Fariñas Trans, a long-standing bus operator based in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte, is expecting to introduce a sleeper bus service on its Manila–Ilocos route by the end of April.
Operating since 1955, Fariñas Trans has become one of the more recognizable names in public land transportation serving the Ilocos Region. In recent months, rumors of sleeper buses entering the fleet shared by the company’s employees—circulated online. These speculations were further fueled when photos of dark green King Long units surfaced at Manila Port Area. On April 22, Fariñas Trans confirmed the new service through a Facebook post.
“Ready to ride in comfort like never before?
Fariñas Trans is thrilled to unveil our newest Sleeper Bus—just in time for your summer adventures…
Sleep tight, travel right—only with Fariñas Trans.”
Partnership with King Long
The company has partnered with Chinese manufacturer King Long for the project, acquiring two sleeper bus units, marking the first time this specific configuration by King Long will be used in the Philippines.
Each bus features 35 beds in a 1x1x1 layout, reclinable up to approximately 150 degrees. Other features include an in-bus entertainment system, charging ports for gadgets, privacy curtains, and a restroom located at the mid-section of the bus.
We reached out to Fariñas Trans’ Chief Operating Officer Carlos Fariñas for a comment.
“We always make a point to give the best to our passengers. We owe it to them on what we have become.”
According to Mr. Fariñas, the sleeper buses were initially expected to arrive in December 2024 but experienced delivery delays.
Long Standing Relationship with the Brand
When asked about the decision to choose King Long for the sleeper bus units, Mr. Fariñas noted that the relationship between the two companies goes back to 2004.
“We started trying King long brand way back in 2004. It was the first brand new bus from China that we tried. At first we were hesitant because of the reliability and spare parts but in the end it proven itself among others brands that we tried in between.”
The company has since operated multiple King Long models, including the Eurostar (XMQ6127), several Longwei variants, the Jieguan, and the 5-series (XMQ6119FY). Out of 62 brand-new buses acquired since 2008, 45 were manufactured by King Long.
Mr. Fariñas also revealed that the sleeper buses come at a significantly higher price point compared to their standard coaches.
“The cost of a brand new sleeper bus (35 seating capacity) is twice of the Super Deluxe bus (2×1 configuration), that’s why we only bought 2 sleeper bus…”
Fares and Schedule
The new sleeper buses will operate on the Manila to Laoag route, departing from the company’s terminals in Sampaloc, Manila and in Laoag City. Both northbound and southbound trips are scheduled to leave at 10:00 PM.
Fariñas Trans’ updated fare structure is as follows:
- First Class (Regular): Php 900
- First Class with CR: Php 1,000
- Super Deluxe (with CR and Lazyboy seats): Php 1,100
- Sleeper Bus: Php 1,200
“All our buses have aircon and wifi with them. 2 drivers at all times and taking turns half of the way with only 1 to 2 stop over (resto/ pasalubong)”, Mr. Fariñas added.
Looking Ahead
As of writing, Fariñas Trans expects the sleeper buses to be available by the last week of April. The move reflects a broader trend in Philippine land transportation, where operators continue to explore more comfortable and overnight-friendly options for long-haul passengers.
