Yangon to Inle Lake - Night Bus

After searching around online for which bus companies to use in Myanmar, the main ones coming up were JJ Express and Elite Express. With only a couple of days in Yangon and unsure about where the station was, we asked about booking a bus with our hotel. 

They could only offer overnight bus tickets to Inle Lake with Taung Paw Thar Express for 20,000 kyat each. They said it was a vip bus with 2 + 1 seats and reclining seats. We decided to go for it.

We got a taxi to the bus station north of Yangon two hours prior to check in for the bus from advice by our hotel. At 4pm, it took nearly two hours in traffic and cost 10,000 kyat between 4 of us. At the bus station we checked in and boarded the bus and we left at 6.15pm with a full bus.

Our bus for the night 

The seats were very comfortable and big with plenty of leg room. You also got a small pillow, blanket, drinks and snacks for the journey.

A couple of negatives with the bus included the fact they didn't turn all the lights off and they had the standard local film showing on the highest volume! Make sure you have an ipod with you and maybe an eye mask.

Lights on, volume up!

It also stops three times, once after three hours around 9pm, then about 1am and another time around 4am. Thankfully these stops make you arrive a little later, we got dropped off at Shwenyaung at 6am.

From here, you have to get a taxi down to Nyaungshwe which cost 8,000 kyat between 4 of us. On the way you stop at the ticket office to buy Inle Lake tickets which costs 12,500 kyat each.

Thankfully our hotel let us check in at 7am with a room free! If your on a budget and looking for a double room I recommend Aung Mingalar Hotel for early check in.

3.5 out of 5