Train
times & fares for key routes:
Yangon - Bago - Thazi - Mandalay
Yangon -
Bagan
Yangon -
Shwenyaung (for Inle Lake)
Yangon
- Bago - Kyaikto - Mawlamyine (Moulmein)
Yangon -
Pyay
Mandalay
- Bagan
Mandalay - Shwenyaung
(for Inle Lake)
Mandalay - Pyin Oo Lwin (Maymyo) - Hsipaw - Lashio
Mandalay - Kawlin - Myitkyina
Mandalay - Bagan - Pyay - Yangon by Irrawaddy river steamer :
Irrawaddy steamer section.
There are NO international trains from Burma, and it can be
difficult to enter Burma overland from either India or Thailand
because the borders are closed to foreigners and foreigners are not permitted in
most border areas.
Map
of train routes in Southeast Asia
The Rangoon to Mandalay express trains are
a comfortable and (in fact) relatively fast and punctual
option for travel between these cities. A bit bumpy in
places, perhaps, but much more comfortable than cramped buses
and far more of a real Burmese travel experience than a
flight. In fact, the train ride is a highly recommended
experience..! The timetable below shows the new
timetable introduced in September 2006 (changed again in
November 2006), which rescheduled most
Rangoon-Mandalay trains to run by day rather than overnight.
Yangon
► Mandalay
|
|
Train
number: |
31 |
5 |
3 |
11 |
1 |
7 |
29 |
|
Classes: |
U, O |
U,1,O,R |
U,1,O |
U, O |
U,1,O |
U,1,O |
U,
O |
|
Yangon (Rangoon)
depart: |
03:15 |
05:00 |
05:30 |
06:00 |
08:30 |
12:00 |
12:45 |
|
Bago (Pegu) |
05:05 |
06:51 |
07:21 |
07:50 |
10:36 |
13:50 |
| |
|
Taungoo
|
09:27 |
11:28 |
12:19 |
12:38 |
17:08 |
18:23 |
19:00 |
|
Pyinmana (Naypyitaw) |
11:45 |
13:48 |
14:36 |
15:13 |
20:09 |
20:43 |
21:05 |
|
Thazi |
- |
16:56 |
18:03 |
18:38 |
00:40 |
- |
00:03 |
|
Mandalay
arrive: |
- |
20:10 |
21:30 |
22:00 |
06:00 |
- |
03:00 |
S = sleeping-car U =
upper
class seats 1 = first class seats O =
ordinary class seats
R = restaurant car
It is not now certain which if any trains have
sleepers - if you find out, please
email me!
Rangoon to Mandalay is 622 km (388 miles). All the trains
shown here run daily. Trains 29, 30, 33 & 34 are known as
the 'Chinese trains', using the newest Chinese coaches.
Train 17 & 18 (which seems to have disappeared from the
timetable in November 2006, but this could be an error) is a
special joint venture between Myanmar railways and a private
company called Dagon Mann Travel, but it is broadly similar to
other Myanmar Railways trains.
Mandalay ► Yangon
|
|
Train
number: |
32 |
30 |
8 |
6 |
4 |
12 |
2 |
|
Classes: |
U, O |
U, O |
U, O |
U,1,O,R |
U,1,O |
U,1,O |
U,1,O |
|
Mandalay
depart: |
- |
22:30 |
- |
05:00 |
05:30 |
06:00 |
19:00 |
|
Thazi |
- |
01:13 |
- |
07:48 |
08:20 |
09:04 |
23:45 |
|
Pyinmana |
05:00 |
04:11 |
13:45 |
11:01 |
11:52 |
12:23 |
05:01 |
|
Taungoo |
07:00 |
06:18 |
15:45 |
13:18 |
14:13 |
14:49 |
08:06 |
|
Bago (Pegu) |
11:37 |
| |
20:13 |
17:52 |
19:12 |
19:35 |
14:49 |
|
Yangon (Rangoon)
arrive: |
13:45 |
13:00 |
22:15 |
20:10 |
21:30 |
22:00 |
17:20 |
Foreigners must pay fares in US dollars.
Children under 3 years old travel
free, children under 10 pay half fare.
|
How to buy tickets
What
are Burmese trains like?
Right: Upper class cars on a Rangoon - Mandalay
express. There is no air-conditioning, but windows
open for a cool breeze and unrivalled views of the Burmese
countryside. Trains 15 / 16 and 5 / 6 have the most
modern cars. |
|
 |
|
 |
Fares:
|
Special
sleeper
|
Upper class
sleeper
|
Upper class
seat
|
First class
seat |
Ordinary
seat |
|
Rangoon - Mandalay (train
17 or 18) |
$50 |
$48 |
$ 45 |
$32 |
- |
|
Rangoon - Mandalay (train
15 or 16) |
- |
- |
$ 35 |
? |
$ 15 |
|
Rangoon - Mandalay (on
other trains) |
- |
$ 33 |
$ 30 |
? |
$ 11 |
|
Rangoon - Thazi (train 15
or 16) |
- |
- |
$ 32 |
? |
$ 12 |
|
Rangoon - Thazi (on other
trains) |
- |
$ 30 |
$ 23 |
? |
$ 9 |
|
Rangoon - Bago |
- |
- |
$ 5 |
? |
$ 2 |
 Contrary
to what you might read in your guidebook, the Rangoon to
Mandalay express trains are a comfortable, fairly
fast and reasonably punctual way to travel between Rangoon and
Mandalay. Trains are available for boarding
at Rangoon in good time (normally at the platform right in front
of you when you enter the station), and they generally depart
promptly with whistles blown, flags waved, and a long low hoot
from the locomotive.
The train trundles out of Rangoon at just 15mph with the local
children trying to hang on to the outside, accelerating to
40-45mph once clear of the city, clickety-clacking past small
villages of palm-thatched cottages built on stilts, ox carts
trundling slowly along dusty roads, and occasional white or gold
stupas. Burmese children love to wave at trains, especially if
they see a western face at the window, and will smile broadly
when you wave back. You'll be travelling along a railway
originally built by the British - look out for the old-fashioned
semaphore signals and mock-Tudor signal boxes at Bago.
Even when night falls, you'll see the palm trees silhouetted in
the moonlight, and the smell of the village cooking fires will
drift into your sleeper compartment through the open window.
Make sure you have a jumper or fleece handy if you travel
overnight, as it can get very cold a few hours after dark.
The track is not the best in the world and in places it will put your
carriage suspension through its paces, but you stand a good
chance of arriving at the other end within 5 or 10 minutes of
the advertised time. However, delays of 30 - 60 minutes or
more are not uncommon, so make allowances. Pictured,
right: Train 17 from Rangoon to Mandalay passes Bago.
The wide-open windows and relatively slow speeds make train
travel a great way to see Burma.
Travellers' reports...
Traveller Roger Minns reports from January 2008: "After a
last shower we set off on the midday walk to the station and our
rendezvous with our upper class seats of the ’Chinese 29 up
train’ from Rangoon bound for Mandalay leaving at 12.30.
And there it was! A spacious carriage with collapsed but
still surprisingly comfortable seats (albeit in the permanently
fully-reclined mode) some 40 years old but mercifully with
windows which opened fully and a ceiling full of fans which
worked! The carriage was full with polite local people
including a couple of monks. We left on time through the
outskirts of Rangoon and then through an arid farming area.
People working on the land with oxen but no tractors or farm
equipment – unbelievably arduous work. Occasionally our
train slowed or stopped at a station when a multitude of vendors
would get on – often emerging from the roof with a range of hot
and cold food offerings – including, to Tom’s undisguised
delight, a bloke with tins of coldish Myanmar beer. There
was also a restaurant service of sorts on board and Graham in
particular took full advantage of the supply of noodles, curries
and, inevitably, coffee. After dark the lights didn’t
really work so we tried to sleep in fairly uncomfortable
circumstances. It was chilly, but with the windows closed
not excessively so, and we all managed to kip for a bit. Any
urge Tom and I might have had to visit the loo rapidly
evaporated when a rather shaken-looking Graham returned with a
report that there was a loose turd rolling around on the
lavatory floor! Then, suddenly at 3am, our arrival on time
at Mandalay Station! We had worried about arriving at
Mandalay at 3 in the morning expecting the place to be dead. Far
from it! The station was humming with music, tea houses, people
sleeping on the platform and, inevitably, taxi drivers! "
Bagan,
where 800-year-old temples and stupas litter a huge plain as
far as the eye can see, should not be missed. There are
direct trains from Rangoon to Bagan, but these only run 4
times a week, are very slow and use old rolling stock. It
is better to take an
express train from Rangoon to Thazi then a bus or taxi to
Bagan, or an express
train from Rangoon
to Mandalay, visit Mandalay, then travel
to Bagan using the express ferry.
However, if you want to use the direct trains, details are shown
here.
IMPORTANT: It's been reported that these direct
Rangoon-Bagan trains no longer run, but this has not yet been
confirmed. If you have any further information, please
email me..!
Yangon
► Bagan
|
|
Bagan ►
Yangon
|
|
Train
number: |
25 |
61 |
|
Train
number: |
26 |
62 |
|
Days of running: |
Wed, Sun |
Mon, Fri |
|
Days of running: |
Wed, Sun |
Mon, Fri |
|
Classes: |
U,O |
U,O |
|
Classes: |
U,O |
U,O |
|
Rangoon (Yangon) depart: |
08:30
day 1 |
21:00
day 1 |
|
Bagan (Pagan) depart: |
08:30
day 1 |
21:15
day 1 |
|
Bagan (Pagan) arrive: |
05:05
day 2 |
18:15
day 2 |
|
Rangoon (Yangon) arrive: |
06:00
day 2 |
21:00
day 2 |
U = upper
class seats; O = ordinary class seats.
How to buy tickets.
What
are Burmese trains like?
Fares:
|
Upper class
sleeper
|
Upper class
seat
|
First class
seat |
Ordinary
seat |
|
Rangoon - Bagan |
- |
US$ 31 |
- |
US$ 11 |
 About the journey:
Trains 25 / 26 and 61 / 62 are
extremely slow and have no sleepers or restaurant car, just seats.
They use much older and dirtier carriages than the
Rangoon-Mandalay express trains, and it's a long and not
very reliable journey. It's much better to take an express train
from Rangoon to Thazi then a bus or taxi from Thazi to
Bagan, or to travel Rangoon to Mandalay by express
train, visit Mandalay, then take the Mandalay to Bagan express
ferry down the Irrawaddy, a wonderful river journey.
Bagan station is a modern pagoda-style station in the middle of
nowhere about 5km southeast of the Nyaung Oo township, roughly
9km from Old Bagan. It's possibly one of the few stations
in the world further from the town it serves than the airport..!
Train 25 / 26 runs via Pyinmana on the mainline to Mandalay, and
is allegedly slightly less unreliable than train 61 / 62 which
runs via the more rural Pyay line. Please double-check
train times locally.
Inle Lake is one of the most
beautiful places in Burma, and it attracts many visitors.
The usual base for exploring the lake is Nyaungshwe, at the
north end of the lake. Trains and buses don't go directly
to Nyaungshwe, but go to the junction town of Shwenyaung 11 km
away. To reach Shwenyaung, take an express train from
Rangoon or Mandalay to Thazi, then either a bus (4-5 hours on bad roads) or, preferably,
a wonderfully scenic trip on the 'Slow Train From
Thazi' as shown below. There are plenty of local taxis and
buses between Shwenyaung and Nyaungshwe.
Yangon
► Inle Lake
|
|
Inle Lake
► Yangon
|
|
The "Slow Train
From Thazi": |
Train №: |
143
|
141 |
The "Slow Train
To Thazi": |
Train №: |
142 |
144 |
|
Classes: |
U, O |
U, O |
Classes: |
U, O |
U, O |
|
Thazi |
depart: |
05:00 |
08:00 |
Shwenyaung |
depart: |
08:00 |
10:11 |
|
Kalaw |
arr / dep |
11:14 |
13:56 |
Kalaw |
arr / dep |
11:26 |
14:03 |
|
Shwenyaung |
arrive: |
13:48 |
16:50 |
Thazi |
arrive: |
17:30 |
20:10 |
U =
upper
class seats 1 = first class seats O =
ordinary class seats R =
Restaurant car
How to buy tickets
What
are Burmese trains like?
Connections to/from
Rangoon or Mandalay
Fares:
|
Upper class
sleeper
|
Upper class
seat
|
First class
seat |
Ordinary
seat |
|
Rangoon - Shwenyaung |
Add Rangoon-Thazi + Thazi-Shwenyaung fares |
|
Thazi - Shwenyaung |
- |
US$ 7 |
- |
US$ 3 |
 About the journey:
Buses
may be faster, but the Slow Train From Thazi is a wonderful experience
which should not be missed: Stock up on mineral water and beer, then
recline in your Upper class armchair (you may have no choice -
the recline mechanism may be broken...), and gaze through wide
open windows at the wonderful scenery passing by at just 15-20
mph.
After crossing the plain from Thazi, the train enters the hills
and climbs up a steep mountainside on a series of switchbacks,
reversing several times and backing up the slope to gain height.
In several places, the train loops around and doubles back on
itself. Look out for the very English mock-Tudor station
building at the old British hill station of Kalaw. When
you arrive in Shwenyaung, the journey to Nyaungshwe takes 25
minutes by taxi or public pick-up. Pictured right:
on board the Slow Train to Thazi...
 Rangoon
or Mandalay to Inle Lake:
Take an express train from Rangoon to Thazi, see the
Rangoon - Mandalay
timetable above. Stay the night in Thazi, there are
guesthouses at the end of the station approach on the main
street. You are unlikely to have any difficulty buying a
ticket for the Slow Train to Shwenyaung at Thazi ticket office
when you get there. In Thazi, the Red Star restaurant,
where the station approach joins the main road, is a good choice
for a meal while you change trains. A deluxe waiting room
for foreigners is also available at Thazi station for $1 per
person. Complete the last few kilometres from Shwenyaung
to Nyaungshwe by bus or taxi.
Inle Lake to Rangoon or Mandalay:
In Nyaungshwe, there are lots of travel agencies who can arrange
just about anything except train tickets..! But
don't worry - just turn up at Shwenyaung station 30-40 minutes
before the departure of the Slow Train To Thazi and you're
unlikely to have any difficulty getting an Upper class ticket
for the train to Thazi. For onwards trains from Thazi to
Rangoon or Mandalay, see the
Rangoon - Mandalay
timetable above. You can buy a ticket for one of the expresses
to Rangoon when you
get to Thazi.
The train
from Shwenyaung to Thazi will probably arrive in Thazi either on time or
even 15 minutes early(!). If you change onto an express, these get
priority so you can expect an arrival Rangoon either on time or
maybe 20-75 minutes late. In Thazi, the Red Star
restaurant, where the station approach joins the main road, is a
good choice for a meal while you change trains. A deluxe
waiting room for foreigners is available at Thazi station for $1
per person.
Pictured, right: a fisherman on Inle Lake.
Moulmein is not on every visitor's
itinerary, but if you have the time it's well worth a visit
for its colonial buildings and historic mosques.
Although Rudyard Kipling wrote the 'Road to Mandalay',
Moulmein was the only Burmese city which he actually visited,
and the main pagoda on the ridge overlooking the city is the
setting for his poem 'Burma Girl'.
Yangon
► Moulmein
|
|
Moulmein
► Yangon
|
|
Classes: |
U,0 |
U,O |
|
Classes: |
U,O |
U,O |
|
Train
number: |
35 |
89 |
|
Train
number: |
36 |
82 |
|
Yangon (Rangoon)
depart: |
07:15 |
| |
