll matrix defines class 1 as "Car, Jeepney, Van, Pick-Up, Motorcycle (400cc and up)", so a qualifying motorcycle pays the car toll and follows the car speed limit.
The displacement on the OR/CR is what counts, not the model name, and smaller motorcycles are turned back at the plaza. The motorcycle expressway rules cover RFID, helmets and fines, and the motorcycle price list shows the engine size of every model.
Quick answers
- Are all Philippine expressways toll roads?
- No. 13 of the 14 expressways covered here charge a toll set by the Toll Regulatory Board. CLLEX is toll-free and run by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
- Is an expressway the same as a highway?
- No. An expressway is a highway with controlled access: you join and leave only at interchanges, with no crossings or driveways. Most Philippine expressways are also tolled. A national highway has intersections, local access and no toll.
- Can motorcycles use the expressway?
- Yes, if the engine is 400cc or larger. The TRB toll matrix defines class 1 as "Car, Jeepney, Van, Pick-Up, Motorcycle (400cc and up)". Smaller motorcycles are turned back at the toll plaza.
Sources: expressway lengths, operators, opening years, RFID systems and speed limits from the operators as recorded in our expressway registry; toll regulation and the class 1 definition from the Toll Regulatory Board toll matrices; map geometry from OpenStreetMap.