Weekdays: 7-9 AM southbound (toward Manila), 5-8 PM northbound (toward provinces).
Karaniwang sitwasyon ang ipinapakita; walang live na ulat sa ngayon.
End to end (94 km): 56 min at typical speeds
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Live Waze map: accidents, hazards, police and stalled vehicles as reported by drivers right now.
Open in Waze9 monitored segments covering 88.85 km. Speeds refresh every 30 min.
4 km · Northbound
Usually heavy Mon-Fri 7 AM-10 AM, 4 PM-11 PM
8 km · Northbound
Usually heavy Mon-Fri 7 AM-10 AM, 4 PM-11 PM
10 km · Northbound
Usually heavy Mon-Fri 4 PM-11 PM
Status and drive time for the exact segments each destination uses.
Balintawak to Tabang is 52 km on NLEX , about 31 min at typical speeds.
Bulacan-bound traffic covers Balintawak to Tabang. The Balintawak to Meycauayan stretch is the worst bottleneck on weekday evenings and Friday nights as weekend travellers head north.
Tabang to San Fernando is 26 km on NLEX , about 16 min at typical speeds.
The Candaba Viaduct between Pulilan and San Simon is the stretch that closes or slows in heavy rain and floods, and the San Simon exit is where Pampanga-bound traffic first backs up. Sta. Rita and Pulilan exits sit just south of it. Check this block before a wet-season trip north.
Tabang to Dau is 42 km on NLEX , about 25 min at typical speeds.
Pampanga-bound traffic runs Tabang to Dau, where NLEX meets SCTEX. Conditions here usually ease once the Bulacan exits have peeled off commuter volume.
SCTEX traffic update todayNLEX is 88.85 km, about 56 min end to end at typical speeds across 9 segments.
Best time to leave
Avoid
Weekdays: 7-9 AM southbound (toward Manila), 5-8 PM northbound (toward provinces). Fridays: 4-10 PM northbound (weekend exodus). Sundays: 3-8 PM southbound (return traffic). Holidays: Heavy in both directions starting Thursday evening.
Typical pattern for Balintawak → Mindanao Ave, the most congested segment.
| 6a | 9a | 12p | 3p | 6p | 9p | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Sun |
| Day | Incidents | Accidents | Closures | Roadworks | Slowdowns | Worst delay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | +1 min | |
| 58 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 56 | +20 min | |
| 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | +3 min | |
| 73 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 73 | +30 min | |
| 39 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 38 | +22 min | |
| no data | ||||||
| no data |
The NLEX emergency hotline is 1-35000 (alternate (02) 8888-6359), answered by Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC). Call 911 for life-threatening emergencies. All expressway hotlines.
Operator
Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC)
Speed limit: 100 km/h for cars, 80 km/h for trucks/buses. Minimum 60 km/h. Construction zones: 60 km/h.
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NLEX typically experiences moderate to heavy traffic during weekday rush hours, especially between Balintawak and Meycauayan. The Valenzuela-Meycauayan stretch is the most congested section. Friday evenings see northbound buildup as travelers head to provinces.
Weekday traffic on NLEX follows a predictable pattern. Morning rush (7-9 AM) sees heavy southbound flow from Bulacan toward Manila. Evening rush (5-8 PM) brings heavy northbound congestion from Balintawak through Valenzuela.
The Balintawak-Mindanao Ave segment is a persistent bottleneck due to merging traffic from Skyway Stage 3 and local roads. Expect 20-40 minute delays during peak hours.
Friday evenings are particularly heavy northbound as weekend travelers head to Bulacan, Pampanga, and points north. Sunday return traffic peaks 3-8 PM southbound.
NLEX is divided into two main sections. The southern section from Balintawak to Bocaue (22 km) carries the heaviest traffic as it serves Metro Manila commuters in Bulacan. The Balintawak-Mindanao Ave interchange is a persistent bottleneck where traffic from Skyway Stage 3, EDSA, and local roads converge. The Valenzuela segment sees heavy truck traffic from Harbor Link merging onto the main expressway.
The northern section from Bocaue to Dau (66.85 km) is typically clear with free-flowing traffic at 80-100 km/h. The Pulilan, San Fernando, and Angeles exits serve industrial and residential traffic but rarely create congestion. The Dau interchange connecting to SCTEX is well-designed and handles merging traffic efficiently.
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