Railway lines in Myanmar
This page tries to list all State Railway lines in Myanmar/Burma. For lines built under British rule, opening dates and length measurements are mostly known. For lines built under the military junta information is scarce. Opening dates have been taken from “The New Light of Myanmar” newspaper, the junta’s propaganda gazette; measurements have been made mostly using satellite images. Distances have been rounded to one decimal, thus there might be rounding issues.
A dedicated identification is assigned to each line which is used throughout this portal. The identification consists of one letter indicating the area where the line is situated (Y = Yangon, C = Central Myanmar, N = North Myanmar, E = East Myanmar, S = South Myanmar, W = West Myanmar, P = Planned) followed by two digits.
The following table lists all state railway lines ordered by geographic area. The historic order of the opening of the lines can be found under menu item History. Further details on each line are described below. All state railway lines are built in metre gauge.
Table with all State Railway lines| Line | From | To | Length (km) | Length (miles) | Status | Remark |
| Greater Yangon Area | ||||||
| Y01 | Mahlwagon (Ma Hlwa Gone) | Danyingon | 25.5 | 15.8 | in service | Forms the Yangon Circle Line together with lines C10 and C20. Construction started in 1911 but was only finished in 1959. The alignment around Mingaladon Airport was altered around 1990. The line is double-tracked, an electrification is planned. |
| Y02 | Togyaunggale | Dagon University | 8.0 | 5.0 | in service | Short branch to serve Dagon University in the outskirts of Yangon built in 2005. Extension to Mogyopit to build a second Circle Line around Yangon planned, but will most probably never be built. |
| Y03 | Togyaunggale | Thilawa | 27.0 | 16.8 | in service | Connects the deep sea port at Thilawa with the railway network since 2003. |
| Y04 | Okkphosu | Thanlyin University | 5.4 | 3.4 | in service | Short branch to serve Thanlyin University built in 2004. Further extension to Bago via Thongwa planned, but will most probably never be built. |
| Y05 | Hlaw Karr | Yangon Computer University | 1.2 | 0.8 | in service | Short branch to serve Yangon Computer University built in 2008. |
| Y06 | Dabein | Hle Lawin | 33.0 | 20.5 | in service? | Branch to connect Hle Lawin with line C20. Built in the 1989 most probably for strategic and military reasons. It is unknown whether the line is served with regular trains. |
| Central Myanmar | ||||||
| C10 | Yangon | Pyay | 258.9 | 161.0 | in service | First railway line in Myanmar (opened 1877) to connect Pyay at the shores of the Ayeyawaddy River with Yangon. The line is double-tracked between Yangon and Danyingon. |
| C20 | Yangon | Mandalay | 620.4 | 385.5 | in service | This is the most important railway line in Myanmar and connects the two biggest cities. Construction took place between 1884 and 1889. The line is double tracked throughout most parts. |
| C11 | Letpadan | Tharrawaw | 37.8 | 23.5 | in service? | This branch connects the isolated railway network west of the Ayeyawaddy River using a ferry between Tharrawaw and Hinthada. With the construction of new lines in recent years, the western network is not isolated anymore and ferry services have been stopped. It is thus unclear whether the line is still in service. |
| C12 | Pyay | Satthwa | 148.8 | 92.5 | in service? | This line (also called Yoma Belt Railway) was opened in 1997 for military strategic reasons alongside lines C24 and C28 to have second railway connection between Yangon and Mandalay. |
| C13 | Pyay South | Pyay North | 0.4 | 0.2 | out of service? | Short link to allow direct trains from Yangon towards Mandalay via lines C12, C24 and C28 to avoid changing direction at Pyay station. Most probably opened in 1997 and most probably out of service. |
| C21 | Bago | Bago Airport | 7.9 | 4.9 | out of service? | This short branch was opened in 1998 to facilitate construction of a new airport near Bago. Most probably out of service. |
| C22 | Nyaunglebin | Madauk | 18.1 | 11.3 | out of service | Branch to connect Madauk on the shores of the Sittoung River with line C20 which was opened in 1929. Some when after 2011 the line lost ist service. |
| C23 | Oktwin | Pyay | 193.1 | 120.0 | partly in service?, partly under construction, partly only planned | The military junta had planned a strategic connection between the lines C10 and C20 from Oktwin to Pyay by crossing the Bago Yoma Mountains. A short section near Pyay was most probably already put in service, remaining parts are either under construction or only planned. |
| C24 | Pyinmana | Myingyan | 329.2 | 204.6 | in service | Connects Myingyan on the shores of the Ayeyawaddy River with Pyinmana on the main line C20 from Yangon to Mandalay. The first section to Kyaukpadang was opened between 1925 and 1930, however it got partly dismantled during the Japanese occupation in WW II. The line was reopened in 1969 and in 1997 it was prolonged to Myingyan to serve the touristic area around Bagan and to open up a second strategic link between Yangon and Mandalay alongside lines C12 and C28. |
| C25 | Pyabwe | Magway | 152.9 | 95.0 | in service | This strategic line was planned by the military junta to connect Magway with the northern parts of Myanmar. Construction is visible throughout the whole line and parts near Magway have most probably already been opened for traffic. The status of the remaining section is unknown. |
| C26 | Thazi | Myingyan | 112.7 | 70.0 | in service | This line was the first branch on the main line Yangon - Mandalay opened between 1893 and 1899 to connect Myingyan on the shores of the Ayeyawaddy River with the railway network. |
| C27 | Thazi | Thazi West | 5.0 | 3.1 | in service | This short link was opened in 2008 to allow direct trains from the new capital Naypidaw to Myingyan without having to change directions at Thazi station. |
| C28 | Paleik | Myingyan | 110.6 | 68.7 | in service | The first section of this line to Myotha connecting Myingyan on the shores of the Ayeyawaddy River with Paleik near Mandalay on the main line C20 was already opened in 1930, but got partly dismantled during the Japanese occupation in WW II. Reopening to Myotha took place in 1991, one year later the line was extended to Myingyan. |
| C29 | Mandalay | Madaya | 27.4 | 17.0 | in service | This line was opened as a private light railway in 2ft 6in gauge between 1912 and 1917. It was taken over by the State Railway in 1923 and re-gauged to metre gauge in 1929. In 1978 the initial section in Mandalay was dismantled and the line became isolated until the Mandalay Circle Line was opened in 1990/92. |
| C91 | Taungdwingyi | Magway | 84.2 | 52.3 | in service | The city of Magway, capital of the the Magway Division was connected to the railway network in 1999 at Taungdwingyi on the line C24. |
| C92 | Kyaukpadang | Chauk | 46.5 | 28.9 | in service | Alongside the rehabilitation of line C24 until 1969 a branch was opened from Kyaukpadang to Kyeeni to connect the oil fields around Chauk to the railway network. The short extension to Chauk on the shores of the Ayeyawaddy River was only opened in 2007. |
| C93 | Tada-U | Mandalay International Airport | 17.9 | 11.1 | dismantled | The military junta started construction of a new international airport near Mandalay in the 1990s. To facilitate construction and to provide kerosene a branch was built from Tada-U to the airport in 1999. However the line was most probably dismantled a few years later. |
| C94 | Mandalay Circle Line | 29.1 | 18.1 | partly in service, partly dismantled | Between 1990 and 1992 the Mandalay Circle Line was opened to connect the isolated line C29 to the railway network and to offer commuter services. However large parts were dismantled only a few years later. | |
| Northern Myanmar | ||||||
| N10 | Myohaung | Myitkyina | 547.2 | 340.0 | in service | The construction of this third main line after C10 and C20 started in 1890 from both ends, the complete line was finally opened in 1893. The Ayeyawaddy River between Amarapura and Sagaing was crossed using a ferry until a bridge was built in 1934. |
| N11 | Ywataung | Khin-U | 220.2 | 136.8 | in service | The first section of this line to Alon was opened as a branch line in 1900. It was extended to Budalin in 1922 and further to Ye-U in 1926. The section between Alon and Ye-U was dismantled during the Japanese occupation in WW II. In 2000 the dismantled section was reopened and the line was extended to Khin-U on the main line N10 to Myitkyina. |
| N12 | Naba | Bhamo | 181.8 | 113.1 | partly in service?, partly under construction | As the main line N10 is not running parallel to the Ayeyawaddy River this branch was opened in 1893 to connect the line N10 to Katha on the shores of the Ayeyawaddy River. The military junta planned an extension of the branch to Bhamo. Construction had started but now seems to be halted. |
| N13 | Myitkyina | Nantpaung Airport | 11.7 | 7.3 | out of service? | This short branch was opened in 1998 to facilitate construction of a new airport near Myitkyina. Most probably out of service. |
| Eastern Myanmar | ||||||
| E10 | Myohaung | Lashio | 286.5 | 178.0 | in service | This was the first mountain line in Myanmar opened between 1900 and 1903. Four reversals, several tunnels and the huge Gokteik viaduct had to be built to climb around 1,000m in height onto the plains of the Shan Highlands. Initially the line should have lead further north into Chinese Yunnan province, but work was stopped when Lashio was reached. Plans for an extension to China were revived in the 1930s and by the military junta in the 21st century, but got never realized. |
| E20 | Thazi | Shwenyaung | 157.6 | 98.0 | in service | The second mountain line onto the Shan Highlands has to climb more than 1,200m in height. Four reversals and a tunnel had to be built until Kalaw was reached in 1914. A further extension of the line to Aungban were opened in 1915 until Shwenyaung was reached in 1921. |
| E21 | Pyabwe | Payangazu | 25.7 | 16.0 | in service | This short link was opened in 2008 to allow direct trains from the new capital Naypidaw to Shwenyaung without having to change directions at Thazi station. |
| E22 | Aungban | Loikaw | 164.4 | 102.0 | in service | This line connects Loikaw, capital of the Kayah State with the railway network and was opened in 1993. |
| E23 | Shwenyaung | Yut Sauk (Yawsawk) | 60.1 | 37.3 | in service | There were already plans in the 1930s to connect Shwenyaung across the plains of the Shan Highlands with Hsipaw on the line E10, which were never realized. The military junta built the section from Shwenyaung to Yut Sauk until 1991. Further extensions towards Hsipaw are not planned. |
| E24 | Shwenyaung | Kyaing Tong (Kengtung) | 273.5 | 170.0 | partly in service?, partly under construction, partly planned | Construction work to connect Kyaing Tong in the far east of the Shan Highlands with the railway network started in the 1990s. First isolated sections were opened in 1996/97 but rugged terrain prevented quick advance of the construction work. Finally in 2006 the section from Shwenyaung to Namsang could be opened in full length. The extension to Kyaing Tong is even more difficult due to high mountains and deep gorges which need to be crossed. Except a very short isolated section in Kyaing Tong no construction works can be spotted between Namsang and Kyaing Tong. Most probably the line will never be finished. |
| E91 | Namsang | Moe-Noe | 64.1 | 39.8 | partly in service?, partly under construction | Initially it was planned to lead the line from Shwenyaung to Kyaing Tong (E24) via Moe-Noe. A short isolated section between Namsang and Moe-Noe was opened in 1995. But after alteration of plans for the alignment of line E24 this line became a simple branch which was isolated until Namsang was connected to the railway network in 2006 via line E24. |
| Southern Myanmar | ||||||
| S10 | Bago | Mottama | 203.3 | 126.3 | in service | The south of Myanmar was connected to the railway network in 1907 when the line from Bago to Mottama on the shores of the Saluen River opposite of Mawlamyaing. A bridge over the river was only opened in 2005 (see line S20). Track alignment between Abaya and Mokepalin was altered after WW II due to reconstruction of a new Sittoung River bridge further north in 1962. |
| S20 | Mottama | Mawlamyaing South | 15.0 | 9.3 | in service | The Saluen River between Mottama and Mawlamyaing was initially crossed by ferry. A more than 3km long bridge with alteration of track alignment was only opened in 2005. |
| S30 | Mawlamyaing South | Myeik | 520.1 | 323.2 | partly in service, partly under construction, partly planned | The deep south of Myanmar received ist first railway line in 1925 when the isolated line from Mawlamyaing to Ye was opened. The section between Thanbyuzayat and Ye was dismantled during the Japanese occupation in WW II and was reopened in the late 1950s. The military junta extended the line to Dawei in 1998. There are plans for a further extension to Myeik. Construction works around Dawei have started, but have been suspended and the line will most probably never be built. |
| S11 | Bago (Da Wei Inn) | Thongwa | 73.0 | 45.4 | dismantled, reopening planned | The line from Bago south to Thongwa was opened between 1922 and 1928. It was dismantled in 1957. There were plans by the military junta to reopen the line and to extend it to Thanlyin near Yangon. |
| S12 | Abaya | Nyaungkashe | 16.1 | 10.0 | partly in service, partly dismantled | The main line to the south initially crossed the Sittoung River between Nyaungkashe and Mokepalin. The bridge was destroyed in WW II and was later rebuilt further north. The section from Abaya to Nyaungkashe became a branch line while the other sections were dismantled. |
| S13 | Eainchaylaysel | Satthwa-Gone | 37.8 | 23.5 | in service | This link was opened in 2008 to allow direct trains from the new capital Naypidaw to the south of Myanmar without having to change directions at Bago station. |
| S14 | Thaton | Myaingalay | 36.5 | 22.7 | in service | In order to connect the cement factory near Myaingalay with the railway network, the military junta opened this line between 1984 and 1988. The section between Thaton and Duyinzeik was already served by a 2ft 6in light railway between 1885 and 1907. |
| S31 | Thanbyuzayat | Payathouzu | 108.8 | 67.6 | dismantled | This is the Myanmar part of the famous death railway built during Japanese occupation linking Thailand and Myanmar by rail. The line went out of service after the war and was finally dismantled in 1947. |
| Western Myanmar | ||||||
| W10 | Pathein | Pakokku | 737.3 | 458.1 | partly in service, partly out of service | The region west of the Ayeyawaddy River got its first railway line between 1903 and 1907 when the section between Pathein and Kyangin was opened. The isolated line was connected via a ferry with the railway network (see lines C11 and W13) until a long extension parallel to the Ayeyawaddy River up to Pakokku was opened between 2008 and 2010. However it seems that the newly opened sections have already been taken out of service. |
| W20 | Chaung-U | Pakokku | 79.7 | 49.5 | in service | In order to connect the city of Pakokku with the rest of the railway network, this line was constructed by the military junta. First sections were already opened in 1993, but the construction of the bridge over the Chindwin River was only completed in 2004. |
| W11 | Begarat | Hlaingtharya | 155.0 | 96.3 | in service? | This line built by the military junta connects Pathein in the Ayeyawaddy Delta with Hlaintharya, a western suburb of Yangon. The construction works look finished on satellite images, but I don't know whether regular train services are being offered. |
| W12 | Nyaungdon | Hinthada | 75.6 | 47.0 | in service? | This link in the Ayeyawaddy Delta built by the military junta allows direct trains from western Yangon to Pakokku without making a detour via Pathein. The construction works look finished on satellite images, but I don't know whether regular train services are being offered. |
| W13 | Hinthada | Hinthada Shore | 4.4 | 2.8 | out of service | The isolated section from Pathein to Kyangin (see line W10) was connected from Hinthada via a ferry over the Ayeyawaddy River with the remaining railway network. The line is most probably out of service and partly dismantled according to satellite images. |
| W14 | Minhla | Sainggya | 20.9 | 13.0 | out of service | A strategic bridge crossing the Ayeyawaddy River near Magway was opened by the military junta. It includes a railway line from Minhla to Sainggya that links the lines W10 and C91 over the bridge, but it is unknown whether the line ever went into service. |
| W15 | Minbu | Sittwe | 422.6 | 262.6 | partly in service?, partly under construction, partly planned | In order to connect the Rakhine State and its capital Sittwe with the railway network, a line between Minbu on the line W10 and Sittwe was planned by the military junta. Two isolated sections near Sittwe were opened, but are now most probably out of service. Construction work around Mrauk U and Minbu had started, but was meanwhile suspended. The remaining sections to cross the Rakhine Yoma Mountains as well as the wide Kaladan River will most probably never be constructed. |
| W16 | Pakokku | Atet-Nyin | 13.0 | 8.1 | in service? | A strategic bridge crossing the Ayeyawaddy River near Pakokku was opened by the military junta. It includes a railway line from Pakokku to Atet-Nyin that links the lines W10 and C24 over the bridge. |
| W17 | Pakokku | Kalaymyo | 365.0 | 226.8 | in service? | First isolated sections of this line planned by the military junta were already opened in between 1994 and 1997. The high mountain range between Kyaw and Gangaw was finally crossed with a temporary track and several reversals in 2005 until two years later it was replaced by a 1,8km long tunnel. |