Santo Tomas is a city of about 180,000 in Batangas. It is the main gateway to Batangas from Manila, and is a growing industrial and commercial center.

Understand

Santo Tomas lies just south of Batangas's boundary with Laguna, and is a major road junction, serving the Maharlika Highway (Route 1 and Asian Highway 26) and Jose P. Laurel Highway (Route 4). The town takes its name from its patron saint, St. Thomas Aquinas, also the patron saint of Catholic schools. Santo Tomas is also the hometown of the Filipino general Miguel Malvar, who led the soldiers of the Tagalog Republic during the Philippine–American War, and also the last general to surrender to the Americans.

Santo Tomas forms part of the vast sprawl which ends at Lipa. It became a city in 2019, after a successful local plebiscite. Santo Tomas's economy is largely based on manufacturing, agriculture and real estate development. Suburbanization has resulted in most agricultural land becoming part of the sprawl.

Get in

Jeepneys between Calamba and San Pablo (Laguna), Tanauan, and Lipa serve the city proper

By car:

• From Manila/Calamba: Take the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) and exit at Santo Tomas. Alternatively, take the older and congested Maharlika Highway/National (Route 1).
• From Lipa/Batangas City: Take the STAR Tollway and exit at Santo Tomas. Alternatively, you can exit at Tanauan or avoid the toll altogether and take the older Jose P. Laurel Highway (Route 4)
• From San Pablo/Lucena/Bicol: Follow the Maharlika Highway (Route 1/AH26)

By Slex bus north-south bound Lucena, BonPen Quezon, Bicol, Turbina Calamba City via Santo Tomas Batangas (Mainland) or Makati City / Alabang / Arcovia City / Sucat / Cubao/ Pasay City / BCG Taguig City / Marikina City / Lawton Manila / Santa Cruz Avenida Manila / Sampaloc Manila and PITX:

• Alps The Bus
• Superlines
• A. Arandia Line
• Amihan Bus Lines
• Antonina Line
• Mark Eve's Transit
• Tierra de Ibalon Travel & Tours
• Roro Bus Transport
• JTB Tours (Tourist Bus)
• Bal Transport
• Ceres Gold Star Bus (from San Jose, Batangas, Batangas City via Turbina Calamba, Alabang, Cubao and PITX or Star Tollway)
• C. Bragais Lines (via Edsa Cubao or Pasay)
• Twin Hearts Transport Corp
• CIBL Tourist Transport
• R.LL.T Transport
• RU Diaz Bus
• RMB Bicol Express Transport Incorporated
• Philtranco
• Metro Davao Shuttle (via Davao City or PITX)
• Silver Star Shuttle and Tours
• RMB Smart Bus
• Eastern Goldtrans Tour
• Bicol Isarog Transport
• Bobis Liner
• Jac Liner
• Eagle Transit Bus
• Lucena Lines (LLI)
• Cagsawa Bus Travel and Tours Incorporated
• Dela Rosa Express (via Lawton Manila or Lipa City Tanauan City Batangas, Lucena City Quezon Province)
• Jam Liner
• Daet Express
• Cul Transport
• Barney Auto Lines
• Billy Boy Transport
• P&O Transport
• AB Liner Inc
• Elavil Bus
• Raymond Transportation Incorporated
• VS Pintados Corp Bus
• Diamond Star Transit Services Bus
• Bicol Magayon Bus
• Mega Bus
• Ultrabus
• Belleza Transport
• Jvh Transport
• MRR Transport
• St. Martha Lines
• TWATRASCO (via Tabaco City)
• TenTen Tal Tours
• PP Bus Lines (via Cubao or Marikina)
• RRCG Transport (via Alabang, Makati or tambo exit Lipa via Batangas City)
• Partas Bus Philippines (from Pasay City, via Lipa Batangas, Batangas City Pier or Star Tollway)
• DLTB Co.

Southern Luzon Quezon Province BonPen Quezon Province and Bicol Provincial Buses from Turbina Calamba, PITX or Metro Manila area

By shuttle bus:

• KNR Shuttle Service
• HLM Shuttle Service Tanauan City Batangas/Santo Tomas Batangas/Malvar Batangas/Lawton Manila or via Pandacan Metro Manila (STAR Tollway)

By uv express service:

• Alabang
• Alaminos City, Laguna
• Lipa City, Batangas
• Malvar, Batangas
• Tanauan City, Batangas
• Ibaan, Batangas
• Lucena City, Quezon Province
• San Pablo, Laguna
• Padre Garcia, Batangas
• Turbina Calamba City, Laguna
• Lemery, Batangas
• Tagaytay City (Sky Ranch)

Get around

The town is served by jeepneys in major thoughfares, and tricycles in all other nooks and crannies not served by jeepneys. Car travel is advisable, especially when visiting the Padre Pio Shrine, but prepare for traffic jams in feast days.

See

• 1 General Miguel Malvar Shrine, Malvar Street (Near the Municipal Hall). Houses a statue and a museum on Miguel Malvar, Filipino general of the Tagalog Republic during the Philippine-American War. (updated Nov 2018)

Churches and religious sites

• 2 National Shrine of St. Padre Pio (Padre Pio Shrine), Gov. Antonio Carpio Avenue, San Pedro (About 2 kilometers away from Maharlika Highway). A Roman Catholic shrine and parish devoted to St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina, with buildings built to local styles. Built as a small chapel along Maharlika Highway, it is now a large complex frequented by devotees around Batangas and surrounding provinces, as well as Metro Manila. (updated May 2018)
• 3 Saint Thomas Aquinas Parish, General Malvar Street. There is little known about the church's early history, but it dates back to around the 17th century, when Santo Tomas town center is established. The old church was destroyed by American artillery bombardment during World War II in 1945, and is replaced by a modernist church building and belfry. There is a memorial to the 15 Holy Spirit Sisters, mostly Germans, who died. (updated Nov 2018)

Buy

• SM Mall Santo Tomas Batangas
• 7 Eleven Store

Eat

• 1 The Lifestyle Strip, Maharlika Highway, San Antonio (Near St. Cabrini Medical Center). Strip mall with various restaurants and coffee shop. (updated Nov 2018)
• 2 Rose & Grace, Maharlika Highway (On the corner of intersection with Malvar Street). (updated Nov 2018)

Sleep

• Microtel Inn & Suites, First Philippine Industrial Park, Sto. Tomas, ☏ +63 43 405-6957, fax: +63 43 405 7010. A/C rooms equipped with cable TV and radio clock. The inn has a swimming pool, meeting room and Wifi connection. 

Go next

Routes through Santo Tomas

Manila ← Calamba ←	N  S	→ Continues as
Splits into and ← Calamba ←	N  S	→ Alaminos → San Pablo
Continues north as ←	N  S	→ Tanauan → Batangas City
Merges with ←	N  S	→ Tanauan → Lipa