Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Two of Mandalay's three major bus stations are infuriatingly distant from the city centre
and there are proposals to move the main highway bus station even further south.
Thiri
Mandalar bus station
is relatively central. Buses for Monywa, Shwebo and Bhamo
leave from here (though foreigners currently may not take Bhamo services).
Pyi Gyi
Myat Shin bus station
is 2 miles east of the centre and has buses for Hsipaw and
Lashio.
Kwe Se Kan Highway bus station
is 6 miles south of centre, and it can take
45 minutes for the K3000/6000 motorbike/taxi ride from central Mandalay, even more by
pick-up 10. Allow plenty of time once you're there to find the right bus in the mayhem.
Pre-booking bus tickets for longer-distance routes (over four hours) is wise. Booking
through backpacker hotels will usually incur a commission but that's rarely more than
the motorbike-taxi fare you'd incur when buying your own. Alternatively, use a city-
centre ticket agency. There are many, especially on 32nd St where
Ko Htay/Shwe
Mann Thu
has a particularly wide choice of destinations and offers several transfer
buses ('ferries') to the main bus station, most costing K1000 per person. Ko Htay has a
second branch beside My World Hotel.
Bus company and ticket agency contacts include the following:
(
09 4711 0564; 79th St, 27/28)
Aung Yedana
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
Cherry Myay
(
02-73571; 27th St at 83rd St; air-con car/minivan per person K5000/6000;
6.30am-4pm)
(
02-61938; 31st St, 81/82)
Duhtawadi
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
Kazein
( 02-32068, 09 5262 227; 32nd 80/81)
Lwin Mann
(
09 6500 767, 02-60151; 27th 82/83; back/front seat K6000/7000;
6am-5pm)
(
09 4027 11451; 79th 30/31)
Meisho Mann
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
(
02-22365; 32nd St, 82/83;
Ko Htay/Shwe Mann Thu
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
8am-9pm)
Long-distance shared taxis, where available, are worth considering. Most offer door-
to-door service, saving potentially long trips to/from bus stations at either end of your
journey.
MANDALAY BUS & ROAD TRANSPORT
Bus stations: TM (Thiri Mandalar bus station); PGMS (Pyi Gyi Myat Shin bus station);
Main (Kwe Se Kan Highway bus station). Agents: AY (Aung Yedana); ChM (Cherry Myay);
Duh (Duhtawadi); LM (Lwin Mann); MM (Meisho Mann); ShMT (Ko Htay/Shwe Mann
Thu). For shared taxis have your hotel book by phone and get picked up at your door.
