Ohayami Trans

Ohayami Trans is a coach and minivan operator that has been running popular services since 1998 when it launched coaches along the Banaue to Maddela route. Since 2010, the operator has been one of the most well-established services on the Manila to Banaue route.

From Manila, travellers visiting the region of Ifugao have the option of heading to either Lagawe or Banaue. There is one service each day from Manila to Lagawe, departing the capital city at 21.30 and scheduled to arrive at 06.30 the following morning. Tickets for the nine-hour trip are priced at PHP614.

Visitors preferring to travel to Banaue can catch the 22.00 service from Manila each day, with tickets available for PHP740. The 10-hour service is due to arrive at 08.00 the next day. Those wishing to travel back to Manila from Banaue can catch the daily service at 19.00 every day and arrive back into the capital city by 05.00.

Ohayami Trans is one of the only options for travellers wishing to visit Banaue to Manila so is one of the most useful and popular choices for those looking to travel along the route. The timing of the departures is helpful for many travellers as you can travel overnight to arrive at your destination the following morning. Especially if you are travelling on a budget or on a tight schedule, overnight trips are ideal as you will not need to pay for overnight accommodation or waste a day of your trip sitting on a bus.

For those travelling in larger groups Ohayami Trans also offers the option of chartering a minivan along this route. Although this will cost an additional PHP2,000 per vehicle, it offers a great deal of flexibility as you can choose your departure time to suit your schedule. If you are travelling with friends this is a useful alternative if an early morning arrival is not ideal.

The biggest issue many have with Ohayami Trans is the fact that there is only one scheduled departure each day. This can make the operator an inconvenient option for many and solo travellers or those in small groups will not be able to charter a minivan (as detailed above). However, as one of the only operators along this route, alternatives are fairly limited.

The buses used on these services may not be the most comfortable coaches that you will ever travel on, especially as there are no onboard toilets although there are frequent stops where you will be able to use the facilities and buy some snacks.

There are no meals included in the cost of the ticket, although there are onboard televisions that should help pass the time.

Ohayami Trans is one of the most popular operators for those looking to visit the world-famous rice terraces in Banaue.

Unfortunately, with just one service each day in either direction the services are not the most convenient but there are limited options along this route so the operator remains one of the best options.

The ability to charter minivans is perfect for larger groups as they can choose a departure time that suits their schedule whilst paying just a little extra for a far more convenient service.

The scheduled departures are all overnight trips where you will arrive at your destination the following morning which is likely to suit those travelling on a budget or anyone with limited time. However, the journey times are pretty long and comfort can be an issue so it may not be the best night’s sleep you’ll have during your trip! If possible, travellers may wish to break up the journey so they can avoid a 10 hour overnight journey!