Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3
Skyway Stage 3 is an 18-km elevated tollway above Metro Manila linking SLEX and Skyway Stage 1/2 to NLEX at Balintawak. It opened in 2021 and uses Autosweep RFID.
About Skyway Stage 3
Skyway Stage 3 is the all-elevated north-south spine of Metro Manila. Opened in stages in 2021, it threads above the PNR corridor and Quezon City surface streets to connect Skyway Stages 1 and 2 (the southern SLEX-aligned tier) directly to NLEX at Balintawak — eliminating the need to drop down to surface roads to switch between the two networks.
The road is operated by Skyway O&M Corporation under San Miguel Corporation. It uses Autosweep RFID, but Easytrip is interoperable at every plaza thanks to the joint RFID agreement that took effect in 2021.
Stage 3 is an open-toll system with directional ramps. The main on/off ramps are at Buendia, Quirino, Plaza Dilao, Nagtahan, E. Rodriguez, Quezon Avenue, and Balintawak. End-to-end Class 1 fare is ₱264 in 2026; a short hop between adjacent ramps can be as little as ₱105.
Because the road is fully elevated above the busiest part of Metro Manila, it transformed cross-city expressway travel — a Manila-to-Pampanga drive that used to require slogging through EDSA can now stay on tollway from Alabang straight through to NLEX.
Expressway connections
Skyway Stage 3 connects to the following expressways. Both Easytrip and Autosweep RFID work end-to-end thanks to the interoperability agreement.
Key exits & destinations
All 7 Skyway Stage 3 toll plazas
- 1Buendia
- 2E. Rodriguez
- 3Nagtahan
- 4NLEX
- 5Plaza Dilao
- 6Quezon Ave.
- 7Quirino
Skyway Stage 3 toll fare matrix
All single-segment fares within Skyway Stage 3. For trips that cross into other expressways, use the full Philippine toll calculator on the hub page — it computes cross-expressway routes automatically.
| Entry | Exit | Class 1 | Class 2 | Class 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balintawak | Buendia | ₱264.00 | ₱528.00 | ₱792.00 |
| Balintawak | E. Rodriguez | ₱129.00 | ₱258.00 | ₱387.00 |
| Balintawak | Nagtahan | ₱264.00 | ₱528.00 | ₱792.00 |
| Balintawak | Quezon Ave. | ₱129.00 | ₱258.00 | ₱387.00 |
| Balintawak | Quirino | ₱264.00 | ₱528.00 | ₱792.00 |
| Buendia | Balintawak | ₱264.00 | ₱528.00 | ₱792.00 |
| Buendia | NLEX | ₱264.00 | ₱528.00 | ₱792.00 |
| Buendia | Nagtahan | ₱105.00 | ₱210.00 | ₱315.00 |
| Buendia | Quezon Ave. | ₱264.00 | ₱528.00 | ₱792.00 |
| Buendia | Quirino | ₱105.00 | ₱210.00 | — |
| E. Rodriguez | Balintawak | ₱129.00 | ₱258.00 | ₱387.00 |
| E. Rodriguez | NLEX | ₱129.00 | ₱258.00 | ₱387.00 |
| E. Rodriguez | Quezon Ave. | ₱129.00 | ₱258.00 | ₱387.00 |
| NLEX | Buendia | ₱264.00 | ₱528.00 | ₱792.00 |
| NLEX | E. Rodriguez | ₱129.00 | ₱258.00 | ₱387.00 |
| NLEX | Nagtahan | — | ₱528.00 | ₱792.00 |
| NLEX | Quezon Ave. | ₱129.00 | — | — |
| NLEX | Quirino | ₱264.00 | ₱528.00 | ₱792.00 |
| Nagtahan | Balintawak | ₱264.00 | ₱528.00 | ₱792.00 |
| Nagtahan | Buendia | ₱105.00 | ₱210.00 | ₱315.00 |
| Nagtahan | NLEX | — | ₱528.00 | ₱792.00 |
| Nagtahan | Quezon Ave. | ₱264.00 | ₱528.00 | ₱792.00 |
| Quezon Ave. | Balintawak | ₱129.00 | ₱258.00 | ₱387.00 |
| Quezon Ave. | Buendia | ₱264.00 | ₱528.00 | ₱792.00 |
| Quezon Ave. | E. Rodriguez | ₱129.00 | ₱258.00 | ₱387.00 |
| Quezon Ave. | NLEX | ₱129.00 | — | — |
| Quezon Ave. | Nagtahan | ₱264.00 | ₱528.00 | ₱792.00 |
| Quezon Ave. | Quirino | ₱264.00 | ₱528.00 | ₱792.00 |
| Quirino | Balintawak | ₱264.00 | ₱528.00 | ₱792.00 |
| Quirino | Buendia | ₱105.00 | ₱210.00 | — |
| Quirino | NLEX | ₱264.00 | ₱528.00 | ₱792.00 |
| Quirino | Quezon Ave. | ₱264.00 | ₱528.00 | ₱792.00 |
Travel tips for Skyway Stage 3
- For an Alabang-to-Pampanga run, take Skyway 1/2 from SLEX, switch to Stage 3 at Buendia, exit at NLEX — entirely elevated, no traffic lights.
- Stage 3 is RFID-only at every plaza. Both Autosweep and Easytrip work thanks to interoperability.
- Speed limit is 60 km/h — significantly lower than ground-level expressways. Cameras enforce strictly.
- The Balintawak NLEX tie-in is the single busiest junction in the network — expect crawling traffic during NLEX peak hours.
Frequently asked questions
- How much is the Skyway Stage 3 toll fee in 2026?
- Class 1 (private cars, jeeps, vans, SUVs) fares on Skyway Stage 3 range from ₱105.00 for short hops up to ₱264.00 for the longest segment. Class 2 is roughly 2× and Class 3 roughly 3× the Class 1 rate. Use the matrix above for the exact fare between any plaza pair.
- What RFID system does Skyway Stage 3 use?
- Skyway Stage 3 uses Autosweep as the primary RFID system. Thanks to the joint Easytrip-Autosweep interoperability agreement, both tags are accepted at every plaza in the network.
- How long is Skyway Stage 3?
- Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 (Skyway Stage 3) is approximately 18 km, 4 lanes, with a posted speed limit of 60 km/h for Class 1 vehicles. Operated by Skyway O&M Corporation, it uses a open (flat per direction) toll collection system.
- Are Skyway Stage 3 fares VAT-inclusive?
- Yes. Every fare published by the Toll Regulatory Board already includes the 12% Value-Added Tax. The fee shown is what is debited from your RFID account or paid in cash at the plaza.
- What expressways does Skyway Stage 3 connect to?
- Skyway Stage 3 connects to SLEX, NLEX. SLEX ties in at Buendia (via Skyway Stage 1/2); NLEX ties in at Balintawak interchange.
- What is the emergency hotline for Skyway Stage 3?
- For emergencies on Skyway Stage 3, call 1-35000 (DOTr unified hotline). Operator customer service: (02) 8525-7777 (San Miguel TOSI). Emergency call boxes are spaced along the expressway and patrol units are deployed 24/7.