No RFID, No Entry/Exit.
The North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) Corp. is finally reopening the Philippine Arena Interchange on August 1, but said they will no longer accept cash in the toll booths and instead utilize the radio frequency identification (RFID) payment technology when motorists pass through the interchange.
This after the NLEX Philippine Arena Exit in Bocaue, Bulacan was closed down in April due to the Luzon coronavirus lockdown and for the exclusive use of the arena complex as a government's quarantine facility.
Cash-paying motorists, who will pass through the toll road, will be required to sign up for an RFID account and have the RFID installed on their vehicles before entry or exit. The RFID sticker is free-of-charge, but you have to cash out at least PHP500 for the initial load.
What is RFID?
The RFID stickers, usually attached onto a vehicle’s windshield, connect via radio waves to an electronic device from the toll plaza that reads the data stored on the stickers. When a vehicle with a sticker passes within the vicinity of an electronic reader, the reader picks up the sticker data and relays it to a software system that tracks the activity of vehicles. RFIDs are designed to ensure a smooth ride and seamless experience for drivers as it lessens the time a vehicle waits in a toll booth.
Easytrip and Autosweep RFIDs
Currently, we have two providers of RFIDs on our expressways: Easytrip and Autosweep RFIDs. NLEX only accepts Easytrip, though you may also enroll your Autosweep by registering it for a separate profile. Once registered, your RFID sticker can now carry two wallets – one for Autosweep and another for Easytrip.
How to Register your Autosweep RFID to Easytrip System?
Below are the following guide to register your Autosweep RFID to the Easytrip System:
1. Go to the following designated registration sites:
- Easytrip Services Corp. (ESC) 7th Floor, Citystate, Shaw Boulevard, Pasig City
- Total Gasoline Station, KAWIT CAVITE
- Paranaque Southbound POS in CAVITEX
- Balintawak Customer Service Center in NLEX
- Mindanao Ave. Customer Service Center in NLEX
- Shell Balagtas in NLEX
- Petron Marilao in NLEX
- Shell Balintawak in EDSA
- Caltex Valenzuela in NLEX
- Shell Mexico in NLEX
- Total Fuel Station Merville
- CALTEX C5 Extension
- Shell Fuel Station Nuvali
2. Present your Autosweep Card to the Easytrip System Corp. (ESC) Point-Of-Sales (POS).
3. Let the ESC POS representative check the following:
- if there is an existing Easytrip/Easydrive tag on the customer's vehicle
- if the Autosweep tag is working
- EPC & TIN numbers of the tag
4. Fill-out and sign the subscription form, terms and conditions.
5. Pay PHP500.00 for the initial reload of your Easytrip account.
6. ESC will contact the customer when his/her Easytrip card is available for pickup. In the meantime, the customer may refer to the any kit provided by the ESC POS representative for his Easytrip account number.
7. Finally, the customer can use the tag at Autosweep tollways in 3 working days after registration.
Easytrip RFIDs are usable at the following expressways:
- North Luzon Expressway (NLEx)
- Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx)
- Manila-Cavite Expressway (Cavitex)
- C5-SouthLink Expressway
- Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAx)
... while Autosweep can be used at:
- Skyway System
- South Luzon Expressway (SLEx)
- NAIA Expressway (NAIAx)
- STAR Tollway
- Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEx)
Where to subscribe an Easytrip account?
1. NLEX
EASYTRIP POS stations in NLEX
- Shell Balintawak (Northbound)
- Petron Marilao (PM)Northbound
- Shell Balagtas (SB) Northbound
- Petron Balagtas (PB) Southbound
- Shell Mexico Southbound
- NLEX Drive & Dine
LANE SELLING
- Clark South (Subic Bound)
- Lane Selling in Angeles Toll Plaza (Entry)
- Lane Selling in Balagtas Toll Plaza (Entry)
NLEX Customer Service Centers
- Balintawak CSC
- San Fernando CSC
2. CAVITEX
- Longos Bacoor NB, Manila Bound Longos Entry
- CIC NB Ambulant, Manila Bound CIC Customer Service
- CIC SB Ambulant, Cavite Bound CIC Customer Service
- Kawit Northbound, Manila Bound Kawit Toll Plaza
- CAVITEX Customer Service Centers
- CAVITEX CSC Northbound
- CAVITEX CSC Southbound
3. C5 SOUTHLINK
- Shell Logcom Eastbound to Pasig
- Shell C5 Heritage Westbound to Merville
- Caltex Merville Eastbound to Taguig
- Caltex C5 Extension Eastbound to Taguig
- C5 Extension Road Junction Taguig City
- C5 Link Customer Service Center
- C5 Link Customer Service West Service Road
4. CALAX
Shell Station Nuvali, Across S&R Nuvali, Tagaytay-Sta. Rosa Road
How much is the subscription cost and initial load?
Easytrip RFID is FREE. You only have to pay the initial load of PHP500.00 for NLEX-SCTEX and PHP200.00 for CAVITEX and C5 Link.
Where to reload?
- NLEX Toll Plaza (Mixed lanes, Lane Top-up)
- Easytrip Mobile POS.
- For the list of Easytrip Reloading stations along NLEX-SCTEX, CAVITEX, CALAX and C5 Link. PLEASE CLICK HERE.
- NLEX Customer Service Centers
- Cavitex Customer Service Centers
- (along coastal road) Before Paranaque Toll Plaza (Southbound and Northbound)
- Easytrip Head Office : Unit 701 City State Centre Brgy. Kapitolyo Shaw Blvd., Pasig City
- Petron Gasoline Stations
- Shell Gasoline Stations
- SM Business Centers
- Touchpay/ MEPS
- Smart Money
- Bancnet
- LBC (excluding branches inside SM Malls)
- Credit Card Payments (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX and JCB)
- Over-the-counter/ Direct Deposit
- Account Name: Easytrip Services Corp.
- Account Numbers:
- - Metrobank 066-3-71810785-8
- - BDO 1530117826
- - UCPB 00196-1132210
- Robinsons Business Centers
- Bayad Center (excluding branches inside SM Malls)
The reopening of the PH Arena Exit complements the recent opening of the Tambobong Interchange.
Both are vital in the decongestion of Bocaue Toll Plaza and in easing mounting traffic along Governor F. Halili Road in the Bocaue-Sta. Maria corridor. These alternative NLEX exits will provide better access and convenience to motorists bound for Sta. Maria, Angat, Pandi and other towns in eastern Bulacan.
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File image from DPWH