There are numerous expressways in the Philippines. Most of them are in Metro Manila and are linking the National Capital Region to nearby provinces north and south of the metro for faster travel time. At present, there are sixteen (16) expressways in the country: fifteen (15) of which connect Metro Manila to Northern (Central) and Southern Luzon and one (1) expressway in the Metro Cebu region.
These expressways, varying in length and scale, serve as transportation links, facilitating efficient travel and commerce. From the bustling Metro Manila Skyway to the shortest expressway, the Muntinlupa–Cavite Expressway, and the country’s longest sea-crossing bridge, the Cebu–Cordova Link Expressway, these roads carve a pathway through the landscapes of the Philippines.
Each expressway has its unique features and significance, contributing to the overall infrastructure of the nation, and has a fascinating story to tell about its inception, construction, and impact on the communities it serves. Let’s delve into the details of these expressways and understand their role in shaping the Philippines’ transportation landscape.

Overview
The Philippines, an archipelago rich in natural beauty and cultural diversity, is also home to an impressive network of expressways that connects its numerous islands and provinces.
Whether you’re on Philippine roads for fun or business purposes, you will agree when we say that the expressways have significantly improved the driving experience. These limited-access, fast-traffic highways, characterized by interchanges and the absence of traffic lights, not only expedite travel for vehicles but also helped tell a story of rapid development in various sectors, including education, health, employment, and entertainment. They also come with toll gates, further reinforced by RFID technology for more seamless payment systems.
These different expressways are managed, operated, and controlled by different companies in different areas, but they do share a common goal: To provide a faster, smoother alternative for land transport through well-maintained, toll-based road networks. Some are slated for further extension, to have them linked into other expressways already in existence. In this article, we looked into the various expressways crisscrossing the different parts of the Philippines in an attempt to offer a seamless journey through its diverse regions.
To help you get familiar with these expressways so you can plan your trips better, we have rounded them up for you:
North Luzon Expressway (NLEX)
- Spans 84 kilometers
- Links Metro Manila to Central Luzon provinces
- Features four toll plazas
- Total of 15 highway exits
- Route from Quezon City, NLEX to Mabalacat, Pampanga
- Passes through various cities and towns including Caloocan, Valenzuela, Meycauayan, Marilao, Bocaue, Balagtas, Guiguinto, Malolos, Plaridel, Pulilan, Calumpit
- Extends through Pampanga towns like San Simon, San Fernando, Mexico, and Angeles
- Transportation route in the eastern part of Central Luzon
Manila–Cavite Expressway (CAVITEX)
- Known as CAVITEX, the Manila–Cavite Expressway
- 14-kilometer highway connecting Manila to Cavite
- Characterized by proximity to Manila Bay
- Starts at Roxas Boulevard, extending to Tirona Highway and Antero Soriano Highway in the South
- Left part passes through Binakayan to Bacoor, reaching Soriano and the Cavite Economic Zone
- Right part goes to Tirona Highway near Aguinaldo Shrine, extending towards Noveleta
- Managed by Metro Pacific Investments Corporation
- Currently has four lanes and four exits
- Future plans include a proposed extension to Rosario, Cavite
- Viaduct to Sangley Point Airport planned
- C-5 Road connection forms the CAVITEX–C5 South Link Expressway
Subic–Clark–Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX)
- Known as SCTEX, Philippines’ longest highway at nearly 100 km
- Connects Subic Bay Freeport in Zambales to Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway
- Passes through Clark Freeport Zone, with entry points in Subic Bay Freeport Zone and Mabalacat Interchange
- Inaugurated in July 2008
- Managed by NLEX Corporation and BCDA
- Four-lane highway
- Vital link to economic zones in Zambales, Pampanga, and Tarlac
- Reduces travel time between Clark and Subic to 40 minutes and Clark and Tarlac to 25 minutes
- Spans four rivers in Central Luzon
- Future plans include interchange expansions and additional road projects connecting Ciudad de Victoria to Manila North Road and Sta. Maria Bypass Road
NLEX Connector
- Approximately 8-kilometer elevated toll expressway
- Extends NLEX southward from C3 Road, Caloocan City to PUP Sta. Mesa, Manila
- Connects to Skyway Stage 3
- Mostly follows the PNR rail track
- Includes interchanges at C3 Road/5th Avenue, Caloocan, and España Boulevard, Manila
- Proposed additional interchanges at Magsaysay Boulevard and PUP Sta. Mesa
- Four-lane expressway linking NLEX Harbor Link to Metro Manila Skyway
- Construction started in 2019
- Partially opened in March 2023
- Completion expected in the 4th quarter of 2023
- Route consists of two sections: Section 1 from Caloocan to España (5.15 km) and Section 2 from España to Santa Mesa (2.55 km)
- Maximum speed limit of 80 km/h for light vehicles and 60 km/h for trucks
- Traverses various districts in Manila, connecting key locations
Cavite–Laguna Expressway (CALAX)
- Cavite–Laguna Expressway (also known as CALAX or CALAEX)
- Partially operational toll expressway
- Connects Kawit to Biñan in Cavite and Laguna, Philippines
- Length of 44.63 kilometers
- Aims to alleviate traffic congestion in the Cavite–Laguna area
- Starts at Mamplasan Rotunda in Biñan
- Intersects with South Luzon Expressway
- Passes through developed and undeveloped areas
- Utilizes bridges, MSE walls, and a viaduct
- Descends into grade level in Santa Rosa
- Crosses the Silang–Santa Rosa River
- Follows Nuvali Boulevard
- Connects to Santa Rosa–Tagaytay Road
- Continues southwest, passing through Ayala Westgrove Heights
- Set to expand towards Silang East Exit, connecting to Tibig-Kaong Road
- Future plans to extend to Governor’s Drive and link to CAVITEX in Binakayan
C-5 Southlink Expressway
- Designated as E2 in the Philippine expressway network
- 7.708-kilometer toll expressway in Metro Manila
- Connects Manila–Cavite Expressway (CAVITEX) to Circumferential Road 5 (C-5) in Taguig
- ₱15 billion project
- Collaboration between the Philippine Reclamation Authority, Toll Regulatory Board, and Cavitex Infrastructure Corporation
- Subsidiary of Metro Pacific Investments Corporation
- Currently operational between Taguig and near E. Rodriguez Avenue in Parañaque
- Remaining segment towards CAVITEX is under construction
- Starts at Carlos P. Garcia Avenue (C-5) in Taguig
- Crosses SLEX and Ninoy Aquino International Airport
- Terminates at C-5 Road Extension in Parañaque
- Ongoing construction will extend it south of the airport
- Passes Amvel City
- Connects to CAVITEX with a trumpet interchange
NLEX Harbor Link
- Also known as NLEX Harbor Link Project
- 21.60-km extension of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX)
- Extends eastward to Mel Lopez Blvd./R10 and westward to Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City
- Consists of Segments 9, 10, and an Exit Ramp to R10
- Serves as a spur of NLEX connecting the Port of Manila to the west and Quezon City to the east
- Runs from Katipunan and C.P. Garcia Avenues in Quezon City to Radial Road 10 in Navotas
- Provides access to the Port of Manila
- Operational segment spans from Mindanao Avenue in Valenzuela to Navotas
- Enhances cargo movement between NLEX and Radial Road 10
- Future plans include segments 8.1 (Mindanao Avenue Link), 8.2 (C-5 Link / Citi Link), 9 (Karuhatan Link), and 10 (Harbor Link)
- Contributes to Manila’s arterial road network
Subic Freeport Expressway (SFEX)
- Also known as STipEx and part of NLEX Segment 7 and Expressway 4 (E4)
- Initially built in 1996
- Formerly named Subic–Tipo Expressway and North Luzon Expressway Segment 7 (NLEX Segment 7)
- Four-lane, 8.8-kilometer (5.5 mi) expressway
- Links the Subic–Clark–Tarlac Expressway to the Subic Freeport Zone
- Crosses Bataan and Zambales
- Rizal-to-Argonaut section ascends toward Bataan National Park
- Tollways Management Corporation oversees its management
- Ownership belongs to NLEX Corporation
South Luzon Expressway (SLEX)
- Constructed in 1969 as the South Superhighway (Manila to Alabang)
- Now comprises Expressway Route 2 (E2) and Radial Road 3 (R-3)
- Connects Metro Manila to the CALABARZON region
- Stretches 51 kilometers from Paco District in Manila to Santo Tomas in Batangas
- Traverses cities like Makati, Pasay, Paranaque, Taguig, and Muntinlupa
- Passes through Laguna and Cavite
- Managed by various entities, including DPWH, MMDA, SomCo, and MATES
- Evolving with projects like the four-lane SLEX Toll Road 4 (TR4) extension
- Led by the South Luzon Tollway Corporation, a subsidiary of San Miguel Corporation
- 66.74-kilometer extension spans from Sto. Tomas in Batangas to Lucena City in Quezon will feature seven interchanges upon completion
Metro Manila Skyway (Skyway)
- Also known as Skyway
- First fully grade-separated and elevated highway in the Philippines
- Constructed to alleviate congestion on SLEX and other major routes
- Skyway Stage 1 initiated on April 7, 1995, partially completed by October 1999
- Operated by SOMCO (Skyway Operations and Maintenance Corporation) since 2008
- Set to become one of the world’s longest flyovers, spanning approximately 18.68 kilometers
- Connects SLEX to NLEX at key points
- Future plans include extending the Skyway to Susana Heights
- Linking NLEX Connector to Skyway Stage 3
- Delivering the northbound section of the Skyway Extension
- Connects the South Luzon Expressway to Skyway near Susana Heights
- San Miguel Corporation is also undertaking the P740 billion Manila International Airport project in Bulacan
NAIA Expressway (NAIAX)
- Elevated expressway connecting Metro Manila Skyway, Entertainment City, and Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA)
- Designated as Expressway 6 (E6) in the Philippine expressway network
- Spans approximately 12.65 kilometers through Pasay and Paranaque
- Inaugurated in September 2016
- Country’s first airport expressway
- Designed to reduce travel time from SLEX to NAIA airport from 60 minutes to 20 minutes
- Operated by the Skyway Operations and Maintenance Corporation
- Constructed in two phases
- Phase 1 started in 2003
- Phase 2 became fully operational in June 2017
Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR Tollway)
- Popularly known as STAR Tollway
- Also known as CALABARZON expressway
- 42-kilometer, two-to-four-lane expressway
- Connects the intersection of Maharlika Highway and SLEX in Santo Tomas to Batangas International Port
- Opened in 2001
- Managed by STAR Infrastructure Development Corporation (SIDC)
- Traverses Malvar, Lipa, and Ibaan
- Future plans include Pinamucan Extension (10-km addition running through Batangas barangays)
- Proposed Bauan extension (Batangas City–San Pascual–Bauan Road) to provide an alternative route between Batangas City and Bauan
- STAR Tollway’s total length is 41.90 km
- Features six highway exits
Tarlac–Pangasinan–La Union Expressway (TPLEX)
- Four-lane highway
- Spans 88.85 kilometers with a recent 4-kilometer extension
- Connects central and northern Luzon
- Southernmost terminus in Tarlac
- Proposed northernmost terminus in Rosario, La Union
- Extension of NLEX and SCTEX from Tarlac to Rosario, La Union
- First and second segments completed in November and December 2021
- Recent 4-kilometer extension from Sison to Rosario reduces travel time from Metro Manila to Baguio by 30 minutes
- Future plans by operator San Miguel Corporation (SMC) include ongoing Pozorrobio-Sison section construction, a 7-kilometer extension, and a full extension of TPLEX up to La Union
- Full extension divided into three sections: Rosario to Tubao, Tubao to Naguilian, and Naguilian to San Juan
- Details about a potential Laoag extension remain unspecified
Muntinlupa–Cavite Expressway (MCX)
- Shortest expressway in the Philippines
- Spans 4 kilometers
- Managed by AC Infrastructure Holdings Corporation, a subsidiary of Ayala Corporation, on behalf of the DPWH
- Connects the southern part of Cavite to Muntinlupa City
- Opened on July 24, 2015
- Starts at the T-interchange with SLEX near Susana Heights
- Follows a curved path along Magdaong Creek marking the Poblacion-Tunasan boundary
- Passes near New Bilibid Prisons
- Concludes at a roundabout in Daang Hari and Daang Reyna, Cavite
Central Luzon Link Expressway (CLLEX)
- Partially operational expressway in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines
- Connects Subic–Clark–Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) and Tarlac–Pangasinan–La Union Expressway (TPLEX) to the under-construction North Luzon East Expressway
- Currently toll-free and limited to Class 1 vehicles
- Will be tolled and opened to other vehicle classes in the future
- CLLEX project includes a 35.70 km extension, known as CLLEX Phase II
- Connects Cabanatuan City to San Jose City, Nueva Ecija
- Offers a traffic-free alternative route between the two cities
- Untolled section from Tarlac City to La Paz is designated as National Route 308 (N308)
- Runs in an east-west direction
- Starts at a trumpet interchange with SCTEX and TPLEX in Tarlac City
- Passes through La Paz, Zaragoza, and Aliaga
- Future plans to extend further east
Cebu–Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX)
- 8.9-kilometer toll bridge expressway
- Also known as the Third Cebu–Mactan Bridge
- Connects the South Road Properties in Cebu City to Cordova on Mactan Island
- First expressway in southern Philippines
- Crosses the Mactan Channel
- Country’s longest sea-crossing bridge
- Surpasses the length of the San Juanico Bridge and Marcelo Fernan Bridge
- Holds the title of the longest cable-stayed bridge in the Philippines
- Inaugurated on April 27, 2022
- Enhances connectivity between Cebu and Mactan
- Transportation link in Metro Cebu
Summary
The Philippines boasts a network of expressways, enhancing land transport and fostering development in sectors like education, health, employment, and entertainment. Though these are limited-access highways, most of them are quite notable, providing an alternative route and collectively forming an infrastructure network that allows for faster travel time in different parts of the country. They are also mostly well-maintained and the convenience these expressways offer are, to many people, worth the amount they have to pay to use them.
How about you? When was the last time you used any of these expressways? What was it like? Share your thoughts with us!