Let’s be real: commuting in Metro Manila isn’t exactly a breeze, even with the supposedly ‘straightforward’ MRT and LRT lines. Thankfully, there’s now a way to track your train ride in real time thanks to the all-new navigation app TrenKo. Here’s everything you need to know about this commuter-friendly app.

How it all started

For industrial designer Enrico Miguel Velasquez, enough train rides have shown him that there is still much that could be done for commuters, especially in helping them navigate their stops. That’s why he made the app TrenKo.​

“After commuting almost daily, I kept wishing for ease of access and information para lagi akong aware of where I was kahit siksikan man or kung nagphphone lang tayo kapag medyo maluwag sa loob. That wish stayed with me, and it eventually led me to build TrenKo,” read Enrico’s post. 

Enrico built TrenKo to be inclusive, noting, “Part of me built this app for my own personal goal of creating an app for our phones, but it’s also to help those na first time mag tren, para dun sa mga pagod na sa trabaho at hindi na aware kung nasaang station sila, and for PWDs who could benefit from clearer, more accessible information.”

How does TrenKo work?

Enrico describes TrenKo as an app designed for Metro Manila’s rail commuters that instantly recognizes your current station. 

Here are some of the now-active features TrenKo has:

• Automatic Station Detection –  It informs you which station you’re currently in or which one you’re approaching next. In between stations, it shows when you’re approaching the next station and how long it will take to get there.
• Real-Time Trip Guidance – It keeps tabs on your journey in real time, tells you how many stops remain, and points out transfer stations, so you’re always prepared to hop off at the right moment. 
• Fare Awareness – It also allows users to view estimated fares for stored-value and single-journey tickets, including transfer breakdowns. 
• Line Explorer – It shows Metro Manila train lines and stations and allows you to preview routes before or during your commute.
• Favorites and Quick Destination – It lets you save frequently used stations for easy access and reference.
• Notifications – It updates you at important moments, like when you’re one stop away from your destination or transfer or when you’ve arrived at the station where you need to get off.
• Live Activities, Dynamic Island, and Lock Screen Updates – It lets you see station alerts, arrival reminders, and trip progress even when your phone is locked.

The best part? All of these features are FREE when you download the app.

Where can you download TrenKo?

Right now, TrenKo is only on the App Store for Apple users, but Enrico assured everyone that an Android version is in the pipeline to make it more accessible. Download TrenKo here.

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