Friday, November 11, 2011

Fares for Burma’s popular Rangoon ‘circle’ train to be increased

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Friday, 11 November 2011 13:07 Min Thet
Rangoon (Mizzima) – The Rangoon “circle” passenger train fare will be increased from 10 kyat to 100 kyat (about USD $0.08) starting November 15.

Myanmar Railways announced the fares would be increased because the popular passenger trains have suffered financial losses with the increase of diesel fuel prices. 

Likewise, the price of monthly tickets for the passenger train will be increased from 350 kyat to 1,700 kyat a month, an official said.

Presently, the prices for a single ticket on the Rangoon “circle” train is 10 kyat for a trip under 15 miles and 20 kyat for over 15 miles.

An official said that the current price was set when the price of diesel fuel was 160 kyat per gallon. The diesel price is now 3,000 kyat per gallon.

Government employees, students and vendors often use the train because the fare is cheap in comparison with passenger bus fares. There are 22 routes on the “circle” train service. At peak periods, a train leaves the station about every five minutes and trains provide a total of 200 trips per day.

Myanmar Railways has reported that it spends about 261 million kyat per month, but earns about 42 million kyat per month on the train service.

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