Rail transport in Myanmar Rail transport in Myanmar consists of a railway network with 960 stations. The network, generally spanning north to south with branch lines to the east and west, is the second largest in Southeast Asia, and includes the Yangon Circular Railway ...

(then Burma) began in 1877. Three private rail companies were nationalised nineteen years later. During the

Japanese occupation of Burma The Japanese occupation of Burma was the period between 1942 and 1945 during World War II, when Burma was occupied by the Empire of Japan. The Japanese had assisted formation of the Burma Independence Army, and trained the Thirty Comrades, ...

, Allied prisoners of war were forced to build the

Burma Railway The Burma Railway, also known as the Siam–Burma Railway, Thai–Burma Railway and similar names, or as the Death Railway, is a railway between Ban Pong, Thailand, and Thanbyuzayat, Burma (now called Myanmar). It was built from 1940 to 1943 ...

. Myanmar Railways has expanded its network somewhat since 1988.

1877–1895

Rail transport was introduced in Burma in May 1877 (when

Lower Burma Lower Myanmar (, also called Lower Burma) is a geographic region of Myanmar and includes the low-lying Irrawaddy Delta ( Ayeyarwady, Bago and Yangon Regions), as well as coastal regions of the country ( Rakhine and Mon States and Tanintharyi ...

was a colony of the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

and part of

British India The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance in South Asia. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one form or another ...

) with the opening of the

Rangoon Yangon, formerly romanized as Rangoon, is the capital of the Yangon Region and the largest city of Myanmar. Yangon was the List of capitals of Myanmar, capital of Myanmar until 2005 and served as such until 2006, when the State Peace and Dev ...

-to-

Prome Pyay, and formerly anglicised as Prome, is the principal town of Pyay Township in the Bago Region in Myanmar. Pyay is located on the bank of the Irrawaddy River, north-west of Yangon. It is an important trade center for the Ayeyarwady Delta, Cent ...

line by the Irrawaddy Valley State Railway. The line, following the

Irrawaddy River The Irrawaddy River (, , Ayeyarwady) is the principal river of Myanmar, running through the centre of the country. Myanmar’s most important commercial waterway, it is about 1,350 miles (2,170 km) long. Originating from the confluence of the ...

, was built over a three-year period with labour imported from India (particularly the areas affected by the Bihar famine of 1873–74). Unusually for a British colonial railway, it was built to 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) metre gauge. In 1884 the Sittang Valley State Railway, a new company, opened a line along the

Sittang River The Sittaung River ( ; formerly, the Sittang or Sittoung) is a river in south central Myanmar in Bago Division. The Pegu Range separates its basin from that of the Irrawaddy. The river originates at the edge of the Shan Hills southeast of Ma ...

from Rangoon to

Toungoo Taungoo (, ''Tauñngu myoú''; ), also spelled Toungoo and formerly Toung-ngú, is a district-level city in the Bago Region of Myanmar, 220 km from Yangon, towards the north-eastern end of the division, with mountain ranges to the east an ...

via

Pegu Bago (formerly spelled Pegu; , ), formerly known as Hanthawaddy, is a city and the capital of the Bago Region in Myanmar. It is located north-east of Yangon. Etymology The Burmese name Bago (ပဲခူး) is likely derived from the Mon lang ...

. The Irrawaddy line was considered commercially important because it could transport rice from the valley to the main port at Rangoon, and the Sittang line was strategically important because of Toungoo's proximity to the border with

Upper Burma Upper Myanmar ( or , also called Upper Burma) is one of two geographic regions in Myanmar, the other being Lower Myanmar. Located in the country's centre and north stretches, Upper Myanmar encompasses six inland states and regions, including ...

(then part of the Ava kingdom). This became evident at the start of the

Third Anglo-Burmese War The Third Anglo-Burmese War (), also known as the Third Burma War, took place during 7–29 November 1885, with sporadic resistance continuing into 1887. It was the final of three wars fought in the 19th century between the Burmese and the Br ...

(a year after Sittang line opened) and during the unrest which followed the war. The construction of the two lines cost £1,926,666; the railway was profitable by 1888, returning more than five percent on capital investment. With the annexation of Upper Burma, the railway was extended by from Toungoo to

Mandalay Mandalay is the second-largest city in Myanmar, after Yangon. It is located on the east bank of the Irrawaddy River, 631 km (392 mi) north of Yangon. In 2014, the city had a population of 1,225,553. Mandalay was founded in 1857 by Ki ...

(the fallen capital of the Ava kingdom) in 1889. The Mu Valley State Railway was formed after the opening of this section, and construction began on a rail line from

Sagaing Sagaing (, ) is a town in the Sagaing Region of Myanmar. It is located on the Irrawaddy River, to the south-west of Mandalay on the opposite bank of the river. Sagaing, with its numerous Buddhist monasteries, is an important religious and ...

Myitkyina Myitkyina (, ; Jingpho language, Jinghpaw: ''Myitkyina'', ; , ''Sèna'') is the capital city of Kachin State in Myanmar (Burma), located from Yangon, and from Mandalay. In Burmese language, Burmese it means "near the big river", and Myitkyina i ...

connecting Mandalay to

Shwebo Shwebo ( ) is a city in Sagaing Region, Burma, 110 km north-west of Mandalay between the Irrawaddy and the Mu rivers. The city was the origin of the Konbaung Dynasty, established by King Alaungpaya in 1752, that was the dominant politic ...

(1891),

Wuntho Wuntho (), also known as Wying Hsö (), was a Shan state in Upper Burma. It had an area of around with 150,000 inhabitants and lay midway between the Ayeyarwady River and Chindwin Rivers. Name The state was at first called Bein-hsö ('town of ...

(1893), Katha (1895) and Myitkyina (1898). This railway created a continuous line from Rangoon to Myitkyina through the

Kachin Hills The Kachin Hills are a heavily forested group of highlands in the extreme northeastern area of the Kachin State of Burma. They consist of a series of ranges running mostly in a N/S direction, including the Kumon Bum subrange of which the highest p ...

, except for a ferry crossing of the Irrawaddy at

. The Inwa Bridge at Sagaing, Burma's only bridge across the Irrawaddy, opened in 1934 with two decks: one for road traffic and one for trains.

1896–1945

In 1896, before the completion of the line to Myitkyina, the rail companies were combined into the publicly owned Burma Railway Company. Between 1898 and 1905, another of railway was built. A branch line from the Rangoon-Pyay railroad connected Bassein in the Irrawaddy delta to Rangoon, and the Mandalay–Lashio Railway ran through the Shan Hills (nearly to the border with

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

). The latter railway included the Gokteik viaduct, a , viaduct across the Gokteik gorge near Nawnghkio. When it was built, it was the longest such viaduct in the world. The track rises in a continuous 1:40 gradient, and the viaduct (designed by Alexander Rendel & Sons and built by the Pennsylvania Steel Company) was considered an engineering marvel at the time. The Mandalay-Lashio railway was planned to extend to Kunlong (on the border) and into China's

Yunnan Yunnan; is an inland Provinces of China, province in Southwestern China. The province spans approximately and has a population of 47.2 million (as of 2020). The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders the Chinese provinces ...

province, but the plan was abandoned because of the difficult terrain. In 1907, a line opened connecting Pegu and

Moulmein Mawlamyine (also spelled Mawlamyaing; , ; ; , ), formerly Moulmein, is the fourth-largest city in Myanmar (Burma), ''World Gazetteer'' southeast of Yangon and south of Thaton, at the mouth of Thanlwin (Salween) River. Mawlamyine was an ancien ...

(the capital of British Burma before the Second Anglo-Burmese War). The line ran to

Martaban Mottama (, ; Muttama , ; formerly Martaban) is a town in the Thaton District of Mon State, Myanmar. Located on the west bank of the Thanlwin river (Salween), on the opposite side of Mawlamyaing, Mottama was the capital of the Martaban Kingdo ...

, on the

Gulf of Martaban The Gulf of Martaban () or the Gulf of Mottama is an arm of the Andaman Sea in the southern part of Myanmar (Burma). The gulf is named after the port city of Mottama (formerly known as Martaban). The Sittaung, Salween and Yangon rivers empty in ...

at the mouth of the

Salween River The Salween is a Southeast Asian river, about long, flowing from the Tibetan Plateau south into the Andaman Sea. The Salween flows primarily within southwest China and eastern Myanmar, with a short section forming the border of Myanmar and Tha ...

, and passengers had to take a ferry to Moulmein. Until the Thanlwin Bridge opened in 2006, it was impossible to travel from Rangoon to Moulmein by rail. The Burma Mines Railway, an 80-kilometre (50-mile) narrow-gauge line from Namyao (on Myanmar Railways' Mandalay-Lashio branch) via Namtu to Bawdwin, was completed in 1908. After the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, a line was built between Moulmein and Ye at the northern end of the

Mergui Archipelago The Mergui Archipelago (also Myeik Archipelago or ''Myeik Kyunzu''; ) is located in far southern Myanmar (Burma) and is part of the Tanintharyi Region. It consists of around 800 islands, varying in size from very small to hundreds of square kilo ...

. Burma's last major rail line, from Thazi on the Rangoon-Mandalay line to

Kalaw Kalaw (; Shan: ) is a hill town in the Shan State of Myanmar. It is the capital of Kalaw District and Kalaw Township. Overview The town was popular with the British during colonial rule. Kalaw is the main setting of the novel ''Das Herzenh ...

(a hill station in the southern

Shan State Shan State (, ; , ) is a administrative divisions of Myanmar, state of Myanmar. Shan State borders China (Yunnan) to the north, Laos (Louang Namtha Province, Louang Namtha and Bokeo Provinces) to the east, and Thailand (Chiang Rai Province, Chia ...

) was built between 1914 and 1918. In 1928, the Burma Railway Company was dissolved; the railways were brought directly under government operation and renamed Burma Railways. Around this time, they began to lose money because of competition from road transport. With return on capital declining, Burma Railways became the country's single largest debt item when the financial separation of India and Burma took place in 1937. The company's coal and rolling stock were imported from India or Britain.

Siam-Burma Railway

The British had long planned to construct a railway line connecting India with Siam (now

Thailand Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...

) and

. British companies examined the possibility of building a railway from Rangoon to

to link with a second line from Bangkok to Yunnan, but were unable to obtain financial backing. When the Japanese occupied Thailand and Burma, they decided to build a railway connecting their Southeast Asian territories with Burma (partly to facilitate the movement of troops and supplies for their planned invasion of India). Since Yunnan was in Chinese hands under Chiang Kai-shek, they looked for a southern route to Burma from Thailand and settled on a line from

Ban Pong Ban Pong (, ) is a district (''amphoe'') of Ratchaburi province, Thailand. It is in the northeast of the province. Geography Neighbouring districts are (from the north clockwise) Tha Muang district, Tha Muang and Tha Maka district, Tha Maka of Ka ...

Thanbyuzayat Thanbyuzayat (; , "Reid, Robert and Grosberg, Michael (2005) ''Myanmar (Burma)'' (9th edition) Lonely Planet Publications, Footscray, Victoria, Australiapage 159 ) is a town in the Mon State of south-eastern Myanmar. It is the administrative cente ...

across the mountains separating the two countries. Since Thanbyuzayat was on the Moulmein-Ye railway line and Ban Pong connected to

Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estim ...

via

Kanchanaburi Kanchanaburi (, ) is a town municipality ('' thesaban mueang'') in Kanchanaburi Province, Thailand. The town of lies to the southeast of Erawan National Park within Kanchanaburi Province, approximately 120km west of Bangkok. In 2006 it had a po ...

, the line would provide a direct connection (with a ferry from Moulmein to Martaban) between Bangkok and Rangoon. The Japanese built the lines with Allied prisoners of war, and an estimated 15,000 POWs and 150,000 others died during the construction of the railway – about 675 deaths per mile. Its construction is depicted in the film, ''

The Bridge on the River Kwai ''The Bridge on the River Kwai'' is a 1957 epic war film directed by David Lean and based on the novel ''The Bridge over the River Kwai'', written by Pierre Boulle. Boulle's novel and the film's screenplay are almost entirely fictional but u ...

''.

1945 to present

In 1942, The country had of meter-gauge track in 1942, but during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

the

Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...

removed about . By the end of the war, were operational in four isolated sections. During the postwar era, the rail network was rebuilt. By 1961 the network was long, remaining constant until the opening of a line from Kyaukpadaung to Kyini in October 1970. This began an upsurge in construction and track-doubling, and Myanmar Railways operated 11 divisions over of track by 2000. Most routes are single-track, although large portions of the Yangon-Pyay and Yangon-Mandalay routes are double-track. The railway had a total length of in December 2008, including the Yangon-Mandalay line's double-track section.

Improvements

*''1988:'' Thaton-Myaingalay (new 36.3-km line) *''1989:'' Dabeyin-Hle Lawin (new 34.6-km line) *''1990:'' Mandalay Circular Railway modernisation (21.8 km) *''1992:'' Shwenyaung-Yauksauk (60.3 km) and Tada-U-Myingyan lines (99.8 km), including a line to

Mandalay International Airport Mandalay International Airport , located 35 km south of Mandalay in Tada-U, is one of three international airports in Myanmar. Completed in 1999, it replaced the old Mandalay Chanmyathazi Airport as the city's main airport and it was the ...

*''1993:'' Three lines: ** Aungban-Loi-kaw (164 km), in Kayah State ** Chaung-U-Tawkyaungyi (23.4 km), part of the Chaung-U-Pakokku-Kalaymyo line ** Minywa-Pakokku (54 km) *''1994:'' Two lines: ** Tada-U-Mandalay International Airport (11.8 km) ** Pakokku-Myaing-Myozoe (55.7 km) *''1995:'' Three lines: ** Myozoe-Zipyar (44.2 km) ** Namsang-Moe-Ne (44.3 km), the first section of the eastern extension of the Thazi-Shwenyaung line ** Tavoy-Yephu (17.2 km), part of the Mawlamyaing-Ye-Tavoy line *''1996:'' Four lines: ** Gangaw-Natchaung (110.8 km) ** Myitkyina-Nantpaung-Airport (11.7 km) ** Taunggyi-Phamon-Banyin (54.3 km) ** Pyay-Myade/Aunglan-Satthwa (145.4 km), an alternative line to Bagan *''1997:'' Five lines: ** Shwenyaung-Taunggyi (33.5 km) ** Kyaukpadaung-Bagan ** Kaloggyi-Yephu (141.6 km), part of the Mawlamyaing-Ye-Dawei line ** Taungdwingyi-Magwe (83.8 km) ** Ye-U-Khin-U (25.7 km) *''1998:'' Construction of the 100.8-mile (162.222-km) Ye-Dawei line begins. *''2003:'' The Okkphosu-Thilawa-Deep Sea Port line opens. The bridge over the

Ye River The Ye River is a river of Burma. It has its source in the Tenasserim Hills and drains into the Andaman Sea along the Mon State Mon State (, ; ) is an administrative division of Myanmar. It lies between Kayin State to the east, the Andaman Sea ...

on the Ye-Dawei line opens on 26 November. *''2004:'' The Hsinbyushin-

Chindwin River The Chindwin River (), also known as the Ningthi River (), is a river in Myanmar and is the largest tributary of the Irrawaddy River. Sources The Chindwin originates in the broad Hukawng Valley of Kachin State of Burma, roughly , where the Tanai, ...

section of the Mandalay-to-Pakokku line opens. The Yangon-Mandalay line is modernised and double-tracked. *''2005:'' The Ye-Dawei line opens. *''2006:'' The

Thanlwin Bridge Thanlwin Bridge (Mawlamyaing) was the longest bridge in Myanmar before the construction of the Pakouku Bridge and it connects the city of Mawlamyaing with Mottama. Constructed at the confluence of the Thanlwin River, the Gyaing River and the ...

and Mawlamyine railway station open, connecting the line on the southern bank of the

with the rest of the country. Construction of the 300-mile (483-km) Kyangin-Pakokku line begins. *''2007:'' The Pyinmana-Myohaung section of the Yangon-Mandalay line is double-tracked in November to serve the country's new capital,

Naypyidaw Naypyidaw (), officially Romanization of Burmese, romanized as Nay Pyi Taw (NPT), is the capital city, capital and third-largest city of Myanmar. The city is located at the centre of the Naypyidaw Union Territory. It is unusual among Myanmar's ...

. *''2008:'' Construction of the 95-mile (153-km) Katha-Bhamo line begins on 1 January. Construction of the Kyangin-Okshippin section of the Kyangin-Pakokku line begins on 1 March, and construction of the 128-mile (205-km) Dawei-Myeik line begins on 6 December. The Pyawbwe-Phayangasu section of the Yangon-Taunggyi line (via Thazi) opens on 1 December. *''2009:'' The Tavoy (

Dawei Dawei (, ; , ; , RTGS: ''Thawai'', ; formerly known as Tavoy) is a city in south-eastern Myanmar and is the capital of the Tanintharyi Region, formerly known as the Tenasserim Division, on the eastern bank of the Dawei River. The city is about ...

)- Myeik,

Namsan Namsan () is a peak in Jung District, Seoul, South Korea. It was also known as Mongmyeoksan () in the past. It offers some hiking, picnic areas and views of downtown Seoul's skyline. The N Seoul Tower is located at the summit of Namsan. The ...

Kengtung Kengtung ( , ), also spelt Kyaingtong (; ), classical name Tungapuri, is a city in Shan State, Myanmar (formerly Burma). It is the principal town of Kengtung Township and the former seat of Kengtung State, a minor principality. Kengtung is locat ...

and Pyawbwe-Natmauk- Magway lines open.

References

External links

* , illustrated account of Burma's railways in the 1930s {{DEFAULTSORT:Myanmar History of rail transport by country

Rail Rail or rails may refer to: Rail transport *Rail transport and related matters *Railway track or railway lines, the running surface of a railway Arts and media Film * ''Rails'' (film), a 1929 Italian film by Mario Camerini * ''Rail'' (1967 fil ...

Rail transport in Myanmar