GV Florida Bus Terminal (Sampaloc), Manila: travel guide

The Florida bus terminal in Sampaloc is the Manila base of GV Florida Transport, one of the main bus companies for Cagayan Valley, Isabela and Ilocos Norte. It stands at 832 A.H. Lacson Avenue corner Earnshaw Street, just off España Boulevard. Buses to Tuguegarao, Aparri, Santiago, Ilagan, Laoag, Pagudpud and Banaue leave from here. If you want Baguio or Pangasinan instead, you will usually need a different company and terminal (see the Tips section).

GV Florida also uses other Metro Manila stops (Cubao and Kamias in Quezon City, and PITX for a few trips), so check which one your ticket names before you set off.

Location and how to get there

The terminal is in Sampaloc, the university belt district of Manila, close to the University of Santo Tomas. The nearest rail station is LRT-2 Legarda, which Moovit puts about 150 meters away (roughly a 2 minute walk). Other rail options are the PNR España station (about 17 minutes on foot) and LRT-1 Bambang (about 21 minutes). Moovit also lists a bus stop at España Boulevard and Lacson Avenue about 150 meters from the gate.

• From Cubao or Recto: jeepneys running along España pass close by (Moovit lists Cubao to Recto and Cubao to Pier South via España). LRT-2 is the other option: ride to Legarda and walk.
• From LRT-1: get off at Doroteo Jose, take the covered walkway to LRT-2 Recto, then ride one stop east to Legarda. Taxis and ride-hailing are the alternative from Makati or the airport, and the drive crosses central Manila, so allow extra time.
• By taxi or ride-hailing: give the full address, "832 A.H. Lacson Avenue corner Earnshaw Street, Sampaloc", because several terminals sit close together on Lacson Avenue.

Operators and destinations

GV Florida Transport (formerly Florida Liner) was founded in 1970 and incorporated in 1999. Its own schedule page lists Sampaloc departures from 1:00 AM to about 10:45 PM. The page is undated, so treat the times as a guide, not a timetable you can bank on. It shows about 50 departures to Cagayan Valley and Isabela and about 29 to Laoag and other Ilocos Norte towns.

You can compare the GoAsia guides for Manila to Tuguegarao, Manila to Cagayan Valley, Manila to Laoag and Manila to Banaue. For the trip back, see Laoag to Manila and Pagudpud to Manila, which GV Florida runs to this terminal via Dau.

The company uses these bus classes: Ordinary (non-air-conditioned, run as Dagupan Bus Co.), Regular, Deluxe (with restroom), Executive Deluxe, Super Deluxe (2x1 seats, non-stop) and Sleeper (35 bunk beds on the Manila to Tuguegarao run, non-stop). The online booking page for the Sampaloc pickup point lists Executive Sleeper, Sleeper, Super Deluxe and Executive Super Deluxe vehicles.

Tickets and facilities

Tickets are sold at the terminal and online through the company's booking site. According to its FAQ, a reservation is only confirmed once you pay, unpaid bookings can be cancelled automatically, and GCash and other e-wallets and bank transfers are accepted. After booking you get an e-voucher. You can show it on your phone at the terminal, but bring a valid ID. The site does not publish fares in a form that can be read without a search, and the fare gap between Deluxe and Sleeper is large, so check the price for your date on the booking page.

Contact details from the operator: terminal phone 02-493-7956, booking support 0917 154 7097. The company also rents out buses for groups.

Tips

• Check the terminal on your ticket. GV Florida also runs buses from Cubao (operated with Dagupan Bus Co.), Kamias and PITX. Victory Liner lists an "Earnshaw" terminal for its own Baguio trips, and Earnshaw Street is where this terminal sits, so confirm the company as well as the street.
• Pick the right bus class. The operator describes Sleeper and Super Deluxe buses as non-stop. For Tuguegarao, "via Ilagan" and "via Roxas" are different roads, so check which one your ticket names.
• Arrive early on weekends and holidays. Evening trips to Tuguegarao and Laoag leave in a cluster between about 5:00 PM and 10:00 PM, which is also when Sampaloc traffic is heaviest.
• Bring a layer. Overnight buses on this run are air-conditioned and can get cold.
• Going to Baguio? The GV Florida schedule shows Baguio trips starting in Cagayan and Ilocos, not in Manila. Use Victory Liner, Genesis or Solid North instead, from Cubao or PITX.