Getting around Myanmar: trains, buses, driving and domestic flights

Myanmar's transport network is thin and slow. The main tourist corridor is Yangon – Mandalay – Inle Lake (Heho), with Bagan on a spur. Flights cover the long legs in about an hour; buses take most of a night; the train takes longer than either and is best treated as part of the trip rather than transport.

Distances are long and roads are often single-carriageway, so plan fewer stops than you would in Thailand or Vietnam. A 300 km bus leg can take 8–10 hours.

Flying is the only way to cover Myanmar's long distances in a single day. The busiest routes link Yangon, Mandalay and Heho (for Inle Lake), with Bagan (Nyaung U) on a separate spur. Aircraft are small, luggage allowances are tight, and schedules are frequently adjusted, so build slack into any connection.

Book through your hotel, a local agent or the airline's own counter; online booking is not always reliable. In high season (roughly November to February) seats on the main routes sell out days ahead.

Express buses are the workhorse of budget travel and run overnight on the main corridors. Seats are assigned, air-conditioning is strong, and a blanket and snack are often included. Roads are winding in the hills, so if you are prone to motion sickness, take the front of the bus.

Buy tickets at the bus company office or through your guesthouse a day or two ahead. Bring your passport: it is checked at some terminals and at military checkpoints on certain routes.

Myanmar Railways runs a colonial-era network that is slow, often delayed and rarely the fastest option. The Yangon–Mandalay line and the Yangon–Mawlamyine line are the ones travellers actually use, and the hill line up to Pyin U Lwin is a common add-on. Upper class and sleeper berths exist on some services; sleeper berths sell out first.

Treat the train as a day or night out rather than transport. Bring food, water and toilet paper, and expect the timetable to slip.

In Yangon and Mandalay, taxis and ride-hailing apps cover most needs, and short rides are cheap by Western standards. For sights outside the cities, hiring a car with a driver by the day is the standard arrangement; agree the price and the itinerary in writing before you set off.

Driving yourself is not recommended for a short visit. Traffic drives on the right in most of the country despite right-hand-drive vehicles, road conditions vary, and the paperwork for a foreigner to drive legally is unclear. If you plan to ride a motorbike, check your travel insurance covers it before you rent.

There is no confirmed nationwide rail or bus pass for foreign visitors; each leg is bought separately. Some airlines sell multi-sector domestic tickets, and some bus companies offer return fares, but nothing equivalent to a Japan Rail Pass exists here.

Pay in kyat, in cash. Cards are accepted by a few airlines and upmarket hotels, but not by bus companies or railway counters. Carry small notes.

Distances are long, roads are slow and timetables change, so plan fewer stops than you would elsewhere in Southeast Asia. Keep a buffer day before any international flight.

Read your own government's travel advice before you book, and check it again close to departure. This desk does not plan around it. Travel insurance that covers medical evacuation is worth arranging before you leave.