Train is a very good way to explore Myanmar. Passenger trains connects most important cities and are very cheap. Of course, trains in Myanmar have disadvantages – they ride very slowly, the rolling stock is in the vast majority very old, but everything is rewarded by beautiful views from the windows and atmosphere on trains – you can meet ordinary, friendly people from rural areas.
Last updated: 16.01.2024
The first railway in present day Myanmar was railway line from Yangon to Pyay (then Rangoon to Prome) operated by Irrawaddy Valley State Railway (262 km). It was opened in May 1877. The railway line was led along the river and was built by workers from India within three years. It was built to 1000 mm gauge.
In 1884 the company Sittang Valley State Railway inaugurated the railway line along the Sittang river from Yangon to Tougoo via Bago (267 km). Five years later, after the annexation of the Upper Burma, the line was extended to Mandalay (350 km), former capital of the fallen Ava Kingdom.
In 1896 companies were merged to Burma Railway Company.
The railway from Mandalay to Myitkyina was build in stages. It reached Myitkina in 1898.
At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, over 400 kilometers of new railway lines were built.
The Japanese invasion during the Second World War caused considerable damage to the rail network. Japanese army removed many of the lines, and at the end of the war only 1085 km in four isolated sections were operational. Rebuild of the network the network began in the 1950s.
Train travel in Myanmar – domestic trains
Myanmar railway network is extensive. It has more than 6,000 kilometers of tracks with 960 active railway stations. The second largest network in Southeast Asia is spanning north to south with branch lines to the east and west. Construction of the new railway lines is underway. Traveling by train in Myanmar is very popular among tourists from all over the world and is considered an unforgettable adventure.
Long-distance trains in Myanmar run on the following routes:
Yangon – Mandalay via Bago and Thazi
Yangon – Bagan
Yangon – Dawei
Yangon – Pyway
Mandalay – Lashio
Mandalay – Myitkyna
Hsipaw – Pyin Oo Lwin
Trains are slow. Most famous is the slow train from Yaksauk to Thazi.
Many tourists want to visit Inle Lake. Nearest railway station is in the Shwenyaung, 11 km away from Nyaungshwe – popular base to explore Inle Lake.
Trains in Myanmar are operated by Myanmar Railways
Myanmar Railways – official website (Burmese language)
Timetable in Burmese language
Railway Map of Myanmar (Wikipedia)
A lot of websites publish train timetables in Myanmar, but it is not known if they are up-to-date.
Myanmar Railways (MR) does not offer online booking. Tickets are hand-written and there are long queues to the ticket offices at the stations. Sometimes passenger must wait about one hour or longer, especialy in Yangoon. It’s highly recommended to pay someone from staff of your hotel to arrange your ticket with advance.
Classes in Myanmar trains:
Ordinary Class – most common, cheapest and most frequently chosen by locals and low-budget young tourists. Hard wooden benches, there are no fans in the carriages.
First Class – a higher class, there no fans in carriages, but wooden benches have upholstery, making traveling more comfortable.
Upper Class – the highest class mainly used by tourists – old but comfortable seats, although they are far from the standards of the best trains in neighboring countries. There are fans in the wagons.
Sleeper – sleeping carriages with 4-beds compartments, without a corridor connecting all compartments. A separate door from the platform leads to each compartment. You cannot go from the compartment to the compartment. There is a toilet in the comparment. Passengers has spacious legroom and table between the seats. On the ceiling is a fan. These carriages run in the overnight trains from Yangon to Mandalay.
Upper Class Sleeper – sleeping carriages with 2-bed compartments. Only on the Rangun – Mandalay overnight train.
– passenger cars are not equipped with air-conditioning. Some of the windows in carriages have wooden shutters.
– trains are very slow, usually it’s a bumpy ride.
– seat reservation is compulsory in long-distance trains.
– sometimes several people have a reservation of the same seat in the carriage.
– foreigners no longer needs to pay in US dollars.
– toilets are in each train, but they are not clean. Usually squat type.
Yangon Circular Railway
In Yangon there is a commuter railway around the capital and suburbs that serves the Yangon metropolitan area. The circular railway is the cheapest method of transportation in Yangon and trains are often overcrowded. The loop network consists of 39 stations, linking various parts of Yangon. The line is double-track, build to 1000 mm gauge.
Route is served by various trains – for example trains with a locomotive and passenger carriages and diesel traction units imported from Japan. Trains run very often, but the journey is very slow and the wagons are crowded. During the journey trains pass through the center of Rangun and the outskirts of the city. From the windows of the train you can see, among others, a garbage dump, villas in the district of the wealthiest inhabitants and planes starting from the airport. In addition, it is worth seeing the bazaar at the Danyingon station, similar to railway bazaars in Thailand.
Traveling by train around Rangun takes about 3 hours. This is a great opportunity to observe the everyday life of the capital’s inhabitants. One higher class wagon is attached to most trains, so if someone values comfort and privacy, maybe at a slightly higher price to go with such a wagon.
Tickets are very cheap.
Goteik Viaduct
Most famous railway attraction in Myanmar is Goteik viaduct. It is a railway trestle over the Goteik Gorge of the Myitnge River on the route of the train from Mandalay to Lashio.
The bridge was constructed in 1899 by the Pennsylvania and Maryland Bridge Construction Company, and opened in following year. The components were shipped from the United States. The viaduct measures 689 metres from end to end, the height is about one hundred meters, but many sources say that the viaduct height is over 200 meters.
Trains pass through the viaduct at a speed of about 10-20 kilometers per hour.
Train travel in Myanmar – international trains
There are no international trains from Myanmar to adjacent countries. Apart from the infamous Death Railway between Thailand and Burma there have never been any international links.
There are plans to build standard gauge line from Mandalay to Muse on the Chinese border (430 km). Part of the line will run along of an existing metre gauge railway from Mandalay to Lashio. The new Goteik viaduct will be constructed. The plans were unveiled in 2011. . The project includes 36 stations, 124 bridges and 60 tunnels. On the Chinese side the railway line from from Dali in China to Ruili on the border with Myanmar is under construction. Construction began in May 2011. In 2022 section from Dali to Baoshan was opened. The railway line between China and Myanmar is very important for China, because it has the potential to open up a vital route to the Indian Ocean.
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