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Should you go?

Burma is not noted for the attractiveness of its regime - to put it mildly.  There are arguments for and against visiting Burma which will not be repeated here, but they are well explained in the Lonely Planet Guide to Myanmar (see this link) and you should consider them carefully before deciding whether to go.  You might also want to see www.burmacampaign.org.uk, which tells tourists not to go.  However, if you do decide to go, you'll find a fascinating country which is easy and safe to visit, with friendly and honest people.  Paradoxically, the lack of mass tourism due to the boycott of the regime has preserved Burma from the westernisation affecting some other Asian countries, making it one of the most interesting places to visit now, before it's too late.

'Myanmar' or 'Burma'?

'Myanmar' is the Burmese-language name for Burma, and always was, even in colonial times.  'Burma' is the English-language name for Myanmar, and still is.  The Burmese government switched to using the Burmese-language name for the country in 1948, and in 1989 also switched to using the Burmese-language names for a number of places around the country.  On this webpage, the Burmese names are used first, with the familiar English-language name in brackets, for example 'Yangon (Rangoon)' or 'Mawlamyine (Moulmein)'.

On this page... Train times & fares for key routes What are Burmese trains like? How to buy tickets Irrawaddy river steamers Right:  A train from Lashio to Mandalay crosses the famous Gokteik Viaduct in Shan state, northern Burma.  Photo courtesy of Bernhard Heiser of www.asiaphoto.de, which has excellent pictures of what to see in Burma...

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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 all-new timetable introduced in September 2006 (changed again in November 2006 and still in force now), 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	S, 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

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	S, 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

About the journey:

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	09:45		Mawlamyine (Moulmein) depart	06:00	08:15
Bago (Pegu)	|	11:39		Moatama (Martaban) depart	|	08:50
Kyaikto	12:07	14:49		Kyaikto	11:03	13:31
Moatama (Martaban) arrive:	|	19:49		Bago (Pegu)	|	17:05
Mawlamyine (Moulmein) arrive:	17:10	20:25		Yangon (Rangoon) arrive:	16:35	19:15

U = upper class seats  O = ordinary class seats   What are Burmese trains like?

There are no sleepers on trains 82 and 89, just seats.  How to buy tickets

Trains used to terminate at Moatama for a ferry across the Thanlwin river to Moulmein, but the new road+rail bridge and new railway station in Moulmein opened to trains on 18 April 2006.  Trains from Rangoon are now running beyond Moatama across the new bridge direct to and from Moulmein itself.  The new station is behind the ridge with the pagodas.

Fares:	Upper class sleeper	Upper class seat	First class seat	Ordinary seat
Rangoon - Moulmein	-	US$ 17	-	US$ 7
Bago - Moulmein	-	US$ 11	-	US$ 5

About the journey:

The train follows the Rangoon-Mandalay main line as far as Bago, where it branches off and heads across the plains to the broad Sittung River which it crosses via a huge and heavily-guarded road/rail bridge.  The scenery becomes more interesting on the other side - look out for primitive brickworks on the left in several locations, with brick kilns and bricks drying in the sun, and of course you'll see lots of stupas especially on the mountain ridge to the east.  Historically, the railway from Rangoon ended at Moatama (Martaban) which was the ferry terminal for ferries across the Thanlwin River to Moulmein itself.  A new road+rail bridge has now been built, opened to road traffic in February 2005 and to trains in April 2006.  Trains now rumble slowly across the bridge into a brand-new station behind the hill with Moulmein pagoda.  The Moatama-Moulmein ferry service has been discontinued.  Expect an arrival generally around 30-60 minutes late. 

Pictured right:  One of the local buses outside a mosque in Moulmein. 

Yangon ► Pyay					Pyay ► Yangon
Train number:	63	75	71		Train number:	76	64	72
Classes:	U,1,O	U,1,O	U,1,O		Classes:	U,1,O	U,1,O	U,1,O
Yangon (Rangoon) depart:	07:00*	11:00*	13:00		Pyay (Prome) depart:	02:00	06:15	23:30
Pyay (Prome) arrive:	18:00	22:15	21:30		Yangon (Rangoon) arrive:	13:40*	17:30*	07:50

* Trains 63/64 & 75/76 use Rangoon Kyemyindine station, not Rangoon main station.  Kyemyindine station is a few stops northwest of Rangoon main station on the city's circular train line.

U = upper class seats  1 = first class seats  O = ordinary class seats

Fares:	Upper class sleeper	Upper class seat	First class seat	Ordinary seat
Rangoon - Pyay	-	US$ 15	?	US$ 6

How to buy tickets.  What are Burmese trains like?

This is the train service, but you may prefer the river journey aboard the Mandalay-Bagan express ferry service.

Mandalay ► Bagan				Bagan ► Mandalay
Classes:	O	O		Classes:	O	O
Mandalay depart:	09:50	22:00		Bagan (Nyaung Oo) depart:	04:00	07:00
Bagan (Nyaung Oo) arrive:	19:55	04:50		Mandalay arrive:	14:20	13:40

O = ordinary class seats   How to buy tickets   What are Burmese trains like?

Mandalay to Bagan is just 179km, making this a very slow train, even though the line was only built in 1996..!  You may prefer to take the excellent Mandalay-Bagan express ferry for this journey.  Bagan station is a modern pagoda-style station in the middle of nowhere about 5km southeast of the Nyaung Oo township, 9km from Old Bagan.  It's possibly one of the few stations in the world further from the town it serves than the airport..!

For journeys between Mandalay and Inle Lake, use a Mandalay-Thazi train shown in the Rangoon - Mandalay timetable then a Thazi-Shwenyaung train shown in the Rangoon - Inle Lake timetable.  If you need to stay in Thazi overnight, there are several guesthouses available.

Pyin Oo Lwin, also known as Maymyo after its founder Colonel May, is well worth a visit for the colonial buildings, its botanic gardens, and a ride in the miniature stagecoaches that are used as taxis.  Many visitors also head off to the market towns of Shan state such as Hsipaw.  The train ride from Mandalay up into the hills is a wonderful experience, see the description below.  South of Hsipaw, the train crosses the famous Gokteik viaduct, which is a historic landmark in its own right.

Mandalay ► Pyin Oo Lwin ► Lashio						Lashio ► Pyin Oo Lwin ► Mandalay
Train number:		137	131	133		Train number:		134	132	138
Classes:		1,O	1,O	O		Classes:		O	1,O	1,O
Mandalay	depart	-	04:45	14:45		Lashio	depart	-	05:30	06:30
Pyin Oo Lwin (Maymyo)	arrive	-	08:09	19:30		Hsipaw (Thibaw)	arr / dep	-	09:30	11:30
Pyin Oo Lwin (Maymyo)	depart	05:30	08:34	-		Kyaukme	arr / dep	-	11:06	13:38
Gokteik	arr / dep	08:37	11:13	-		Gokteik	arr / dep	-	13:00	15:45
Kyaukme	arr / dep	11:09	13:26	-		Pyin Oo Lwin (Maymyo)	arrive	-	15:40	18:50
Hsipaw (Thibaw)	arr / dep	13:14	14:56	-		Pyin Oo Lwin (Maymyo)	depart	05:00	16:25	-
Lashio	arrive	17:25	19:00	-		Mandalay	arrive	09:45	20:20	-

1 = first class seats  O = ordinary class seats.

Fares:	Upper class sleeper	Upper class seat	First class seat	Ordinary seat
Mandalay - Pyin Oo Lwin	-	-	US$ 4	US$ 2
Mandalay - Hsipaw	-	-	US$ 9	US$ 3

About the journey:

It's an early start from Mandalay, but this train ride is easily the best way to reach the old British hill station of Pyin Oo Lwin (Maymyo) and the Shan state towns of Hsipaw (Thibaw) and Lashio.  Leaving Mandalay heading south the train soon turns northeast across the plains.  It's still dark at this time, but traders with torches and fires flock to the train when it calls at wayside stations.  At dawn, the train reaches the foot of the mountains and starts climbing.  It gains height using a series of zig-zags, stopping and reversing up the steep gradient twice to reach the plateau at the top of the escarpment (see picture below left).  Soon after reaching the plateau, the train arrives at Pyin Oo Lwin.

After Pyin Oo Lwin the train snakes its way through pleasant countryside to the highlight of the trip, the crossing of a spectacular valley on the dramatic Gokteik viaduct, just after Gokteik station (.  The Gokteik viaduct was built in 1901 by an American firm of contractors who won the tender with a design allegedly far more advanced than any of the other bids.  When built, it had the highest span of any bridge in the British Empire, and was the only American-built bridge in the Empire, too.  Rumour has it that the Burmese government did no maintenance on the bridge whilst a British insurance policy was still in force, but you'll be relieved to hear that the bridge was renovated in the 1990s.  The train passes over at walking pace, and you may be prevented from taking photographs as the Burmese consider the bridge to be of strategic importance.  Don't lean out of the window and look downwards if you suffer from vertigo..!  Expect an arrival at the other end around 15-60 minutes late.  Pictured above right:  Traders flock to the train at every station - some stations on this line seem to specialise in fresh flowers..!

Mandalay ► Myitkyina						Myitkyina ► Mandalay
Train number:	43	55	57	41		Train number:	56	42	58	44
Classes:	S,U,O	U,O	Lux	S,U,O		Classes:	U,O	S,U,O	Lux	S,U,O
Mandalay depart:	08:30	13:50	16:40	17:45		Myitkyina depart:	07:00	08:45	13:50	22:30
Sagaing	09:43	|	|	18:35		Kawlin	21:43	00:51	03:18	16:25
Shwebo	13:33	17:10	19:51	22:10		Shwebo	01:42	06:10	07:53	22:35
Kawlin	20:31	22:24	01:02	00:31		Sagaing	|	09:12	|	01:58
Myitkyina arrive:	17:30	12:00	14:40	19:30		Mandalay arrive:	04:55	10:10	11:10	03:10

All trains take one night.   S = sleeping-car  U = upper class seats  O = ordinary class seats.

Lux = Privately-run 'Malika-Mandalar Express'.  Runs 4 times a week - From Mandalay on Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun.  Days of operation on return journey not known.  Sleeping-cars only, higher fares charged.

On the premier Rangoon to Mandalay route, the express trains are reasonably clean, comfortable and even relatively speedy.  On other routes, don't expect western standards, as train travel in Burma is an adventure..!  Trains are often wonderfully slow, grubby, and fittings such as lights and seats are usually not in the best state of repair.   But best of all, the glass panes and metal shutters over the windows are normally secured out of the way, giving you a clear and unobstructed view of the countryside and villages of 'real' Burma as it trundles past, with nothing between you and it!

Burmese trains have three classes:  Upper class, First class and Ordinary class.  There were sleeping-cars on all the main Rangoon-Mandalay trains until September 2006 when all Rangoon-Mandalay trains were retimed to run by day, not overnight.  Now there are only sleepers (of the 'special' variety) on trains 29 & 30.  However, for the record, the sleepers came in two types, normal sleepers and special sleepers, shown below.  The best Rangoon-Mandalay trains have restaurant cars, with 4-seat tables, serving meals, drinks and snacks.

---

Upper Class...

Upper class has comfortable reclining seats, sometimes two-abreast on each side of the aisle, sometimes one-abreast on one side of the aisle and two abreast on the other.  The seats normally all face the direction of travel, but can be rotated to face each other (for example, to make a group of 4 seats) if required.  Upper class on the main Rangoon - Mandalay express trains is relatively clean and comfortable, with fresh seat covers and curtains at the window.  Upper class on secondary trains is much grubbier but still quite comfortable, although you will find your seat recline mechanism in various states of repair...

Above:  Upper class car on a Rangoon - Mandalay express.  The windows have a pane of glass & a metal shutter, both normally secured out of the way.		Above:  Upper class seats of the most modern type on a Rangoon-Mandalay express.  Trains 15 / 16 and 5 / 6 have the most modern cars.		Above:  Upper class seats on secondary lines are grubbier and in a worse state of repair, but still comfortable.  This is the Upper class car on the Slow Train from Shwenyaung (Inle Lake) to Thazi.

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First Class...

First class has basic wooden seats, almost identical to Ordinary class, but with a padded leatherette seat bottom.  For the first half hour, this padding seems to make the extra cost worthwhile.  After that, you wonder if the Ordinary class wooden seats would be less sweaty in the heat..!  First class is only available on certain trains.

Above:  First class car, Mandalay-Lashio train.		Above:  Fairly smart First class seats on a Rangoon-Mandalay express...		Above:  Grubbier First class on the Mandalay - Lashio train...

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Ordinary class...

Ordinary class has basic wooden seats, and is quite bearable for many journeys such as Mandalay to Pyin Oo Lwin or Hsipaw.  The seats are numbered on the back (in Burmese numerals) and every passenger has a specific seat number written on their ticket, so there's no overcrowding or scrum for seats.  Just watch out for the local produce stacked all over the floor..!

Above:  Ordinary class, Rangoon-Mandalay express.		Above:  Ordinary class on the Mandalay-Pyin Oo Lwin-Lashio train...		Above:  Ordinary class on the Mandalay - Lashio train.

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Sleepers...

There were sleeping-cars on the Rangoon-Mandalay trains until September 2006, when most trains were all rescheduled to run by day not overnight.  Now only trains 29 & 30 have sleepers, of the 'special' sort.  Sleepers run in some Mandalay-Myitkyina trains, typically just one sleeping-car per train.  Sleepers come in two types, conventional sleeper and 'special sleeper'.  The conventional type has four largish 4-berth compartments and two smaller 2-berth compartments, opening off a side corridor giving access to the rest of the train.  There are toilets and a washbasin at the end of the corridor.  A sheet, pillow and very thin blanket are provided, but make sure you have a jumper or fleece and socks to hand as it gets very cold at night.  It's a noisy and bumpy ride, so you will snooze rather than sleep, but it's good to be able to lie down in a securely locked compartment.

A sleeping-car on train 5 from Rangoon to Mandalay...		4-berth sleeper.  The other berths are out of shot to the right.		Another 4-berth sleeper compartment, this time on train 17.

Special sleepers...

Until rescheduled in 2006 to run by day rather than overnight, trains 17 & 18 between Rangoon and Mandalay used to have one conventional sleeping-car and two 'special' sleeping-cars of an unusual design.  Now, only trains 29 & 30 have sleepers, of this 'special' type.  Each special sleeping-car is divided into four separate self-contained compartments, each with its own entrance door, entrance vestibule, toilet, and seating/berth area.  A pair of wide upholstered armchairs face each other by the window on each side of the car.  At night, the seats pull together to form a wide lower berth.  The upper berths are fixed in position above the seats.  There is no access between compartments, or from your compartment to the rest of the train, so travellers in special sleepers cannot use the restaurant car.  A pillow, sheet and light blanket are provided, but it gets very cold at night so make sure that socks, a jumper and a fleece are close to hand..!  A modern air-conditioning unit is strapped to the bulkhead, but this may or may not work.  The ceiling fan and light might work all too well - you may not be able to turn them off..!  A sealed pack with flannel and fresh soap is provided, plus a 1 litre bottle of mineral water for each passenger.  The cars are old, and it's a noisy and bumpy ride, so you will snooze rather than sleep, but it's good to be able to lie down in a securely locked compartment.

One of two 'special sleepers' on train 17 / 18 Rangoon - Mandalay.		A 4-berth special sleeper compartment.  The berths run longways, along the coach sides.

Foreigners pay higher fares than Burmese citizens, and must pay in US dollars.  Children under 3 years old travel free, children under 10 pay half fare.  Although the Myanmar Railways has no official website, you can check train times & fares on several travel agency websites - try www.yangonow.com/eng/transportation/train/fare.html or www.gomoasia.com/train.htm. ...buying tickets when in Burma                                        How to book trains from outside Burma.

It's easy to buy a ticket at station ticket offices.  There are hardly ever any signs in English, but don't worry - just ask at the first available ticket window and as a foreigner you will normally be invited inside the ticket office (!) and told to sit down while someone is called to help you.  You will need the names, nationality and passport number of each passenger as these will be written on your ticket.

Upper class bookings open 3 days in advance, Ordinary class bookings open just one day in advance.  You cannot buy tickets before bookings open, and at some smaller stations you may be told to come back and buy a ticket just before departure.  It's good practice to buy your ticket at least the day before travel, but if necessary it's not usually difficult for a foreigner to secure a seat on the day of departure, unless you want a sleeper.  All passengers get a reserved seat, even in Ordinary class, and the coach and seat numbers will be written on the ticket.  Reservations are not computerised, but based on hand-written reservation lists, so bookings can only be made at the station where your journey will start.  Sleepers are in short supply as only a few trains have sleepers and there's normally just one sleeping-car per train, so book as soon as you can.

To buy train tickets in Rangoon, go to the advance booking office which is not in the station but in Bogyoke Aung San road on the south side of the tracks, opposite the Sakura Tower and diagonally opposite the Traders Hotel.  It is open daily 06:00 - 10:00 & 13:00 - 16:00.  It looks more like a farmyard than a reservations office..!  Walk off the main road, 30m down the track into the booking hall proper, and you'll see a row of about 10 ticket windows.  The window for booking trains from Rangoon to Mandalay is the first one on the left.   The booking office for the Dagon Man train is also there, with separate booking windows.  You can also book train tickets through your hotel or through the Rangoon MTT office at the Sule Paya.  In Mandalay, the ticket office is on the first floor of the station, above the tracks.  In Moulmein, you can reserve a seat on a train from Moatama to Rangoon without going to Moatama, at the Northern Railway Booking Office near the Hpa-An jetty.

Rangoon station...		Rangoon advance booking office, Bogyoke Aung San Road, south of the station.		The separate booking window for train 17 (the Dagon Mann train), Rangoon.

...how to buy tickets from outside Burma:

You can book trains from outside Burma by e-mail through a number of travel agencies.  You tickets can be sent to your hotel and paid for when you get to Burma.  A small fee is charged for this service.  If you want to be sure of a sleeper on a Rangoon-Mandalay train just days after you arrive in Rangoon, using an agency can be a good idea.

A recommended agency is Sanay Travel, website www.yangonow.com/eng/transportation/train/fare.html.  Just email your booking request to info@yangonow.com, quoting your journey details (from, to, date, train number or departure time), passenger details for each passenger (name, address, phone number, passport number, passport expiry date, nationality) and your hotel in Rangoon.  Sanay Travel respond promptly to emails and are very helpful.  They charge a $10 fee plus the cost of the ticket.  If you have any feedback on fares and booking arrangements, please e-mail me.

Taking a river steamer along the Irrawaddy is one of the most enjoyable ways to travel.  In particular, the Mandalay-Bagan express ferry is recommended as the best way to travel between these two places, as it will show you slices of Burmese life both on the river and along its banks.  There now appear to be three ferries, a twice-weekly slow ferry mainly for locals, the original daily express ferry used by tourists, and a new twice weekly express ferry also aimed at tourists.

Mandalay ► Bagan ► Pyay ► Yangon (Rangoon)
		Note A	Note C	Note B	Daily
Mandalay (Gawwein jetty)	depart	07:00 day 1	07:30 day 1	05:00 day 1	-
Bagan (Nyaung Oo)	arr/dep	|	|	09:25 day 2	-
Bagan (Old Bagan)	arrive	17:30 day 1	12:30 day 1	|	-
Pyay  (Prome)	arrive	-	-	18:30 day 3	-
Pyay  (Prome)	depart	-	-	-	06:00 day 1
Yangon (Rangoon)	arrive	-	-	-	06:00 day 3

Note A = Mandalay-Bagan express ferry, recommended.  Now runs daily. Fare US$25.  See www.shwekeinnery.com.

Note B = Slow ferry.  Runs only on Wednesdays & Sundays.  Please double-check times locally.

Note C = New faster Mandalay-Bagan express ferry, runs only on Wednesdays & Saturdays.  See www.travelmyanmar.com/malika_river_cruise_2.html.  Fare $26 (lower deck) or £$35 (upper deck).

If you have any feedback from travelling on these ferries, please e-mail me.

On board the daily Mandalay-Bagan express ferry...

The Mandalay-Bagan express ferry.  You'll spend most time on deck...		All passenger get a reclining seat on the lower deck.		There is a bar and café on the upper deck.

Yangon (Rangoon) ► Pyay ► Bagan ► Mandalay
		Daily	Note E	Note D	Note F
Yangon (Rangoon)	depart	18:30 day 1	-	-	-
Pyay (Prome)	arrive	16:40 day 4	-	-	-
Pyay (Prome)	depart	-	05:30 day 1	-	-
Bagan (Old Bagan)	depart	-	|	-	-
Bagan (Nyaung Oo)	arr/dep	-	14:15 day 3	05:30 day 1	xx:xx day 1
Mandalay (Gawwein jetty)	arrive	-	12:30 day 5	18:30 day 1	xx:xx day 1

Note D = Bagan-Mandalay express ferry, highly recommended, now runs daily, fare US$25.  See www.shwekeinnery.com.

Note E = Slow ferry.  Runs only on Wednesdays & Saturdays.  Please double-check times locally.

Note F = New faster Mandalay-Bagan express ferry, runs only on Thursdays & Sundays, see www.travelmyanmar.com/malika_river_cruise_2.html.  Fare $26 (lower deck) or £$35 (upper deck).

If you have any feedback from travelling on these ferries, please e-mail me.

Ferry tickets can be booked through your hotel or via a travel agency, through the MTT (government tourist information) offices in major towns (for example, the MTT office at Mandalay station or in Rangoon near the Sule Paya) or at Inland Water Transport (IWT) offices.

Overland travel between Burma and either India, China or Thailand is either difficult or impossible.  That's because the borders, and often the whole border regions, are generally closed to foreigners.  There are no regular passenger shipping services from Burma.

Hotels in Yangon, Mandalay, Bagan & Inle Lake...

A good guidebook like the Lonely Planet will point you at some good hotels in each town or city when you get there, many of which cannot be booked online.  Alternatively, you can pre-book some hotels in Rangoon, Mandalay, Bagan or Inle Lake through www.hotelscombined.com, just use the search box below.  It's not a hotel booking website, but a free search tool which checks all the main hotel booking sites for you (AsiaRooms, Asiativ.com, Opodo, Expedia, Travelocity, LateRooms and many others) to find the cheapest hotel rates on the net.  Set up in 2005, it's an amazing system and probably the best place to start for booking any hotel online worldwide.

		◄◄◄ Search all major hotel booking websites at once...
Powered by Hotelscombined.com

Personal hotel recommendations...

In Rangoon, the famous and fabulous Strand Hotel is Rangoon's equivalent of Singapore's Raffles, every bit as historic and almost as expensive, but actually (having stayed at both) much nicer.  If you can't stretch to over $260 a night, at least have a cocktail in the bar!  For a rather more down-to-Earth price, the Thamada Hotel is very near the station and easy walking distance from all of Yangon city centre, from about $20-$30 per night, though there are many other good choices.

In Bagan, the Bagan Thande Hotel has attractive bungalows on the river front, and is walking distance from the sights of Old Bagan, from about $40 per night for a double.

You'll need a good guidebook for Burma, and the Lonely Planet series is about the best there is.  Highly recommended - the latest edition is now reasonably up to date, published in late 2005.

Click to buy online at Amazon.co.uk

Or buy direct from the Lonely Planet website, with shipping worldwide.

It's probably the most adventurous timetable ever produced... The famous Thomas Cook Overseas Timetable has train, bus and ferry times for Burma and for every country in Africa, Asia, North and South America and Australasia.  It is published every two months.

It's an essential publication for any serious traveller, and an inspiration for armchair travellers!

It costs £13.99 from the bureau de change section of any branch of Thomas Cook, or you can buy it online at www.thomascooktimetables.com (worldwide delivery).

If you need a flight to reach Burma, this Skyscanner flight search can save a lot of time finding the cheapest options.  It's a search tool linked to most of the major airlines & flight retailers to see who offers the best deal.

Cheap Flights to Yangon

Search tips: Un-tick 'Direct flights' top right of the results page to see cheaper deals.  And don't be afraid to click the other search links on the Skyscanner results page.

One-way flights: Skyscanner's one downside is that it currently struggles with one-way flights.  So for a one-way flight use Opodo.com instead.