Coda Lines is a transport provider based in the Philippines that started operations in 1996, originally servicing the route between Kiangan and Baguio but now carrying thousands of passengers across Luzon each year.
Buses from Manila bring you to Sagada, Bontoc and Banaue with special trips travelling via Ifugao and Baguio and thus making it a perfect choice to travel to the most popular destinations in the Cordilliera Mountains.
There are four services every evening day scheduled to depart at 20.00, 20.30, 21.00 and 22.00.
Travelling between Quezon City and Banaue takes 9 hours with tickets costing PHP600. The return journey from Banaue to Quezon City departs four times each day (at 13.00, 17.00, 17.30 and 18.00) with tickets priced from PHP600 and an approximate duration of 10 hours.
The journey between Quezon City and Bontoc usually takes around 11 hours and is priced at PHP820. Tickets for the return trip are priced from PHP820 with scheduled departures at 11.30, 15.00, 16.00 and 17.00.
Finally getting to Sagada should last around 12 hours with tickets starting from PHP860. There are also four services every day between Sagada and Quezon City with tickets for the 11 hour journey priced from PHP820 and scheduled departures at 11.30, 15.00, 16.00 and 17.00.
Coda Lines also offers overnight services including a daily departure at 20.30 from Baguio to Maddela, scheduled to arrive at 16.30 the following afternoon.
There are also services between Baguio and Banaue and Kiangan, departing at 21.30 and 21.00 respectively. Both trips usually last around 20 hours and are scheduled to arrive the following evening.
Coda Lines offers a wide range of routes to destinations across the Luzon region with well-scheduled departures. The cost of tickets on all of these services are competitive and much lower than many other operators that provide services along routes in this region.
With over 20 years of experience, passengers can rest assured that the company has an excellent reputation and safety record.
The biggest issue with travelling with Coda Lines is often the arrival times. On some services the scheduled arrival time is very early in the morning which can be inconvenient for passengers and mean that they may have to wait at the bus station before heading to their accommodation.
Unfortunately, many of the vehicles used by Coda Lines on these routes do not offer wi-fi, and those that do often have poor connectivity. This can be inconvenient as the trips are all pretty long so it would be useful if passengers had internet access in case they need to arrange accommodation.
The express bus has no onboard toilet, although there are frequent breaks for passengers to use the bathroom facilities, which can be problematic on some of the longer trips such as the 12 hour journey between Quezon City and Sagada.
Children aged under three can travel for free if they sit on their parent’s lap.
The enviable reputation that Coda Lines boasts after successfully operating services for over 20 years is one of the main reasons why the operator is so popular. The low cost and good range of routes and departure times is also attractive to visitors, especially those who are travelling on a budget. The option of overnight services is also useful as travellers can save money on accommodation and do not have to spend a whole day sitting aboard a bus, this is particularly useful for anyone who is travelling on a tight schedule.
Unfortunately, not all of the buses used by Coda Lines on these services offer an onboard toilet. Whilst the deluxe buses do have a toilet, passengers who travel on routes using the express buses will have to wait until for the scheduled breaks in order to use the facilities.