CNI News

29 Mar 2023

Although there is a large number of passengers who are returning from Yangon to Sittwe for the Thingyan festival, only a few people travel from Sittwe to Yangon during the period. So, fares will be raised slightly, according to bus services.

This is because buses have to return from Sittwe to Yangon with only a few passengers.

Plans are underway to raise fares between MMK 5,000 to 10,000 per ticket to cover fuel costs as of 1 April, Chairman U Chan Aye of Sittwe Bus Services Supervisory Committee told the CNI.

He said, "A large number of people from Yangon will go to Sittwe but when buses return from Sittwe to Yangon, there are no passengers. As tickets have been sold in advance, buses have to return to Yangon with a few passengers or without any passengers. They cannot get more than ten passengers. So, bus fares will be raised a little to cover fuel costs. Ticket fares for Sittwe-Yangon trips will not be increased and will remain at MMK 50,500 and 55,000 per ticket as usual. However, tickets for Yangon-Sittwe trips will be raised as of 1 April.

A road junction on Yangon-Sittwe-Kyauktaw Highway.

Before the Thingyan festival, bus services have to rely not on passengers but on goods because only a few people travel to Rakhine State. As they cannot rely on transportation of goods during the festival, bus services have to raise ticket fares, a bus driver told the CNI.

He said, "Transporting passengers alone will not be profitable for bus services, so they have to rely on transportation of goods. As fuel prices are rising, they have to raise ticket fares by MMK 5,000 or MMK 10,000 to cover fuel costs. It is not profitable for bus services to sell tickets at prices set before fuel prices have skyrocketed. Moreover, they cannot get goods to be transported during the Thingyan festival. They need to cover the costs."

Ticket fares for Sittwe-Yangon trips will not be raised and are sold at previous prices. However, fares for Yangon-Sittwe trip will be raised from MMK 55,500 to MMK 65,500 per ticket as of 1st April.

However, ticket fares will be lowered again after the Thingyan festival, according to bus services.

A bus service operating between Yangon and Sittwe.

Tickets for those who return to their native towns have been sold in advance since the third week of May. A large number of people travel during the festival but bus services cannot increase the number of buses because of rising fuel prices. Some bus services have sold out all their tickets.