Kalaw-Shwenyaung train


Since I wasn't interested in the Kalaw-Inle Lake trek, I was planning to get to Nyaung Shwe, the town at the lake, by bus. But I was told there is a nice alternative, that is taking the train to Shwenyaung and from there catch some transport. It was supposed to be very scenic and not too touristy, but on the day I went to the station in Kalaw it was full of foreigners. Tickets are sold only half an hour before departure, and there was a little panic when the station master announced there are no more seats left. He meant no more upper class seats, so most of us ended up in the ordinary class. It was actually better: not that it really matters but it was cheaper (MMK 500 instead of MMK 1,250), but more importantly you could choose where you wanted to sit, and since the carriage wasn't full at all, you could always move to the side where the view was better. Those stuck in their upper class seats had no choice, had to sit where they were assigned a seat. The train ride was nice, the landscape was nice, but nothing really special - and it reaffirmed me that my decision not to do the Kalaw-Inle Lake trek was right.






























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