EDSA Carousel
The EDSA Carousel, also known as Route 1 and formerly and still referred to as Route E, is a bus rapid transit system, part of several bus routes in Metro Manila. It is situated along EDSA and other roads, running on a dedicated right-of-way called the EDSA Busway, separated from normal road traffic in most of its stretch by concrete barriers and steel bollards on the innermost lane.
Interim operations began on June 1, 2020, serving as a replacement of the former bus routes along EDSA, acting as an augmentation service to the MRT Line 3 due to the limited capacity restrictions put in place by the general community quarantine in Metro Manila as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines. Full operations began later on July 1, 2020. Intended to be largely served by bus stops along the median, some stops are temporarily served by bus stops on the curbside.
The line is operated by the Mega Manila Consortium Corporation and ES Transport and Partners Consortium under the supervision of the Department of Transportation and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.
History
Background
Epifanio de los Santos Avenue is the main thoroughfare of Metro Manila. Traffic congestion has always been a concern in the area and since 2007, the MMDA ordered buses to stay on the two right-most lanes of the road. Plastic barriers were later added in 2016.A proposal for a bus rapid transit system using funds from the World Bank was approved in 2017. EDSA was intended to be the second phase of the implementation of the bus rapid transit system, following Quezon Avenue. Line 2, known as the Central Corridor, will be eventually realized as the EDSA Carousel.
Development
On March 16, 2020, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases imposed a community quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which halted almost all public and private transportation using EDSA. This paved the way for the immediate construction of the EDSA Busway.Traffic in the EDSA Busway is restricted to authorized city buses, as well as emergency vehicles such as ambulances, firetrucks, and responders to emergencies and vehicles and convoys that have been coordinated beforehand. Enforcement of the Busway is provided by MMDA Regulation No. 20-002, which was signed on July 28, 2020. Public and private motor vehicle drivers that violate the regulation are fined for each offense.
The EDSA Carousel line is distinct from the World Bank-funded BRT project.
Opening
On July 1, 2020, the EDSA Carousel line, also designated as Route E, started its interim operations with a total of fifteen stops in a dedicated bus lane completed by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.Proposed privatization and resumption of free rides
Due to the increasing number of passengers as restrictions are slowly being relaxed, volumes of passengers began to increase as well. In the wake of increasing inflation and world market movements affecting currency values, free rides for the EDSA Carousel were announced for the remaining months of then-President Rodrigo Duterte's term. Upon Bongbong Marcos's assumption of the presidency, free rides were extended until the end of 2022, in spite of budgetary concerns. However, the free rides introduced problems of ridership capacity and the amount of buses available to serve passengers during rush hours.Proposals to privatize the operations of the EDSA Carousel to further improve its services were explored. Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista in 2022 stated that the DOTr is open to such proposals, adding these must be "explored expeditiously."
In 2025, Bautista stated that the DOTr aims to turn over the operations and maintenance of the EDSA Busway and EDSA Carousel to a private operator by 2026, with a feasibility study being completed within the next few months. On February 25, 2025, a day after taking a ride of the EDSA Carousel from Ortigas to Monumento stops, newly-appointed Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon noted several needed solutions and improvements for the operations of the EDSA Carousel, such as the need of a stricter dispatch system along Monumento and PITX bus stations to ensure timeliness and avoid bus clogging problems within the two bus stops. Dizon also pointed out the lack of clear way finders in busway stations connected to the MRT 3, faulty timers in bus stations, unsuitable railing stops, and broken elevators, as well as the construction of new busway concourses in all busway stations, which is planned to begin within the second half of 2025. Due to the developments on fixing the problems along the EDSA Busway, the proposals to privatize the EDSA Carousel would be pushed back until 2026 to 2027, in the aftermath of the construction of new concourses in all existing stations as part of the long-term proposals to modernize the system. Dizon soon announced that the rehabilitation would start later in 2025, starting with the first phase involving the renovation of Monumento, Bagong Barrio, North Avenue, and Guadalupe stops.
Ridership
Since the line's opening in June 2020, the total ridership of the line was 130,238,608 commuters within June 2020 to November 2022. From June to December 2020, total ridership has reached a daily average 41,000 to 60,000 passengers, and continued to rise throughout 2021, wherein the daily average of commuters using the line is 129,000 passengers, with its highest record reaching 160,000 passengers in June 2021. Total ridership in 2021 reached 47,104,197.In 2022, the line's highest record reached a total of 404,010 passengers on October 24, 2022, while the average daily ridership through the year is 389,579 passengers. Total ridership also increased to a new record high, as the line served 80,832,186 passengers. In 2024, the daily passenger average of the EDSA Carousel for the year reached a total of 177,000 passengers, while the total annual ridership of the EDSA Carousel reached a total of 63,022,953 passengers. In 2025, the total annual ridership of the EDSA Carousel reached a total of 66,669,287 passengers, which is 5.79% higher compared to 2024's total ridership.
Stops
The line initially had 15 bus stops on its interim launch, with additional stops added in the following months., 24 bus stops are currently operational. There are 87 operators and 751 authorized buses that serve the entire route.Selected stops of the Busway also runs parallel to the MRT Line 3 and the northern section of the LRT Line 1. Plans are also underway to expand the Busway system by improving the accessibility and connectivity on various bus stops to nearby transport networks.
| Date opened | Project | Stop |
| June 1, 2020 | Interm operations | Monumento to Quezon Avenue: Monumento, Bagong Barrio, Balintawak, Kaingin Road, Roosevelt, North Avenue, Quezon Avenue Buendia to PITX: Buendia, Ayala, Magallanes, Evangelista/Malibay, Taft Avenue, Roxas Boulevard, Macapagal Avenue, SM Mall of Asia, PITX |
| July 1, 2020 | Full operations, opening of first median stops | Main Avenue, Santolan, Ortigas, Guadalupe |
| September 5, 2020 | Opening of median stops and additional stops | North Avenue, Quezon Avenue, Nepa Q-Mart |
| Late 2020 | Opening of median stops and additional stops | Monumento, Bagong Barrio, Balintawak, Kaingin Road, and Roosevelt |
| November 22, 2021 | Opening of median stops and additional stops | Buendia |
| August 4, 2022 | Opening of median stops and additional stops | Taft Avenue and Roxas Boulevard |
| November 20, 2022 | Opening of median stops and additional stops | Ayala southbound curbside stop moved to One Ayala |
| January 2, 2023 | Opening of median stops and additional stops | Tramo |
| July 16, 2024 | Opening of median stops and additional stops | Philam and Kamuning |
| March 13, 2025 | EDSA Busway Concourse | SM North EDSA |
| October 1, 2025 | Additional northbound stop | SM Mall of Asia |
;Notes
Stop layout
The line utilizes existing pedestrian footbridges along EDSA by constructing additional stairways to the center island of EDSA. It also uses some stations of the MRT Line 3 and LRT Line 1 by making use of the train stations' emergency exit stairways. Some bus stops, such as the ones at Ayala, SM Mall of Asia, and Macapagal Boulevard, still use the existing stops on the curbside, while the southbound Ayala bus stop is located inside One Ayala. Unlike those along EDSA, stops along Macapagal Boulevard are unmarked.Future
On November 16, 2020, the Department of Transportation signed an agreement with SM Prime Holdings, DM Wenceslao and Associates Inc., and Double Dragon Properties Corp. for the construction of EDSA busway bridges. The bridges will be shouldered by the three companies, seeking to provide safer, convenient, and PWD-friendly walkways for the riding public using the EDSA Carousel stops, and for pedestrians crossing EDSA. The pedestrian bridges were conceptualized with concourses, concierge, ticketing booths, and turnstiles for the automated fare collection system. Ramps and elevators would also be available to provide accessibility for PWDs, senior citizens, and pregnant passengers. The structures will be strategically located at the SM Mall of Asia, SM North EDSA, SM Megamall, Macapagal Boulevard in Aseana City and the corner of EDSA and Macapagal Boulevard. The groundbreaking ceremony for the EDSA Busway Concourse Project was held on May 18, 2021. It was expected to be completed in March 2022, but no updates have been announced since then.On June 20, 2022, the DOTr announced an additional 11 more stops would be added to the EDSA Carousel, which would bring the total number of stops to 29. The Tramo, Taft Avenue, Roxas Boulevard, Kamuning and Philam stops have since been completed.
In June 2025, the DOTr stated that the controversial Kamuning Footbridge will be rebuilt with direct access to the Kamuning bus stop of the EDSA Carousel.
In November 2025, the DOTr announced the opening of bidding for proposed median bus stops in Cubao, Magallanes, and PITX.
The proposed Connecticut, Greenfields, and Estrella stops still remain under consideration, as the location, funding, and feasibility studies are yet to be determined and conducted.