Length (km)	258.9
Length (miles)	161.0
Status	in service, double tracked from Yangon to Danyingon

Date	From		To	Length (miles)	Length (km)	Remark
Openings
01.05.1877	Yangon	–	Pyay	161.0	258.9

	km		Height (m)
		C20 from/to Bago, Mandalay
	0.0	Yangon	14
		siding from wharfs
	5.6	Kemmendine	18
		siding from wharfs (dismantled)
	14.5	Insein/Insein workshop	14
	20.5	Danyingon	8
		Y01 from/to Ma Hlwa Gone
	28.2	Hlaw Karr	9
		Y05 to Yangon Computer Uni.
	33.8	Mogyopit	7
		PY01 to Dagon Uni. (planned)
	124.3	Letpadan	20
		C11 to Tharrawaw
	253.0	C13 to Satthwa
	253.5	C12 to Satthwa
	258.9	Pyay	34

This line was the first railway line to be constructed in Myanmar. Some sources record an opening of the section Yangon - Letpadan in 1869, however all other resources record an opening of the complete line on the 1st of May 1877 by the Irrawaddy State Railway. The line was quite easy to construct as it leads through flat plains without major gradients and does not cross major rivers. The section from Yangon station to Danyingon is double tracked.

Length (km)	620.4
Length (miles)	385.5
Status	in service, double tracked

Date	From		To	Length (miles)	Length (km)	Remark
Openings
27.02.1884	Yangon	–	Bago	46.5	74.8
10.08.1884	Bago	–	Nyaunglebin	46.3	74.4
01.07.1885	Nyaunglebin	–	Toungoo	73.3	117.9
01.10.1888	Toungoo	–	Pyinmana	59.0	95.0
10.03.1889	Pyinmana	–	Mandalay	160.5	258.3

	km		Height (m)
		C10 from/to Pyay
	0.0	Yangon	14
		siding to wharfs
		to Ma Hlwa Gone depot
		C20 and Y02 run in parallel
	4.0	Ma Hlwa Gone (Mahlwagon)	10
		to goods station
		Y01 to Danyingon
		Y03 to Thilawa
	11.7	Togyaunggale	9
		Y02 to Dagon University
	36.2	Dabein	9
		Y06 to Hle Lawin
	74.8	Bago	14
		C21 to Bago airport
		S10 to Mottama
		S12 to Sattwa-Gone
	~128.3	Eainchaylaysel	14
	149.3	Nyaunglebin	17
		C22 to Madauk
	254.7	Oktwin	46
		C23 to Pyay (planned)
	267.2	Toungoo	53
		PE1 to Loikaw (planned)
		C24 from/to Myingyan
	362.1	Pyinmana	101
	374.9	Naypitaw	112
	408.0	Thatkon	156
		PE2 to Pinglong (planned)
		C25 from/to Magway
	462.7	Pyabwe	199
		E92 to Payangazu
		E20 from/to Shwenyaung
		C26 from/to Myingyan
	492.5	Thazi	164
		C27 from/to Thazi West
		C28 from/to Myingyan
	602.3	Paleik	81
		E10 from/to Lashio
		N10 from/to Myitkyina
	616.0	Myohaung	79
	618.0	Shanzu (Mandalay tram)	81
	620.4	Mandalay	81
		C29 to Madaya

The line from Yangon to Mandalay was the second line in the Myanmar Railway Network to be opened. It is by far the most important line and forms the backbone of the railway network. Parts of the line were already double-tracked in the first quarter of the 20th century, however the second track was removed during the Japanese occupation in WW II. After the war the second track was added on most parts of the line. With a length of more than 600km it is most probably the longest two track meter gauge railway line in the world.

Length (km)	37.8
Length (miles)	23.5
Status	in service?

Date	From		To	Length (miles)	Length (km)	Remark
Openings
??.??.1903	Letpadan	–	Tharrawaw	23.5	37.8

	km		Height (m)
		C10 from/to Yangon Station
	0.0	Letpadan	20
		C10 from/to Pyay
	37.8	Tharrawaw	16
		Hinthada Shore
		W13 from/to Hinthada

Between 1901 and 1907 a railway network was built in the Ayeyawaddy delta west of the Ayeyawaddy River (see lines W10 and W13). The network was isolated from the rest of the railway network as no bridge across the river was built. In order to connect the isolated network to the rest of the network, a ferry between Hinthada and Tharrawaw was constructed and the port at Tharrawaw was connected to the line Yangon – Pyay (C10) with a branch from Letpadan. The ferry remained in service for a long time, it is unknown to me when ferry services stopped. Satellite images do not show any traces of the ferry connection anymore. Around 2010 the isolated section Pathein – Kyangin (W10) was connected to the remaining network via Pakokku, however this extension seems to be out of service. Without the ferry the line Letpadan – Tharrawaw lost its reason for construction. It is unknown to me whether the line is still in service.

Length (km)	148.8
Length (miles)	92.5
Status	in service?

Date	From		To	Length (miles)	Length (km)	Remark
Openings
22.05.1997	Aunglan/Myade (Allanmyo)	–	Satthwa	50.2	80.8
14.09.1997	Pyay	–	Aunglan/Myade (Allanmyo)	42.3	68

	km		Height (m)
		C10 from/to Pyay
	0.0	Pyay East	37
		C10 from/to Yangon Station
		C13 from/to Pyay South
	0.5	Pyay North	35
		C23 to Paungdale, Oktwin (planned)
	68.0	Aunglan/Myade (Allanmyo)	61
		C24 from/to Pyinmana
	148.8	Satthwa	152
		C24 from/to Myingyan

The military junta had strategic reasons to build a second railway link between Yangon and Mandalay as it feared attacks on the main line Yangon Mandalay (C20). The second link should more or less follow the eastern banks of the Ayeyawaddy River and use existing railway lines C24 (Pyinmana – Myingyan) and C28 (Paleik - Myingyan). The missing link between Pyay and Satthwa on the line C24 was closed in 1997. However the line constructed by the army has a very poor quality. Dams and bridges are too low and thus the line is often washed away during the raining season. In addition sharp curves and high gradients restrict using the line for "normal" trains. It is thus unknown whether the line still remains in service.

Length (km)	0.4
Length (miles)	0.2
Status	in service?

Date	From		To	Length (miles)	Length (km)	Remark
Openings
most probably 1997	Pyay South	–	Pyay North	0.2	0.4

	km		Height (m)
		C10 from/to Yangon Station
	0.0	Pyay South	37
		C10 from/to Pyay
		C12 from/to Pyay
	0.4	Pyay North	35
		C12 from/to Satthwa

The opening of the strategic line C12 (Pyay –Satthwa) allowed direct trains from Yangon to Mandalay without having to use the main line C20 (Yangon – Mandalay). In order to avoid changing direction in Pyay station (which is a terminus), a short direct link between lines C10 and C12 was built. It is unknown when the link was opened (most probably along with the opening of line C12) and whether it was ever used.

Length (km)	7.9
Length (miles)	4.9
Status	out of service?

Date	From		To	Length (miles)	Length (km)	Remark
Openings
??.??.1998	Bago	–	Bago Airport	4.9	7.9

	km		Height (m)
		C20 from/to Yangon Station
	0.0	Bago	14
		C20 from/to Mandalay
	7.9	Bago Airport	49

Alongside the massive extension of the railway network in the 1990s the military junta also constructed various new airports in the country. In the late 1990s the construction of a new airport near Bago was started. As for other airports in Myanmar this airport was also connected to the railway network to support construction and to supply kerosene. There are plans to upgrade the airport into a new international airport which should replace the old Mingaladon airport in Yangon which cannot be extended. However according to satellite images it looks like construction works of the airport have been halted for several years. The short branch to the airport is thus most probably out of service.

Length (km)	18.1
Length (miles)	11.3
Status	out of service

Date	From		To	Length (miles)	Length (km)	Remark
Openings
??.08.1929	Nyaunglebin	–	Madauk	11.3	18.1

	km		Height (m)
		C20 from/to Yangon Station
	0.0	Nyaunglebin	17
		C20 from/to Mandalay
	18.1	Madauk	16

This line connects the main line Yangon - Mandalay with the village Madauk on the shores of the Sittoung River. The reason for constructing this short branch was most probably the fact that the Sittoung River was only shippable from the mouth to Madauk. The line was opened in August 1929 and was one of the last lines in Myanmar which was operated with steam locomotives. Until 2006 YD steam locos pulled mixed trains between Pyuntaza and Madauk. They were replaced with passenger trains pulled by self-made diesel rail cars. Some when around 2014 the line was taken out of service.

Length (km)	193.1
Length (miles)	120.0
Status	partly in service?, remaining section partly under construction started, partly only planned

Date	From		To	Length (miles)	Length (km)	Remark
Openings
??.??.20??	Pyay North	–	Paungdale	7.2	11.6

	km		Height (m)
		C20 from/to Mandalay
	0.0	Oktwin	46
		C20 from/to Yangon Station
		planned
	141.6	end of construction	160
		under construction
	181.5	Paungdale	42
		C12 from/to Satthwa
	193.1	Pyay North	35
		C12 from/to Pyay East

The military junta had planned a connection between Oktwin on the main line Yangon – Mandalay (C20) over the Bago Yoma Mountains to Pyay. Construction works have started from the direction of Pyay. The first section to Paungdale was opened some when around 2014, but it is unknown to me whether this section is still in service. Construction works from Paungdale eastwards towards Bago Yoma Mountains have started but were most probably halted according to satellite images. Further east towards Oktwin no traces of construction works can be seen.

Length (km)	329.2
Length (miles)	204.6
Status	in service

Date	From		To	Length (miles)	Length (km)	Remark
Openings
??.04.1925	Pyinmana	–	Satthwa	57.8	92.9
??.12.1926	Satthwa	–	Taungdwingyi	9.3	14.9
??.??.1930	Taungdwingyi	–	Kyaukpadang	71.8	115.6
??.??.1996	Nyaung U (Bagan)	–	Myingyan	34.6	55.7
??.??.1997	Kyaukpadang		Nyaung U (Bagan)	31.1	50.1
Closings
??.??.1943	Taungdwingyi	–	Kyaukpadang	71.8	115.6	dismantled by Japanese for use on other lines
Reopenings
latest by 1957	Taungdwingyi	–	Natmauk	25	40.2	the goods tariff book from 1957 shows the section as in service
??.??.1969	Natmauk	–	Kyaukpadang	46.81	75.3

	km		Height (m)
		C20 from/to Mandalay
	0.0	Pyinmana	101
		C20 from/to Yangon Station
		C12 from/to Pyay
	92.9	Satthwa	152
	107.8	Taungdwingyi	140
		C91 from/to Magway
		C25 from/to Pyabwe
	148.1	Natmauk	167
		C25 from/to Magway
	223.4	Kyaukpadang	365
		C92 from/to Chauk U
	273.5	Nyaung U (Bagan)	128
	289.4	Atet-Nyin	86
		W16 from/to Pakokku
		C26 from/to Thazi
	329.2	Myingyan	80
		C28 from/to Paleik

The Construction of this line took more than 70 years. It started in 1922 but as the line between Pyinmana and Satthwa had to cross the Bago Yoma Mountains it was only finished three years later. In the upcoming years the line was prolongated through the flat plains around Taungdwingyi until Kyaukpadang which was reached in 1930. During the Japanese occupation in WWII the part between Taungdwingyi and Kyaukpadang was removed as it had no strategic importance. The rehabilitation started after the war, the section to Natmauk was re-opened before 1957, the remaining part to Kyaukpadang was only re-opened in 1969. In the 1990s the military junta kicked off a tourism campaign and as part of this campaign one of the top three major tourist spots in Myanmar at Bagan was connected to the railway network at Nyaung U both from Kyaukpadang and Myingyan. The section between Pyinmana and Satthwa is cutting through the Bago Yoma using steep gradients and sharp curves, the rest of the line leads more or less through flat plains, no major rivers are being crossed.

Length (km)	152.9
Length (miles)	204.6
Status	partly in service?, partly under construction?

Date	From		To	Length (miles)	Length (km)	Remark
Openings
??.??.20??	Kanbya	–	Magway	7	11.2	Most probably opened
??.??.20??	Pyabwe	–	Kanbya	92.5	148.8	Unclear whether ever opened

	km		Height (m)
		C20 from/to Mandalay
	0.0	Pyabwe	199
		C20 from/to Yangon Station
		unclear whether ever opened
		C24 from/to Pyinmana
	94	Natmauk	167
		C24 from/to Myingyan
		most probably under construction
	148.8	Kanbya	173
		C91 from Taungdwingyi
	160	Magway	52

Magway is the capital of the Magway division and one of the largest cities in central Myanmar. As part of the military junta’s programme to connect all divisions and stated to the railway network in the 1990s, two lines were planned to connect Magway with the rest of the railway network. One line from direction Yangon (see line C91 Taungdwingyi – Magway) and one from direction Mandalay. The latter one starts at Pyabwe on the main line C20 Yangon – Mandalay and leads through rather flat plains before the foothills of the Bago Yoma Mounains are crossed with several deep cuttings. Afterwards the line crosses the line C24 (Pyinmana – Myingyan) at Natmauk and then heads west towards Magway. Around Natmauk the line uses the existing track of line C24. The section between Pyabwe and Natmauk looks finished, but I don’t know whether this section ever went into service. The section between Natmauk and Kanbya looks like under construction, it is unknown to me whether construction work has been stopped. The short section between Kanbya and Magway seems to be or at least was in service to connect the university outside of Magway with the railway network.

Length (km)	112.7
Length (miles)	70.0
Status	in service

Date	From		To	Length (miles)	Length (km)	Remark
Openings
??.??.1893	Thazi	–	Meiktila	14	22.5	Most probably opened
??.??.1899	Meiktila	–	Myingyan	56	90.1	Unclear whether ever opened

	km		Height (m)
		C20 from/to Mandalay
	0.0	Thazi	164
		C20 from/to Yangon Station
		C27 from Thazi
	~4.5	Thazi West	172
	94	Meiktila	241
		C24 from/to Pyinmana
	112.7	Myingyan	80
		C28 from/to Paleik

The line from Thazi to Myingyan connects the main line C20 Yangon – Mandalay with the shores of the Ayeyawaddy River at Myingyan and was the first branch line built by the State Railways. The section from Thazi to Meiktila was already opened in 1893, the section to Myingyan followed six years later. It cuts through flat plains and does not cross any major rivers. Around 2008 a new link between Thazi and Thazi West was opened (see line C27) to allow direct trains from the new capital Naypidaw to Myingyan without changing directions at Thazi station. The section Thazi – Thazi West of the old line looks out of service on satellite images.

Length (km)	4.7
Length (miles)	2.9
Status	in service?

Date	From		To	Length (miles)	Length (km)	Remark
Openings
??.??.2008	Thazi	–	Thazi West	2.9	4.7	opening date unclear, unknown whether in service

	km		Height (m)
		C20 from/to Yangon Station
	0.0	Thazi	164
		C20 from/to Mandalay
		C26 from/to Thazi
	4.7	Thazi West	172
		C26 from/to Myingyan

In 2005 the military junta moved the capital from Yangon to Naypitaw in the centre of the country. As the new capital should also become the railway hub of the country, trains to the different destinations should start/end in Naypitaw instead of Yangon and Mandalay. In order to avoid change of direction at Thazi station for trains running from Naypitaw to Myingyan, a curve was built north of Thazi. He opening date is unknown to me (most probably around 2008), it is unknown whether the line is in service.

Length (km)	110.6
Length (miles)	68.7
Status	in service

Date	From		To	Length (miles)	Length (km)	Remark
Openings
??.??.1930	Paleik	–	Myotha	26.8	43.1
08.12.1992	Myotha	–	Myingyan	41.9	67.5
Closings
??.??.1943	Tada U	–	Myotha	19.6	31.6	dismantled by Japanese for use on other lines
Reopenings
15.02.1991	Tada U	–	Myotha	19.6	31.6

	km		Height (m)
		C20 from/to Mandalay
	0.0	Paleik	81
		C20 from/to Yangon Station
	11.5	Tada U	78
		C93 to Mandalay Int. Airport
	43.1	Myotha	176
	110.6	Myingyan	80
		C26 from/to Thazi
		C24 from/to Pyinmana

This line connects the fertile plains southwest of Mandalay with the main line from Yangon to Mandalay. The section from Paleik to Myotha was opened in 1930, during the Second World War the Japanese removed the section between Tada-U and Myotha and used the rails to build other strategic important lines like the "Death Railway" between Myanmar and Thailand. It took nearly 50 years until the section was rehabilitated. Only one year later the line was prolonged until Myingyan as part of the tourist attraction programme to connect the famous Bagan temple area south of Myingyan with Mandalay by rail.

Length (km)	27.4
Length (miles)	17.0
Status	in service

Date	From		To	Length (miles)	Length (km)	Remark
Openings
??.??.1912	Mandalay	–	Toungbyon	26.8	10.2	2ft 6in (762mm) gauge, re-gauged to metre gauge in 1927
??.??.1917	Toungbyon	–	Madaya	10.7	17.2
Closings
??.??.1978	Mandalay	–	Thayeze	2.0	3.2	removal of line through former Royal palace

	km		Height (m)
		C20 from/to Yangon
	0.0	Mandalay	81
	3.6	Thayeze	81
		C94 Western Circular
		C94 Eastern Circular
		C94 Mandalay Hill Circular
	10.2	Toungbyon	78
	27.4	Madaya	81

This line was initially constructed by the Madaya Light Railway in 2ft 6in/762mm gauge and started operations in 1912 to Toungbyon. Five years later the line was extended to Madaya. However traffic was beyond expectations, the company went into voluntary liquidation in 1919 and on the 1st of April 1923 was finally bought by the Government of Burma which handed the operation over to the governmental Burma Railways Company. As the State Railway only operated metre gauge it was decided to re-gauge the line to a metre gauge line. The line closed in February 1927 and was opened a few months later in metre gauge and a link to Mandalay station. In 1978 the Royal Palace areal was converted into a military compound and the section crossing the Palace was removed. The remaining section became isolated until the Mandalay Circular Line was constructed in 1990 (though most parts of the Circular Line have already been removed a few years later).

Length (km)	84.2
Length (miles)	52.3
Status	in service

Date	From		To	Length (miles)	Length (km)	Remark
Openings
17.04.1999	Taungdwingyi	–	Magway	52.3	84.2

	km		Height (m)
		C24 from/to Pyinmana
	0.0	Taungdwingyi	140
		C24 from/to Myingyan
	42.7	Sainggya	187
		W14 from/to Minhla
		C25 from/to Pyabwe
	84.2	Magway	52

This line connects the major city of Magway (capital of the Magway division) on the shores of the Ayeyawaddy River with the railway network. Some sources say that the construction already started before WWII, but construction was never finished. As part of the military junta’s programme to connect all divisions and stated to the railway network in the 1990s, two lines were planned to connect Magway with the rest of the railway network. One line from direction Mandalay (see line C25 Pyabwe – Magway) and one from direction Yangon. The latter one starts at Taungdwingyi on the line C24 from Pyinmana to Myingyan. It cuts through a hilly area with many curves and was opened in 1999.

Length (km)	46.5
Length (miles)	28.9
Status	in service

Date	From		To	Length (miles)	Length (km)	Remark
Openings
01.03.1969	Kyaukpadang	–	Kyeeni	24.4	39.3
??.??.2007	Kyeeni	–	Chauk	4.5	7.2

	km		Height (m)
		C24 from/to Pyinmana
	0.0	Kyaukpadang	365
		C24 from/to Myingyan
	39.3	Kyeeni	163
	46.5	Chauk	94

This was the first new line constructed in Myanmar after WWII. Only after the heavily destroyed railway network was rehabilitated in the late 1950s construction of new lines started off. The area around Chauk is well known for its oil occurrence. Already during the colonial times the British exploited the oil sources. However the oil was transported to the refineries in Yangon using ships on the Ayeyawaddy River and later by an oil pipeline (see chapter 8.3. Burmah Oil Company). Alongside the rehabilitation of the line C24 from Pyinmana to Kyaukpadang in the 1950s and 1960s, an extension to the oil fields was opened in 1969. However the line only lead to Kyeeni west of Chauk as last 7km long section to Chauk has a sharp drop in height of around 70m. It was only finished nearly forty years later.

Length (km)	17.9
Length (miles)	11.1
Status	out of service?

Date	From		To	Length (miles)	Length (km)	Remark
Openings
31.08.1999	Tada U	–	Mandalay Int. Airport	11.1	17.9

	km		Height (m)
		C28 from/to Paleik
	0.0	Tada U
		C28 from/to Myingyan
	17.9	Mandalay Int. Airport

In the 1990s the military junta kicked off a tourism campaign and as part of this campaign a second International Airport was constructed which replaced the old airport of Mandalay. However tourism did not develop as planned and the newly built airport in the middle of nowhere only serves domestic flights. Nevertheless the airport was connected to the railway network in order to supply kerosene. The first part of the line branching of at Tada-U on the line from Paleik to Myingyan was opened in 1994, the full line officially opened on the 31st of August 1999. So far there is no passenger transport recorded on this line. Current satellite images show that the line has been disrupted by newly built roads so the line is most probably out of service.

Length (km)	29.1
Length (miles)	18.1
Status	largely out of service

Date	From		To	Length (miles)	Length (km)	Remark
Openings
04.01.1990	Near Thayeze	–	Ayeyawaddy Shore	5.3	8.5	Western Section
01.05.1990	Near 62nd Street	–	Near Thayeze	9.1	14.7	Eastern Section
02.06.1992	Near 10th Street		Near Mandalay Prison	3.7	5.9	Hill Section
Closings
??.??.1995	Near Thayeze	–	Ayeyawaddy Shore	5.3	8.5	Western Section
??.??.1995	Near 10th Street		Near Thayeze	3	4.8	West part of Eastern Section

	km		Height (m)
Western Circular
		C94 Eastern Circular
		C29 from/to Madaya
	0	Near Thayeze	75
		C29 from/to Thayeze
	8.5	Ayeyawaddy Shore	73
Eastern Circular
		E10 from/to Myohaung
	0.0	Near 62nd Street	76
		E10 from/to Lashio
	9.9	Near 10th Street	78
		C94 Hill Circular
		C29 from/to Madaya
	14.7	Near Thayeze	75
		C94 Western Circular
		Thayeze
Hill Circular
		C94 Eastern Circular
	0.0	Near 10th Street	78
		C94 Eastern Circular
		C29 from/to Madaya
	5.9	Near Mandalay Prison
		C29 from/to Tayeze	77

In order to attract more tourists the military junta decided to reconstruct moats and walls of the Mandalay Royal Palace. Alongside the reconstruction work a Circular Railway line was constructed around the Royal Palace and downtown of Mandalay. The eastern section branches off the line E10 Myohaung – Lashio near 62nd street and leads north until 10th street from where it turns west until the line C29 Mandalay – Madaya is reached. It was opened in 1990 and reconnected the line C29, which had been isolated since 1978, to the rest of the railway network. From the connection point with line C29 the western section of the circular line branched off and led south to the shores of the Ayeyawaddy River. This section was also opened in 1990. A further link around Mandalay Hill from 10th street to line C29 Mandalay – Madaya near Mandalay prison was put into service two years later. All sections were running on public streets most of the time. There were many accidents with cars and in 1995 the western section as well as the western part of the eastern section were closed in dismantled less than five years after the opening. The remaining parts seem to remain in service.