Transport in Myanmar

Myanmar is a southeast Asian country located in the western part of the Indochina Peninsula, bordering India and Bangladesh in the northwest, China in the northeast, and Thailand and Laos in the southeast. It is the second largest country in Southeast Asia. There is no doubt that Myanmar is a country that is popular with backpackers and travelers. As long as you are bold enough, you can find a lot of "new and unique" in Myanmar, such as - transportation. How to get there and get around Myanmar? How many types of transportation in Myanmar? Learning about transport in Myanmar, you will find that the transportation in Myanmar is very interesting!

 

Introduction of transport in Myanmar

Airplane in Myanmar

Facilities of transportation in Myanmar are fairly complete. In Myanmar, the railway line is 4,463 kilometers long, the total length of the road is 38,000 kilometers, and the inland waterway is 10,271 kilometers long. Yangon, Mawlamyine and Bosheng are the main seaports in Myanmar.

It is said that roads and transport are like "blood" that can affect many aspects of a country. Myanmar is undoubtedly relatively backward, so diverse, low-cost and stimulating means of transport and methods are all here. For tourists, this is actually quite interesting. In the city, you can choose to take a taxi, a minibus, a rickshaw, or a car. In the tourist attractions, you can choose to rent a car, ride a horse or a bicycle and walk. The existence of the Irrawaddy River makes the experience of taking a boat in Myanmar also commonplace.

 

How to get to Myanmar?

How to get to Myanmar? Transportation between Myanmar and other countries is mainly airplane. Currently, most international flights land at Yangon International Airport. The most common flight is From Myanmar to Bangkok whose one-way ticket is between $90 and $100, and tickets can sometimes be purchased. In addition, there are flights from Kunming, Kolkata, Delhi, Dhaka, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore to Myanmar. In addition, There are only direct flights from Chiang Mai airport and Kunming airport to Mandalay Airport in Myanmar.

 

How to get around Myanmar?

Public transport in Myanmar - Airplane

Yangon International Airport

The main airlines in Myanmar are Myanmar International Airway, Air Yangon, Air Mandalay, Air Bagan, Air KBZ, Asian Wing Airline. These airlines have websites but you cannot make online reservations in these websites. The only useful thing is to check out their respective routes of flights to determine if your planned destination is arriving by flight. In addition, the flight plans of each airline will be changed once a season, so try to find a travel agency to arrange it for you.

There are 4 main airports in Myanmar:

  • Yangon International Airport

Yangon is a hub of Myanmar aviation and has 34 routes leading to major cities across the country.

  • Mandalay International Airport

Mandalay International Airport is the second largest airport in Myanmar and the second international airport in Myanmar.

  • Nyaung U Airport/ Bagan Nyaung Oo Airport

Nyaung U Airport is located in Nyaung-U town of Myanmar. There are many flights to and from Nyaung-U town in many cities of Myanmar.

  • Heho Airport

Heho Airport is the nearest airport to Inle Lake, with flights to and from Yangon, Bagan, Mandalay, etc., at least one flight a day.

 

Public transport in Myanmar - Ship

Ship in Myanmar

In Myanmar, one of the most commonly used water transport routes for tourists is from Yangon via the Irrawaddy River. It passes through Mesquite, Magway, Bagan and Mandalay to reach Bhamo. It needs to be transferred in Pyay and Mandalay. Many tourists will choose the water tour of Bagan-Mandalay with a beautiful view of the Irrawaddy River. Every day, the journey of ship from Mandalay and Bagan is approximately 9 hours. The one-way fee is about $43, including handling fees. For reservations about ticketing and passenger boat times, please consult your local travel agent or the ticket office at the pier in advance. The shipping terminal has the old Bagan Pier and the Nyaung-U Pier. Different terminals are selected depending on the water level of the river.

 

Public transport in Myanmar – Train

Train in Myanmar

Compared to cars and planes, tourists who come to Myanmar rarely choose to travel by rail. Not only because the Myanmar railway was built during the British colonial period, it is old and unbearable, and its running speed is much slower than that of the car, and the conditions of the carriages are relatively poor. But also because the fees are far more than the cars. However, the train has the advantage that the car and the plane are far from being able to match, is that the beautiful scenery along the way can be enjoyed all the way. The busiest main railway line in Myanmar is the Yangon-Mandalay line. On this main line, there are also many straight lines connecting east and west.

 

Public transport in Myanmar – Intercity bus

Intercity bus in Myanmar

In Myanmar, long-distance buses are an economical and fast means of transportation. Although many road conditions in Myanmar are very bad, most tourists and locals are willing to take long-distance buses to and from other cities in Myanmar. The long-distance bus with cheap fares has very simple facilities. It is basically a used car imported from Japan. Most of them may be donated by Japan. There is no TV, no toilet, and the seating distance is small. In recent years, with the development of the tourism industry, many high-quality VIP buses have been prepared for international tourists. There are many conditions and comfortable rides. Although the price is slightly higher, it is recommended to choose this long-distance bus.

 

Public transport in Myanmar – Bus

Bus in Myanmar

Because of economic sanctions, Myanmar's buses are basically retrofitted by South Korean and Japanese used buses. The conditions of buses in Myanmar are very rudimentary. Fortunately, bus fees are very cheap, generally 100-300 Kyats. The bus number is marked by the Myanmar number, so it is not easy for foreign tourists to confirm the bus number. Taking public transportation is a safer way in Myanmar. The only inconvenience is the difficulty of language communication. Most local people do not speak English.

 

Public transport in Myanmar – Taxi

Taxi in Myanmar

In the cities of Yangon and Mandalay in Myanmar, there are a lot of taxis on the street. They are usually used cars in Japan. Taxi does not have a price tag. They need to bargain with the driver before taking on the taxi. The price of taking a taxi to the attractions in city of Myanmar is generally within 2000 Kyats. In addition, taxis in Myanmar are mostly private. You can pack a car to take a day tour. The price also needs to be  agreed with the driver in advance. Generally the price of renting a car in Bagan and Mandalay is about 30,000 Kyats/day.

 

Public transport in Myanmar – Bicycle

Bicycle in Myanmar

Renting bicycles is very convenient in various tourist areas in Myanmar. Some hotels offer car rental services at a price of about 1000-2000 Kyats/day.

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