Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
(Strand Rd; K2000-7000; 10am-10pm)
This popular live-music spot has provincial mod-
els singing karaoke from 7pm, but it doesn't have to detract from dinner if you bag a
table looking over the Ayeyarwady. Draught beer flows and the menu is predominantly
Chinese and Thai.
Information
Cosmic
(Kan St; per hr K400;
7.30am-11pm)
For internet, try here. It's in the same build-
ing as the old cinema.
Getting There & Away
BOAT
Routes along the Ayeyarwady River start and stop in Pyay, heading south, but few for-
eigners use this service.
The
IWT office
( 053-24503; Strand Rd; 9am-5pm Mon-Fri)
is helpful on ever-chan-
ging times for slow-going government ferries. At research time, a cargo ferry left around
3am in the middle of Tuesday night for Yangon (deck/cabin $12/24, about three days).
BUS
Pyay is located at the junction of roads to Yangon, Bagan and Thandwe (for Ngapali
Beach). The highway bus station is about two miles (3km) east of the centre (just off
Bogyoke Rd).
Several companies run buses to Yangon (K4500, seven hours) throughout the day, in-
cluding
Asia Express
( 053-28145)
. There are no direct buses north to Bagan from
Pyay, but you can catch a bus that left from Yangon for the full Yangon-Bagan fare
(K15,000 to K18,000, 12 hours). Or take the 8.30am bus to Magwe (K4100, six hours),
from where there are morning departures for Bagan.
Heading to Ngapali by bus is possible, but not terribly convenient. Thile Lone Kyaw
run minibuses to Taunggok (K11,000, 11 hours) leaving at 5pm.
TRAIN
A lone daily train leaves Pyay's central train station at 11.30pm for Yangon (sleeper/up-
per/1st/ordinary class $14/13/10/5, nine hours). From Shwethekar station, 3 miles east of
the city towards Thayekhittaya, you can also board the Yangon to Bagan train as it takes
a three-minute pause at 10pm (sleeper/upper/1st $28/26/23), before arriving in Bagan
8am; the Bagan to Yangon train arrives at 2.30am, before continuing on to Yangon.
