Getting away from Nyaung Shwe

Select different types of transport for information and click on maps to expand.

Getting There

Air

Flights depart from Heho airport, 46km northwest of Inle Lake. The journey from Nyaung Shwe (the main town in the Inle Lake area) to Heho takes 45 minutes by taxi and costs around K25,000; you may be able to save money by booking your taxi in advance through your hotel.

Cheaper options are pick-up trucks or buses, but these are far less convenient – and usually drop off at the town of Heho, which is three kilometres south east of the airport.

There are currency exchange and Visa and Mastercard ATM facilities at the airport, although they are not always open or functioning. If you find yourself waiting for a flight, there are a number of simple restaurants just north of the terminal building.

Detail Timetable and pricing information below: 

Inle Lake to Yangon
Name From To Departure time Arrival time Price (US$) Via Day
Mann Yadanarpon Airlines Heho Yangon 8:30 AM 9:40 AM $105~$120   Mon, Wed, Fri
9:00 AM 11:05 AM Tachileik Daily
9:05 AM 10:15 AM  
9:10 AM 10:20 AM
10:15 AM 11:25 AM Tue, Sat
3:55 PM 4:45 PM Mandalay,Nyaung U Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun
5:45 PM 7:55 PM Mandalay Mon, Wed, Fri
Golden Myanmar Airlines 9:25 AM 10:35 AM $106~$129   Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun
9:35 AM 10:45 AM Daily
3:15 PM 5:55 PM Mandalay Tue, Thu, Sat
Yangon Airways 9:25 AM 10:35 AM $85~$95   Daily
11:20 AM 1:25 PM
4:00 PM 5:10 PM Mon
4:25 PM 6:35 PM Wed, Fri, Sun
4:25 PM 7:15 PM Nyaung U Daily
4:45 PM 5:55 PM   Tue, Thu, Sat
Air KBZ 10:00 AM 12:05 PM $99~$119 Tachileik Daily
10:30 AM 11:40 AM  
10:45 AM 12:50 PM Tachileik
10:45 AM 1:00 PM Nyaung U
11:05 AM 12:15 PM  
12:30 PM 2:35 PM
4:05 PM 5:15 PM Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun
4:25 PM 5:35 PM Daily
4:55 PM 6:05 PM Tue, Thu, Sat
FMI Air 11:45 AM 2:10 PM $135 Nyaung U Daily
4:00 PM 6:15 PM Mandalay
Myanmar National Airlines 1:25 PM 2:10 PM $91~$119   Mon, Wed, Fri
3:25 PM 4:30 PM Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun
4:05 PM 5:15 PM Thu
4:15 PM 5:20 PM Wed, Sun
4:35 PM 5:45 PM Sat
4:45 PM 5:55 PM Tue
Inle Lake to Mandalay
Name From To Departure time Arrival time Price (US$) Via Day
Air KBZ Heho Mandalay 9:25 AM 10:00 AM $58~$78   Daily
FMI Air 10:20 AM 10:55 AM $90   Daily
Mann Ydanarpon Airlines 11:55 AM 12:25 PM $62~$76   Daily
3:15 PM 3:45 PM Sat
3:55 PM 4:25 PM Daily
5:45 PM 6:15 PM Mon, Wed, Fri
Yangon Airways 12:25 PM 12:55 PM $58~$74   Wed, Fri, Sun
3:25 PM 3:55 PM Thu
4:25 PM 4:55 PM Daily
Golden Myanmar Airlines 3:15 PM 3:45 PM $62~$84   Tue, Thu, Sat
Inle Lake to Bagan
Name From To Departure time Arrival time Price (US$) Via Day
Air KBZ Heho Nyaung U 8:55 AM 9:35 AM $74~$94   Daily
10:45 AM 11:25 AM
Yangon Airways 9:30 AM 10:10 AM $72~$74   Daily
4:25 PM 5:40 PM
FMI Air 10:20 AM 11:55 AM $110 Mandalay Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri, Sat, Sun
4:05 PM 4:45 PM   Daily
Mann Yadanarpon Airlines 3:55 PM 5:10 PM   Mandalay Daily
Golden Myamar Airlines 3:15 PM 3:45 PM     Tue, Thu, Sat
Inle Lake to Kyaing Tong
Name From To Departure time Arrival time Price (US$) Via Day
Myanmar National Airlines Heho Kyaing Tong 11:15 AM 11:50 AM $129~$154   Mon, Wed, Thu
Mann Yadanarpon Airlnes 11:55 AM 2:30 PM $112~$136 Mandalay, Tachileik Tue, Thu
Yangon Airways 12:25 PM 3:00 PM $98~$108   Wed, Fri, Sun
Inle Lake to Lashio
Name From To Departure time Arrival time  Price (US$) Via Day
Golden Myanmar Airlines Heho Lashio 9:45 AM  12:10 PM $146~$168 Tachileik Tue, Thu, Sat
Myanmar National Airlines 11:35 AM 12:20 PM $81~$91   Sat
11:35 AM 1:45 PM Tachileik Tue
Mann Yadanarpon Airlines 11:55 AM 3:05 PM $78~$93 Mandalay, Tachileik Mon, Wed, Fri
Yangon Airways 12:25 PM 1:35 PM $61~$70   Mon
Inle Lake to Tachileik
Name From To Departure time Arrival time Price (US$) Via Day
Golden Myanmar Airlines Heho Tachileik 9:45 AM 10:45 AM $118~$140   Tue, Thu, Fri
Myanmar National Airlines 11:35 AM 12:25 PM $129~$139   Tue
11:35 AM 1:40 PM Lashio Sat
1:35 PM 2:25 PM   Thu
Mann Yadanarpon Airlines 11:50 AM 1:50 PM $122~$136 Mandalay Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat
4:25 PM 5:23 PM   Sun
Yangon Airways 12:25 PM 2:20 PM $98~$108   Wed, Fri, Sun
12:25 PM 2:35 PM Mon
Inle Lake to Thandwe (for Ngapali beach)
Name From To Departure time Arrival time Price (US$) Via Day
Mann Yadanarpon Airlines Heho Thandwe 8:40 AM 9:40 AM $116~$131   Daily
Myanmar National Airlines 9:10 AM 10:10 AM $118~$128   Tue,Thu,Sat
Air KBZ 10:00 AM 11:00 AM $102~$112   Daily
10:45 AM 11:45 AM
12:30 PM 1:30 PM
Yangon Airways 11:20 AM 12:20 PM $112~4126   Daily
FMI Airlines 11:45 AM 12:50 PM $135   Daily

To find out more about flights, go to getting around Myanmar by air.

 

Bus

Most buses depart from Nyaung Shwe town - some hotels and guest houses are within walking distance of the departure point, and a taxi from your accommodation should cost no more than K1500 (note that hotels located on shores of the lake itself are reached by boat or car - transport from these will usually be pre-arranged).

Some buses stop at Shwenyaung junction - a 20 minute taxi ride from Nyaung Shwe, costing K2000 for a pick-up or K7000 for a taxi.

Detail Timetable and pricing information below: 

Inle Lake to Yangon
From To Departure time Arrival time Prices
(US$)
Notes
Nyaung Shwe Yangon 8:00 AM 8:00 PM $24 VIP bus
6:00 PM 6:00 AM $20 VIP bus
Inle Lake to Mandalay
From To Departure time Arrival time Price (US$) Notes
Nyaung Shwe Mandalay 9:00 AM 5:00 PM $21 Minibus
8:00 PM 4:00 AM $13 VIP bus
Inle Lake to Bagan
From To Departure time Arrival time Price (US$) Notes
Nyaung Shwe Bagan 8:30 AM 4:00 PM $21 Ordinary bus
7:00 PM 4:00 AM $16
7:30 PM 5:00 AM $20 VIP bus
8:00 PM 5:30 AM

To Kalaw – regular dialy buses take around 1 hour.
To Hsipaw – the journey is around 15 hours and tickets cost K13,000.
To Mawlamyine – buses depart 11.00AM, arrive 4.00AM next day. Tickets cost K19,000.

To find out more about bus travel, go to getting around Myanmar by bus.

 

Train

The closest train station to Inle Lake is Shwenyaung, which is on a branch which joins the main Yangon to Mandalay line at Thazi (where you usually have to change trains, typically staying overnight in Thazi).

Taking the train is the slowest (and least reliable) way to travel from Inle Lake, but the journey is a memorable one for the beautiful Shan hill scenery between Thazi and Shwenyaung.

Detail Timetable and pricing information below: 

Inle Lake to Yangon
From To Departure Time Arrival Time Price US$
Bed Sheet Upper seat Ordinary
Shwenyaung Junction Yangon 8:30 AM 2:40 PM (next day)   $19  

To Mandalay – You will need to change from a branch line onto the main Yangon-Mandalay line at Thazi, usually involving an overnight stop there.
To Thazi – The journey takes around ten hours and Upper Class tickets cost K3,000.
To Kalaw – Trains leave in the morning; the journey usually takes three hours.

Boat
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You can get a car or minibus (with driver) from Nyaung Shwe (the main town on Inle Lake) to Loikaw. The drive takes around 8 hours

Inle Lake
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