10 April
Myanma Railway (MR) will suspend the running of some passenger trains including circular trains operating during Thingyan holidays.
Under the guidance of the National-Level Central Committee for Covid-19 Prevention, Control and Treatment, MR of the Ministry of Transport and Communications will suspend the running of some passenger trains from 10 to 19 April 2020.
The 11/12 up and down Yangon-Mandalay trains, 41/42 up and down Mandalay-Myitkyina mail trains, 89/90 up and down Yangon-Mawlamyine trains and 63/64 up and down Yangon-Pyay trains will be operated regularly and running of the remaining passenger trains will be suspended during Thingyan holidays. And there will be no Naypyidaw-Yangon trains.
Moreover, the cargo trains and the parcel trains will be operational on Yangon-Mandalay and Mandalay-Myitkyina railways if there will be the cargo and foodstuffs to transport.
Because of the outbreak of Covid-19, MR will also suspend the running of some trains operating with a few passengers on board. Also, MR suspended running of 31 up airbag Mandalay-Myitkyina train on 3 April and 32 down Myitkyina-Mandalay train on 4 April.
MR of the Ministry of Transport and Communications has been operating Mandalay-Myitkyina-Mandalay trains with new airbag coaches imported from Dauonsys Co., Ltd from South Korea starting from 21 March 2020.
Only a few people are using the circular trains in Yangon region. With a decline in the number of passengers using the circular trains because of the outbreak of Covid-19, running of 69 trains has been suspended starting from 29 March.
A total of 168 circular trains are being operated usually in Yangon region. Now, MR has suspended the running of 69 circular trains because of the virus fear despite 99 circular trains still being operated.
MR will announce the schedules of the remaining 99 circular trains in the respective railway stations.
Furthermore, MR is taking Covid-19 preventative measures such as checking body temperature and using the sanitizer hand gels in the entrance gate of the railway stations. MR is also spraying the disinfectants on the trains. —Htet Htet (Translated by Hay Mar)
