Thursday, March 10, 2011

How To Get To Ynares Center In Antipolo

Ynares Center
Ynares Center, an indoor sporting arena and a major landmark of Antipolo City, is located at the heart of the city beside the Rizal Provincial Capitol. The coliseum hosts many important events regularly such as PBA Games and big concerts. On March 12 and 13, it will be the venue of Talentadong Pinoy Battle of the Champions 2011.

To help those of you who don't know how to commute to this arena, here are the routes and directions to take to go there.

There are two options in going to Ynares Center. First option, we will refer to that as Route #1, is via Araneta Center Cubao FX Terminal. Second option, we will refer to that as Route #2, is via Greenfield District Mayfair Parking Terminal of Jeepneys and FXs..

It would be near for you to take Route #1 if you come from any of these locations: Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela, Pampanga, Bulacan, Novaliches, Fairview, UP Diliman, UP Ayala Technohub, Timog Avenue, Quezon Avenue, West Avenue, Trinoma, SM North Edsa, Project 6, Project 7, Project 8, Project 4, Kamuning, Kamias, Quezon Boulevard, Bagong Barrio, Tondo, Recto, Morayta, Legarda, Santa Mesa and other areas nearby, If you're location is not listed here, just get down to Araneta Center and follow the directions in Route #1. If you're from Marikina, Santolan, Ateneo de Manila, Katipunan, Anonas, just go to the second stop of this route which is Santa Lucia East. Details below in Route #1.

It would be near for you to take Route #2 if you come from Mandaluyong, Makati, Pasay, Alabang, Batangas, Laguna, Quezon Province, Bicutan, Sucat, Pasay Taft Rotonda, Mall of Asia or MOA, Baclaran, Paranaque, Taguig, Fort Bonifacio, Market Market, Ayala, JP Rizal, Ortigas Center, EDSA Crossing Shaw, Kalentong, Pasig, Mega Mall, Robinson's Galleria, Robinson's Place Manila, Boni Pioneer, Rockwell, Power Plant, Paseo de Roxas, Gil Puyat Avenue aka Buendia, Zobel Roxas, Harrison Plaza, Ermita, Malate, San Andres, Chino Roces aka Pasong Tamo, Greenbelt, Ayala Triangle Gardens and areas near to these locations. If your location is not here, just go to Shaw Station of MRT-3 and follow directions in Route #2 given below.

Route #1

From your location, go to Araneta Center Cubao. You can ride an LRT-2 or MRT-3 and get off at Araneta Center Cubao Station. Once you're in Araneta Center e.g. Farmers Plaza, Araneta Coliseum, Ali Mall, and Gateway Mall, you're first destination is Santa Lucia East. You must get to Santa Lucia East to ride a jeepney going to Ynares Center. This is because, Antipolo bound FX and jeepneys are very scarce in Cubao even in the terminal that I will direct you to. Another important thing is the sign of FX or jeepney you're going to ride must be "Antipolo Simbahan" or "Antipolo Junction". There are other FXs and jeepneys bound for Antipolo but via different route and they have different sign such as "Antipolo Sumulong". FXs and jeepneys with "Antipolo Sumulong" sign don't pass by Ynares Center.

Go to the entrance of Gateway Mall, the one located along Aurora Boulevard. This Gateway Mall entrance is beneath the LRT-2 Araneta Center Cubao Station. There's McDonald's Restaurant alongside this entrance.

As you get out of Gateway Mall through this door, you will get to see the ramp for vehicles dropping off passengers in front of Gateway Mall entrance. This ramp is being occupied by passenger FX going to the east of Metro Manila like Marikina, Cainta, SSS Village, and supposedly Antipolo. But as I've learned, Antipolo bound FX is very scarce and there are times there's none even one.

What people going to Ynares Center do is to ride a Cogeo FX right there. Cogeo bound FX is abundant in numbers, so ride one of them, make sure the sign in front is "Cogeo", pay php 20 and get off at Santa Lucia East Mall. As accustomed, ask driver to drop you off.

Santa Lucia East sign

Walk towards the Felix Avenue, the road that borders Santa Lucia East to the east and at its entry is this arch:


From the corner of Felix and Marcos Highway, walk along Felix toward Sogo Hotel, where loading and unloading zone is located as jeepneys will not stop in Santa Lucia East Mall. Don't ride in any jeepneys at the terminal located near Santa Lucia as they're going to different locations. Wait for jeepneys with "Antipolo Simbahan" or "Antipolo Junction" sign at the loading station near Sogo Hotel.

Santa Lucia East as seen from Felix Avenue near corner Marcos Highway

This is what you see when you look back as you go to loading zone near Sogo

Ride a jeepney with "Antipolo Simbahan" or "Antipolo Junction" sign only. Ask the driver to drop you off at Ynares Center.

When the jeep get to the location and if you're riding in front beside the driver this is what you see at the junction where you will get off:

After the jeep turned left at Oliveros Street you get off at the corner

Walk along the road in front of Rizal Provincial Capitol:

Rizal Provincial Capitol

This is the view as you walk towards Ynares Center from unloading zone after the jeep turned left.

As soon as you get to the other end of Rizal Provincial Capitol, Ynares comes into view and a more picturesque angle of the Capitol appears:

Ynares Center as seen from the road

Rizal Provincial Capitol view as you walk toward Ynares Center

Rizal Provincial Capitol back as you walk past towards Ynares Center

Route #2

Ride an MRT-3 train and get off at Shaw Station or go to the location of Shaw Station. From Shaw Station of MRT-3 go to EDSA Central Mall. This mall is connected to MRT-3 Shaw and there's a lot of entrances located along EDSA as well. Get in the mall and exit at the back where you'll get to see a large open space covered with green bent grass between a wide building and the Edsa Central Public Market.

Green Open Space at the back of EDSA Central Mall
Go to the park and walk down the concrete walk way towards the back of EDSA Central Public Market. Once you get to the back of the the public market, you'll get to see the Greenfield District Mayflower Parking from the distance located to the opposite corner of Edsa Central Avenue and United.


Inside that parking area is the big terminal of FXs and jeepneys going to various destinations in the east of Metro Manila.

Look for Antipolo Terminal of jeepneys or FX, depending on your preference. Just remember, whatever you ride, make sure the sign is "Antipolo Simbahan" or "Antipolo Junction". Or ask the driver beforehand if he will pass by Ynares Center and ask him a favor to drop you off at your destination. Use the photos of Ynares and Rizal Provincial Capitol in Route #1 as your guide.


Location Map of Ynares Center

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