Breaking Out Solo: Yangon Circular Railway

Search for 'Things to do in Yangon' and one of the top attractions that comes up is its circular railway. Built during the British era, the circular railways connects Yangon to its suburbs and the 46kms journey takes about three hours to complete. It is rated as a must do by the many travellers who have visited Yangon, the reason stated is that it gives a true glimpse into the lives of the common people and rural Myanmar. The reviews also state that the scenery the train passes through is stunning.

I was reading this while browsing the net as I lay on my hotel bed. I had arrived in Yangon only a few hours earlier. The planning for Myanmar was done in a rush and I did not have the time to look up specific things to do in each location. With such rave reviews, I decided to keep the morning for the circular railway.

Next morning, over a bowl of delicious mohinga I told my landlady about my plans for the day. When I mentioned the circular rail, she said it was closed for repairs. I thought I would anyway go take a look at the colonial era building of the Yangon railway station later in the day.

I spent the morning first at Sule pagoda and then wandering the fascinating streets of Yangon. At about 10:30am I reached the old yet impressive looking station.

Yangon Railway Station

Train lines

Lines crisscross

Feeling somewhat lost, I spotted a sign for tourist information and manoeuvred through the stairs and gates to reach it. In the room was a desk and a lady seated by it. She greeted me with Mingalaba and told me that the circular rail was still running, but partly. The middle section was closed for repairs and I could take the train either clockwise or anticlockwise and return. When I asked which section she recommends, she said, definitely go to Hlawga. It would be a 2hr return journey as per her and given the day was getting hot, I thought it will be good to spend some time in the shade. Figured I could survive a couple of hours and would have my lunch once I got back to Yangon. The train was leaving at 10:50am and it was already 10:48am. She told me I could still make it if I ran. Follow the signs to platform 6 and 7, she said and tickets are available on the platform. By the way, much of this conversation was carried out through hand signs.

I ran all the way hoping I do not miss the train as the next one was an hour later. I bought my tickets, costing a mere 200 kyat and then I waited. It was probably another 20 mins before the train arrived. I spent my time clicking photos on the platform.

Footbridge connecting the platforms

The circular railway stations

Station hall

Lazy day

Waiting area

Waiting at the platform

Waiting tourists

A rebellious spiderkid

The train finally approaches

Climbing the steep steps on to the train, I found a seat on the plastic bench in the last compartment of the train. Beside me were a retired couple from Australia who were spending the next 6 months travelling through South East Asia. Most of the other seats were taken up by the tourists as well. There were a few shy locals trying to find a place among the tourists, and there was a big mirrored cupboard travelling with us. We all wondered how they managed to put that thing in the train through the narrow doors.

The cupboard

The train rolled off noisily. As it passed through the stations, more and more locals started filling in along with their wares. Most were returning from the markets with empty baskets. The locals use this cheap and convenient means to transport every imaginable good from and to the city. To cater to this vast customer base travelling in the heat are vendors selling a wide range of food and refreshments. Soon the whole compartment was buzzing with energy and chatter. People were sitting on the floor and in any available space. Vendors were making their way through them, settling down in an empty spot to sell their ware. It was an amazing place to people watch.

I was starting to get hungry by now. The reviews said I could buy food on the train. However, despite being tempted by the spicy concoctions being sold, I wasn't brave enough to try out any of them, that too at the very beginning of my travels. Of course the locals did not have any such inhibitions and the food vendors kept busy throughout the journey. My short supply of water was running out, but hearing the Australian couple complain about the authenticity of the seals on the bottle, I did not dare. They said, once the plastic cover was removed, the caps did not have any seals. Dubious bottled water is an issue in Myanmar. So hungry and thirsty, I managed to buy an apple from one of the vendors at 100 kyat.

Continuous flow of food

Perhaps the most spiciest concoction on the train. I had shared a video of her preparation, link at the end

She made multiple visits and the demand never went down

Grapes for sale

Some healthier option

The train kept trudging along through rural Yangon. The promised spectacular countryside scenes were yet to make their appearance. It was well over an hour and by now I had started to get suspicious of the duration of the journey. If what the woman at the tourist office had told me was true, we should have been on our return journey by now.

At one of the stations the train stopped and there was a sudden flurry of activities. Most of the tourists got off here as a substantial number of locals boarded the train. This was Danyingone known for its wet market which spills over by the railway tracks. People normally get off here and after visiting the market, take a taxi back to the city. Due to my lack of research, I was unaware of the details prior to this. The sun outside was uninviting for me and I was yet to see the spectacular scenery. Along with the Australian couple, I continued my journey to Hlawga. An hour and forty five minutes since leaving Yangon, we reached Hlawga. There was some confusion about the waiting time at the station, but eventually after a forty minutes wait, the train started rolling. We were back on our return journey. Hot, thirsty and hungry, I returned to Yangon at about 3:30pm.

So what was my take on the circular railway?

A few things which did not meet my expectations. First of all the duration. The full circuit takes three hours, compared to the over four hours that took me to do this incomplete circuit due to the repairs. We never ventured into the scenic part of the countryside, which was a big disappointment. I was travelling in November, yet the heat was stifling. There are no fans in the train. The food sold would be considered as street food, and definitely something a traveller should evaluate before indulging if not already seasoned with the local food. So carrying own food and water would be essential.

As for seeing the local life, true, this is perhaps the closest you can get to that, travelling with the locals and observing their life in close proximity.
However, I am an Indian who has grown up in the suburbs of Kolkata. My daily morning commute to work in the city used to be on the suburban trains. The early morning trains are loaded with fresh vegetables, fish and poultry from the villages which are to be sold in the local markets. I have spent many mornings trying to manoeuvre through a mayhem of humongous baskets, sacks and milk cans as I tried to board the trains, amidst fights and disagreements that broke out all around. Through the years, I even came to know some of these ladies personally during the chaotic journey. The flow of vendors through the crowded passages of the train compartments at all hours of the day, selling a variety of items from daily use knickknacks to cosmetics is incessant. And finally the multitude of tasty food which are known to be available only on the trains and are extremely popular with the locals. Here in India, I rarely let go a chance of sampling a few of them.
Therefore, definitely this is a life I have experienced before and hence did not shock me.

However, I should still accept, I quite enjoyed being a tourist this time. It was definitely much calmer than the hectic mornings I have experienced in my country. As I sat there watching, in turn I was being watched by curious eyes and greeted by friendly smiles every now and then.

Finally, if I would recommend it?
Probably to someone not experienced in the rural life of these parts of the world, yes. Most people in the subcontinent are quite used to experiences like this and probably won't appreciate the uniqueness of this train journey.

Sharing some more random photos from the journey and here is the Facebook video of the food preparation I had mentioned.
Follow me on Facebook for more photos and stories from around the world.