The Retreat Coffee Lounge

Step 1 — Get from Cubao to Marikina

Starting from Araneta City, Cubao, where LRT-2, MRT-3 and the Araneta City Bus Port all meet.

• LRT-2 (most predictable) · 15–25 min

  Rush hour, or any time you need to know when you will actually arrive.

  1. Enter LRT-2 at Araneta Center-Cubao Station. It connects directly to Araneta City, and interchanges with MRT-3 if you are coming down EDSA.
  2. Ride eastbound towards Antipolo. From Cubao it is four stops: Anonas, Katipunan, Santolan, then Marikina-Pasig.
  3. Get off at Marikina-Pasig Station on Marcos Highway. This is the closest station to Marikina proper.
  4. From the station, take a jeepney or tricycle into the city. Marikina's bayan, Sto. Niño and San Roque are all a short ride up from Marcos Highway.

• UV Express van · 30–60 min

  Getting deeper into Marikina in one ride, without changing vehicles.

  1. Head for the UV Express terminals around Araneta City in Cubao and look for vans signed for Marikina.
  2. Vans run to different parts of the city, so check the sign for the area you want before boarding — the bayan, Concepcion and Parang are all served by different routes.
  3. Tell the driver your street or the nearest landmark; UV Express will normally drop you along its route rather than only at the end of the line.

• Jeepney · 40–75 min

  The cheapest way, and fine outside rush hour.

  1. From Cubao, take a jeepney signed for Marikina. Routes run out along Aurora Boulevard and Marcos Highway, and via Santolan.
  2. Jeepney signboards in Marikina name the destination area rather than the city — look for the barangay or landmark you are heading to.
  3. Jeepneys stop on request anywhere along the route, so you can get off at the corner nearest the shop instead of riding to the end.

• Driving or a ride-hail · 25–70 min

  Groups, late nights, or anywhere the last walk is long.

  1. From Cubao, the usual route is out along Aurora Boulevard onto Marcos Highway, then north into Marikina.
  2. Coming off EDSA instead, Santolan and A. Bonifacio Avenue lead into the west side of the city near Riverbanks.
  3. Street parking in the older parts of Marikina is tight; the malls and the Sports Park are the easiest places to leave a car.

Step 2 — Get to The Retreat Coffee Lounge

Head for Ayala Malls Marikina. From there it is a 8 min walk (680 m) to 312 N. Ipil St., Marikina Heights, Marikina City.

Distances are measured over the real road and footpath network from Araneta City, Cubao (last checked 2026-08-15). Located to the street named in the address — check the block number on arrival. Google Maps has the live route and the shop’s own listing — follow the links above rather than these figures if the two ever disagree.