Myanmar Train Tickets Booking

Trains sometimes can beat buses or flights in terms of the price and comfort, although they always are not punctual in arrival. As there is no official website for Myanmar Railways, travelers have to buy the train tickets at the train station, or find an online travel agency to book the tickets in advance. Trains in Myanmar are quite often fully booked, especially during travelling peak season or for sleepers. In order to avoid the unavailability of the tickets, it is wise for people to find a reliable travel agency to purchase beforehand. Please noted that Myanmar Railways do not issue e-ticket, and only the paper ticket is required while taking the train. Thus, everyone should hold a paper ticket in hand while boarding. 
 

• During the period of tourism low season, it’s easy to buy tickets at the station in person. However, booking only opens a few days before the departure. People can only book tickets one day in advance for normal class seats, while three days beforehand for upper class seats. As for sleeper tickets, they can be booked one or two weeks in advance. If booking online, as long as you reserve a ticket successfully, you will have a place to sit down. Therefore, in order to guarantee your tickets, booking early via an online travel agency is recommended. 
 

• At the train station, foreign visitors must pay the same ticket price in local currency Kyat as Burmese citizens. If buying through a travel agency, they always provide various currency options, like US dollars, Chinese RMB, etc. You just need to pay a small amount of booking service fee and ticket delivery fee, which is able to have your paper tickets sent to your appointed address of some big cities in Myanmar.
 

• It is said that during tourism high season, some travel agencies often buy up most of the sleeper berths in order to resell them. If your travel date is confirmed and you want a sleeper ticket which may be in short supply, the wisest option is to buy online from a travel agency. If buying at the train station, you will find no any sleeper tickets left. 
 

• Normally, you can order tickets online several months beforehand if you like. However, you will not get instant confirmation, nor get an e-ticket. Myanmar Railways only issue the hand-written paper tickets and the bookings only open a few days before departure. The online agencies allow you to place an order with all the essential information including your passport copies in advance, then they secure your tickets as soon as the tickets are released. After that, they can also deliver the paper tickets to your hotel for your collection.
 

• The websites of some travel agencies always list many recommended train routes or popular destinations for reference, meanwhile they offer the detailed travel advice, so it is convenient to find one for those travelers who want to secure the online advanced booking or for peace of mind.   
 

• If buying tickets at the train station, you can only pay in local currency Kyat. But it’s easy to find a money changer or ATMs in some main stations if you need.
 

• Trains tickets can only be bought several days before the departure at the train station. And sometimes you may be told to go back and buy your ticket just before departure on the travel date in some smaller stations. 
 

• There are few relative signs in English in some train stations. But do not worry, someone will be called there to help you to buy the ticket. Only in the main stations in Myanmar, there is an information board showing train schedules and the ticket prices.
 

• All train tickets are hand-written manual reservations. Foreign visitor will be invited into the ticket office, sit down to provide all the booking details including names, nationality and passport numbers, which will be written on your tickets one by one. All this procedure will take some time.
 

• Bookings can only be made at the station where your journey starts, not for elsewhere in Myanmar.