Mawlamyine, December (11)
The Mawlamyine-Yangon train ticket prices sold by railway police and Myanmar Railways staff have tripled on the black market, the passengers told Than Lwin Times.
A Mawlamyine-Yangon upper-class train ticket is officially set at 7,050 kyats, but on the black market, it costs up to 20,000 kyats, while ordinary-class tickets go from 3,550 kyats to 7,500 kyats.
A traveler stated that because of the X-ray inspection at the Nyaung Khar Shae checkpoint, many people are taking the train, but they are unable to purchase tickets easily and must pay a high price.
It is easy to buy ordinary-class tickets at the ticket counter, but the military council’s railway staff sells upper-class tickets on the black market.
At present, the regime staff sell advance tickets at a certain price on illegal market and also sells to those who want to travel right away, asking for a price as they please.
The junta’s Myanmar Railway Department sells upper-class train tickets from Mawlamyine to Yangon three days in advance, and ordinary-class train tickets one day in advance. Tickets are available for purchase daily from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
The Mawlamyine-Yangon airbag train, which currently runs only once daily at 9:00 a.m., will begin running the other trip every 8:00 p.m. beginning December 12, according to the Myanmar Railway Department.
News-Than Lwin Times
Thanlwintimes