I’ve been seeing the new RORO Bus here in Palawan lately. It got the craze of the people because this was the first time they saw an aircon bus that passes by the National Road. I’ve been wanting to try it out and after our trip to Sabang in Puerto Princesa, Palawan I was finally able to ride one of these buses.
I could not help but compare the new buses to the shuttle services available from Puerto Princesa to El Nido such as Lexus Shuttle Service and Eulen Joy. The following list are my comparisons to the bus versus the van transport service.
1. Schedule
If you ask me why I love Lexus Shuttle Service it’s because of their fixed schedule. Whether they are full or not, their van will leave on schedule. Plus, they have a target travel time. Fortunately, the new RORO Bus also does that but it only has 2 trips everyday to El Nido, 6AM and 2PM. Unlike Lexus who now has 5 trips a day to El Nido. Both bus and vans has a target travel time of 5 to 6 hours.
But according to the conductors that I’ve been talking too, there will be more buses that will arrive at the end of this month (February 2012) and their target is to have a trip every hour from 4AM to 8PM to El Nido. Not only is this good news to travellers but also to locals as the latest bus that passes on the National Road is only about 3 to 4PM, with the full implementation of the RORO Bus the locals will now have the convenience of the transportation even in the evening.
They also have another target and that is to have trips from Cubao in Metro Manila to Puerto Princesa, Palawan.
Personally, I’m excited to see the developments of the RORO Bus as this will push the quality of service and lower prices around Palawan. I think I’ll make another post on their schedules when all their buses are here.
Their trip from El Nido to Puerto Princesa are also scheduled at 6AM and 2PM.
As of March 14, 2012 their schedule are
- Puerto Princesa to El Nido – 4AM, *6AM, 8AM, *10AM, 12NN, *2PM, 4PM, *6PM and *10PM
- El Nido to Puerto Princesa – 4AM, *6AM, 8AM, *10AM, 12NN, *2PM, 4PM, *6PM and *10PM
As of March 23, 2012 they now have trips to Southern Palawan
- Puerto Princesa to Rio Tuba – 3AM, *5AM, 7AM, *9AM, 11AM, *1PM, 3PM, *5PM, 7PM and *9PM
- Rio Tuba to Puerto Princesa – 3AM, *5AM, 7AM, *9AM, 11AM, *1PM, 3PM, *5PM, 7PM and *9PM
* Aircon Bus
Yahoo! Night trips!!!!
2. Price
Vans from Puerto Princesa to El Nido costs 500 Pesos/person but the RORO Bus only costs 480 Pesos/person. The downside of the RORO Bus though is that it is expensive when you’re only going to ride short distances like from Puerto Princesa to Roxas, vans only cost 150-180 Pesos/person while the RORO Bus costs 220 Pesos/person.
RORO Bus Fare Matrix
3. Comfort
One of the things I hate about the transportation in the Philippines is that it does not have good leg room for someone as tall as me but for the RORO Bus I give it a thumbs up as I could comfortably sit on the seat without hitting my knees on the front seat.
4. View Outside
Ever got a sit in the middle of van and you want to see the view outside? It’s one of the hardest feelings but with the RORO Bus I think that problem is no longer a problem.
Big Window of the RORO Bus
5. Centrifugal Force
There are a lot of zigzag parts on the road when I rode the RORO Bus, I never felt the centrifugal force that pushes me to the window whenever we made a turn like in the vans. Therefore, this ads to more comfort.
6. Night Trips
Starting March 8, 2012 the RORO Bus going to El Nido from Puerto Princesa now has a night trip everyday. Their bus leaves at 10PM and will be arriving around 3 to 4 AM. This is good as you would have more time to go around and enjoy the attraction of El Nido and Puerto Princesa than having to travel during daytime. Hooray! 
Would I prefer the RORO Bus to the Shuttle Vans?
In terms of comfort the RORO Bus exceeds the Shuttle Vans but due to the lack of schedule I still prefer the shuttle vans as my priority is to have more flexibility with my time. But it’s still too early to make a conclusion, I’ll be waiting for the advancement of the RORO Buses here in Palawan.
Update: They now have more schedules than the Shuttle Vans. I now prefer RORO Bus. 
For more information/reservation on the RORO Buses in Palawan you may contact them at the following numbers
San Jose Terminal in Puerto Princesa – Lloyd (AM) 0999-787-9469; Reynante (PM) 0919-330-2718
El Nido Terminal – Mang Benson or Ate Susan 0921-255-2765
- Thanks to Lyndree Malang for the update on the contact numbers.
Follow my El Nido, Palawan Series
- My El Nido, Palawan Budget
- Fuerza de Sta. Isabel of Taytay, Palawan
- The Cheapest Lodging in El Nido, Palawan (Helpful)
- El Nido Island Hopping Tour A (Helpful)
- El Nido Island Hopping Tour B
- El Nido Island Hopping Tour C
- El Nido, Palawan 3D2N Budget and Itinerary (Helpful)
- El Nido, Palawan 4D3N Budget and Itinerary (Helpful)
- El Nido, Palawan 4D3N Alternative Budget and Itinerary (Helpful)
Other Posts you may find useful
- Palawan Lexus Shuttle Service
- Eco-Tourism Development Fee (ETDF)
- Where to Stay in El Nido, Palawan
- Eulen Joy Bus and Vans to El Nido, Palawan
- RORO Bus in Palawan
A travel blog by Josiah Sicad that aims to make Filipinos Travel Responsibly and observe the unique culture of the Philippines. 
yehey, this is definitely better than a van!!!! will ride one of these in september! thanks for sharing pre!
You’re welcome Christian! Enjoy your trip sa Palawan sa September.
ah, RORO bus pala frm PP to El Nido, kala ko natuloy na yung RORO so El Nido. Date kase may malawakang pagboycott sa pagtayo ng RORO sa El Nido.
Gael, hindi natuloy yung RORO port sa El Nido yung prinopose kasi ay dun mismo sa bayan ng El Nido. Kaya tinanggihan nila kasi malaki yung pinsala magagawa sa ganda ng El Nido.
Yung meron na RORO Port ay ang Taytay, Palawan at dun daw dadaan yung mga papunta at galing Cubao.
Wow good to know! This looks more comfortable pa. Our arrival in PP in June is past noon time so pasok yung 2pm schedule samin.
Hopefully Gabz by June matupad na yung hourly trips nila from 4AM to 8PM, at least wala ka na hahabulin masyado na schedule.
wow! may stopover din ba yan? mabilis ako maihi. hehehe
Meron naman. Roxas and Taytay ang stopover o pwede mo kalabitin si Manong Driver at itigil ang buong bus para maki-CR sa mga bahay sa kalsada. hehehe
WOW! this is a great development.. I prefer buses than shuttle buses for long trips!i have to try this when I go to El Nido soon! Sana mas madami na silang trips by then…
perfect! babalik ako elnido this april!
Kumusta na ba ang schedule ng Ro-Ro bus from PP to El Nido? Talaga bang 5hrs lang ang biyahe? Kasi we have to take a plane from PP at 1pm, kaya medyo worried ako na maiwan ng plane if we left El Nido late. Is the Ro-Ro bus schedule now on a regular basis? Thanks heaps.
Hi Juanito, even if Ro-Ro Bus does make it 5 hours you’ll be arriving in San Jose Terminal in Puerto Princesa at 12NN. I suggest you ride the first trip of Lexus Shuttle Service around 5AM so you can be sure to reach your flight.
Hi Juanito. As a (not so long time) resident of El Nido, I must say that you have to add at least an hour to the 5-hour land trip from PPC to EN because of the stopovers in Roxas and Taytay. The 5-hour trip is under ideal conditions, i.e., dry weather. Josiah, you are a great help in spreading the news that El Nido should not be expensive. Thanks.
PS: Naunahan mo pa ako dito sa RORO bus na to,hehehe. Mid-march ill be commuting to PPC via this bus. I’ll keep you posted. Great blog!
I’m glad to be of help to El Nido, Armie.
Actually, I’m also a (not so long time) resident of Palawan too.
We also tried the RORO Bus going to El Nido just last Sunday, Feb 26. We made it in exactly 5.5 hours. Departed PPC 6am then we arrived in El Nido 1130am. We had a 30 min stop over in Roxas plus yung mga pag pick up nila ng passengers along the way. Overall, it was comfy. Kuya Driver and Conductor said they also have plans of having trips to Southern Palawan soon.
Great to hear na na-experience mo na rin ang RORO Bus to El Nido Riz. Very comfortable compared to other transportation going to El Nido. Sana dumami pa yung mga buses nila at sana makapunta na rin ako sa Southern Palawan soon. Keep on travelling.
Nice one!!! This is just what I needed.. Thanks!!!
i can see a bigger crowd in el nido in the coming days. not years as development is really fast.
Me too! hindi lang dahil sa holy week. Ang ganda ng service na ginagawa ng RORO Bus dito sa Palawan.
Nice. We’re going to El Nido this June and I can’t stand being in a van for hire because of my height. 5 hours ba talaga ang travel time for the Roro Bus?
Hi Ethan! Not really, it could extend up to 6 hours. But their target travel time is 5 hours.
Actually, their bus that leaves at 10PM is slower than their usual trips. According to them it will arrive around 4:30AM to 5AM.
Finally, find a review on roro bus. Thank you for sharing this information.
Will be visiting El Nido again and nice to know that there are some development in their transportation. 
Hi Rina, you’re welcome. Enjoy your trip to El Nido.
Hi, guys, so happy that I found this post about transport in Palawan!
I will be arriving in PP next wednesday 25th April around 11:25. My plan is to visit the Underground River in Sabang before proceeding to El Nido.
So, do you know if RoRo buses can take me to Sabang in the afternoon of 25th April around 14:00?I saw there is a bus to El Nido, but, how can I get to SaBang and then from Sabang to El Nido? Can I still go with RoRo buses?
If is not possible on the 25th, I will stay in PP and will go to Sabang on the 26th, no problem.
Many thanks in advance for your help!
Hi Bee82, to know how to get to Sabang please visit this post http://www.lakas.com.ph/2012/02/how-to-get-to-sabang-puerto-princesa-palawan/. Thanks.