Hello everyone, this is Takagi @ Yangon.
Today, I’d like to share with you the bus route map of Yangon and how to get on the bus. I was also a bus meister in Manila, Philippines.
Here in Yangon, too, my blood was stirring.
Knowing the three main barriers of local buses, routes, calls, and fares, will definitely make your Yangon sightseeing experience a glimpse of a different kind of local scenery.
Yangon Bus Overview
History of Yangon Bus
On January 16, 2017, Yangon’s bus routes were revamped and replaced with a new system called Yangon Bus Service (YBS).
The former 300 routes are now 61, and the number of buses has been reduced from 7,800 to 3,700.
Yangon bus fare and how to get on
Most of the buses that run in Yangon are local buses called YBS. It’s so appealing on the windshield that I think it would be better to use the space for something else.
The fare for the bus is 200 kyat (sometimes 300 kyat is available). The recently built airport bus connecting Yangon International Airport and Yangon City costs 500 kyat.
When I get on the bus, I will put the fee in the fare box next to the driver’s seat and proceed inside the bus.
To get on, start from the front. To get off, press the buzzer and exit through the middle door.
Bus route numbers to keep in mind when sightseeing in Yangon
In Yangon, where trains are not well developed, there are countless bus routes. It’s very convenient once getting used to it, but it will take about a year to get used to it, so it’s a bit difficult for short-term tourists.
So, the main bus route numbers around the tourist spots are listed below. Bus route numbers are displayed on both sides of the top of the windshield.
Myanmar numeral conversion table
Reference：https://www.quora.com/What-is-an-Only-in-Myanmar-moment
The numbers may be written in Myanmarese, so please refer to the conversion table above.
Yangon Bus Route Map
The above is the bus route after the 2017 bus route revamp. It would be tremendously large if it covered the whole city of Yangon, so here is a map of downtown only.
Click here to download and use the bus routes for the entire city of Yangon. (PDF will open directly.)
Bus routes convenient for sightseeing
Number 36.
Yangon route bus No. 36 is convenient because it goes through all the popular tourist spots. The bus stops are as follows.
- Sule Pagoda
- SuleSquare
- Shangri-la
- Sakura Building
- Yangon Central Station (bus stop is a bit far)
- Yangon Zoo
- Kandozi Lake
- Shwedagon Pagoda (quite far)
- Myanmar Plaza
- Inle Lake
- Gemstone Museum
- Aung Mingalar Express Bus Terminal
- Japanese Cemetery (a bit far)
- Kyaik Ka Le Bus Stop
▽Sule Square is often mentioned in this blog▽
Number 37.
Downtown – Saemai Market – University of Yangon – Chaikkalay Bus Station
Number 39.
Downtown – University of Yangon – Insein – Chaikkalay Bus Station
Number 56, 57, 58.
Downtown bus (ferry terminal, etc.)
Number 78.
Market near Da Nyin Gone Station ~ Yangon Central Station
An in-depth look at the route of Yangon downtown’s circular bus 57. From Chinatown to Pansodan ferry terminal, food stall village and cultural heritage sites.
Of course, the best way to get around Yangon at a very low price is to take the bus to the extreme. Cabs are inexpensive in Myanmar, but they don’t have meters, so bargaining is a troublesome process, and if the destination is minor or the pronunciation is difficult, the driver will have trouble.
Bus No. 36 mentioned above is the most powerful bus to go to the central and northern areas from the southern part of Yangon, but for sightseeing in the southern part of Yangon, there is a bus called the Downtown Loop Bus, and buses No. 56, 57, and 58 run in circles around Chinatown and India Town.
However, the route of the bus was quite vague in all media, so I took the 57th bus out of the three to actually see the route with my own eyes. However, since buses in Southeast Asia are haphazard, there is a possibility that this route was decided by the driver’s mood, so please understand that in advance.
Yangon Loop Bus Route 57
Above is the route of Yangon Bus 57. I thought it would be a normal route along Maha Bandula and Strand streets, but there were repeated right turns and left turns as we entered Strand Street.
First bus stop on the 57.
On this day, we took the bus from the bus stop at the end of Chinatown (Maw Tin bus stop). It is the first stop, so you have a good chance of getting a seat. It is conveniently located from the 4 Rivers Guest House, a guesthouse for work.
Featured bus route 57
Passing the Sule Pagoda, turn right on Maha Bandula Street, expecting to go straight on Strand Street, turn right immediately, then left at the first crossroad, bus 57.
After that, there are many twists and turns.
Finally, return to Strand Street and return to the Maw Tin bus stop, the first stop.
Street stalls next to Mahabandura Park
On this day, I got off the 57 bus on the way to the Sule Pagoda. The area shown on the map above has a lot of street vendors, so I felt like I had no trouble finding food.
The area on the map has not only street vendors but also many austere old buildings. Western tourists were taking pictures, so I tried to imitate them.
Interestingly, there are traces of human habitation in these old important cultural heritage buildings. If I had the money, I would like to buy a whole building and live there.
▽Even near the slums of Bangkok, there were streets lined with old western style buildings▽
I took this photo casually on the street next to Mahabandoola Park. Drainage facilities seem to be more important than in the Philippines, but the steps are quite ugly, so that will be an issue in the future.
Pansoedan Ferry Pier
Before going to the food stall village, you can get off the bus and go to the Pansodan ferry terminal. This aerial is also the stop for the Yangon Water Bus and the pontoon boat to Dala.
Be careful because there are many wild dogs and it is also the site of the Dara extortion case.
▽An article about how I almost fell for the Dara Island scam▽
▽How to take the Yangon Water Bus▽
Extra: Yangon Bus App
In addition to the analog method of checking bus routes, there are also smartphone apps available these days.
According to a blog called I tried several bus apps in Yangon. The best app for foreigners is “Y Bus”. [JPN] , an android app called Y Bus is very easy to use.
▽Click here for other articles written about Yangon tourism▽
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