Travel Guide
By Plane
Yangon International Airport (Mingladon) (RGN) is located approximately 30 minutes north of the city centre. It contains both international and domestic terminals. There is no accommodation in the immediate vicinity of the airport. The easiest way to get to and from the airport to the city is by taxi but it is also possible to get a pickup or public bus from outside the airport.
There are direct flights to RGN from Doha, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Gaya, Kolkata, Kunming and Taipei. International Airlines servicing RGN include Thai Airways, Bangkok Air , Malaysia Airlines, Korean Airlines, Silk Air and Air India. Coffee, tea and very basic snacks (packaged biscuits and single serving cakes) are available inside the security area. Arriving passengers should not change money at the airport because the official exchange rate bears no resemblance to the black market rate. It is easy to convert at the black market rate in the city (or anywhere in the country) and travelers don't need kyat because they must pay for their (pre-paid) taxis.
How to get around Myanmar
By Domestic Plane
The domestic terminal is old and tired looking. Facilities are minimal (coffee, tea, and basic packaged snacks are available) but, as a consequence, check-in is simple and quick andbags arrive quickly from arriving aircraft. Ancient buses ferry passengers to their aircraft. Pre-paid taxis are available, pay at the taxi counter inside the baggage claim area, but it is easier and cheaper to exit the terminal and negotiate directly with the Taxi Czar who controls the taxi trade at Mingladon. Try not to allow porters to carry your luggage, as they will demand specified tips and hassle you. This is especially a problem in the domestic terminal as there is no customs to pass through with your bags. If a porter has not attached himself to a hapless tourist, he may take random bags off the luggage cart, hoping someone will follow him.
By Train
There are several train lines that connect Yangon to the rest of Burma. Several trains daily connect Yangon to Mandalay via Bago with connections to Bagan and the Inle Lake area at Thazi. Because of a bizarre timetable change in 2006 (apparently to ensure that trains arrive at a reasonable hour at Pyinmana, the station for the new capital), most trains leave early in the morning (2, 3AM) and arrive late at night. There is also a direct train line between Yangon and Bagan but trains take almost 24 hours for a bumpy journey and the change at Thazi is a better bet. The oldest line in Burma is the Yangon-Pyay line and it shows its age. But, the nine hour journey along the Irrawaddy basin is well worth it. The Mawlamyine line is equally bumpy and the 10 hours is almost twice what it takes by road. Trains also run to Pathein in the Irrawaddy delta but are very slow and the bus is a better alternative.
By Boat
A hundred and fifty years ago, boats were the way to get to places from Rangoon and IWT (Inland Water Transport) passenger ferries still ply the major rivers. Yangon to Mandalay takes 5 days with a change at Pyay (3 days) and the return trip (downriver) takes three days. A luxury ferry (the Delta Queen) recalls the days of yore on the Yangon-Pathein route (about 20 hours). The IWT ferry to Pathein takes 15 hours for the over-night trip.
By Bus
Most buses depart from the Aung Mingalar Bus Terminal, a bit out of the city and beyond the airport, on the Pyay Road. Buses for the Irrawaddy delta region, however, depart from the Hlaing Thar Yar Bus Terminal across the Bayintnaung Bridge. Buses to Mandalay,(15 hours) and Bagan (14 hours) depart in the evening. Tickets on AC buses with reclining seats are about. Buses to Kyaiktiyo (Kinpun) leave in the mornings . Buses for Mawlamyine (6 hours via the new bridge) leave in the mornings and late nights. Buses to Sittwe and Thandwe (Ngapali Beach) are also available but the road is bad and the journey long. Thanks to the new bridge and upgraded road, buses to Pathein take less than 4 hours and the journey is comfortable. Add 45 minutes by taxi to get to the Hlaing Thar Yar Bus Terminal though.
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