Getting Around Pyin Oo Lwin
Pyin Oo Lwin is a hill town in Myanmar's Mandalay Region, set on a plateau in the Shan Hills at an elevation of around 1,070 metres. Its cool highland climate, colonial-era architecture and gardens make it one of the country's most popular resort destinations, and getting around is generally easy and unhurried. The town centre is compact and walkable, and a mix of horse-drawn carriages, bicycles, pick-ups and taxis covers the rest.
On Foot and by Bicycle
The city centre is easy to explore on foot, and walking is a practical way to reach many of the main sights, including the Purcell Clock Tower roundabout at the heart of town and the colonial buildings along the circular road. For anything further out, bicycles are a popular option and can be rented from hotels for a daily rate. Motorcycles can also be rented from a shop near the mosque, and your hotel can point you in the right direction.
Horse-Drawn Carriages (Gharries)
Pyin Oo Lwin is one of the few towns in Myanmar where horse-drawn carriages remain a primary mode of local transport. Dating from the colonial era, these gharries are small covered carriages with painted wooden bodies, and they are used by both residents and visitors for short journeys around town. They are also a convenient way to cover the last stretch between the train station and the town centre or your accommodation, since carriages and taxis meet arriving trains.
Rail
The town is served by the Mandalay–Lashio Railway, a metre-gauge line that passes through Pyin Oo Lwin and continues over the Gokteik Viaduct toward Lashio in the Shan Hills. The train station sits north of the city, a bit far from the town centre and most accommodation.
- From Mandalay: A daily train leaves Mandalay early in the morning and arrives in Pyin Oo Lwin mid-morning, continuing onward to Lashio. The climb through the Shan Hills involves four hairpin bends and a steep ascent, making it an interesting if rather long ride; you can get out and walk at points while the train switches direction or slowly climbs. Delays are common.
- To Hsipaw and Lashio: One train daily continues onward, crossing the famous Gokteik Viaduct. The journey takes several hours to Hsipaw and considerably longer to Lashio.
- Returning: The train from Hsipaw and Lashio arrives in the afternoon and departs for Mandalay later the same afternoon.
- Tickets: Fares are sold in upper and ordinary classes, with ordinary class the cheaper option. Buy at the station; the station is far enough from town that you should arrange a carriage or taxi for the transfer.
Buses and Pick-Ups
There are no scheduled bus services to or from Pyin Oo Lwin. Buses running to and from Hsipaw will drop you off, but you have to pay the fare for the entire trip, and because these buses tend to be full it is unlikely you will get a seat on them when leaving Pyin Oo Lwin.
Pick-ups are the practical shared-transport option and there are two pick-up stations in town:
- Mandalay-bound pick-ups depart frequently throughout the day from near the gas station on the Mandalay–Lashio Road, a short walk south-west of the clock tower. You pay a lower fare for a seat in the back and a higher fare in the front.
- Hsipaw- and Lashio-bound pick-ups leave early in the morning from the Shan Market west of town.
For far-flung places around the area, frequent pick-ups also ply the Mandalay road, and motorcycle taxis are available in the market.
Taxis and Shared Taxis
Taxis are available in town, and shared taxis are the comfortable way to cover longer regional hops. They will drop you at or collect you from your hotel.
- Mandalay: Shared taxis run to and from Mandalay; the Mandalay-bound shared taxi stand is across from the clock tower. A private taxi between Pyin Oo Lwin and Mandalay is also an option, with a higher fare for Mandalay airport than for central Mandalay. Negotiate the price.
- Hsipaw and Lashio: Shared taxis run to and from Hsipaw; the Hsipaw/Lashio shared taxi stand is across from the Shan Market if you want to arrange the trip yourself.
- Booking: It is best to arrange a shared taxi the previous evening.
Getting There from the Airport
Pyin Oo Lwin has no airport in service — an airstrip nearby is under construction — so visitors arrive via Mandalay. The most direct option is a private taxi from Mandalay International Airport (MDL) to Pyin Oo Lwin, which the source material quotes at a higher fare than the central-Mandalay rate; as with all taxi fares here, negotiate. From Mandalay you can also connect by train (the daily early-morning departure from Mandalay) or by shared taxi and pick-up from the town-side stands described above.
If you are continuing onward from Pyin Oo Lwin, the fastest route to Yangon is a taxi to Mandalay International Airport followed by a flight, while long-distance buses to Yangon also operate from Pyin Oo Lwin station. Note that the source material quotes fares inconsistently in both kyat and pounds, so treat all prices as approximate and confirm locally.
Practical Notes
- Bring cash in kyat for carriages, pick-ups, bicycle rental and taxi fares; these are small, informal transactions.
- Arrange shared taxis and note pick-up departure times the day before you travel, since the Hsipaw/Lashio pick-ups leave early and the shared taxis fill up.
- Build in slack for rail travel — delays on the Mandalay service are common.
- The town's large military presence and the ongoing civil conflict since 2021 have affected the local tourism industry, so check current conditions before travelling.