The Muse-Mandalay-Kyaukphyu railway project is two proposed railways that make up the Myanmar section of the China-Myanmar railway. The two sections in Myanmar are Muse to Mandalay, and Mandalay and Kyaukphyu. News and information about any of these projects will be put on this single page.
The railway could also be called the Kunming to Kyaukphyu railway because the ultimate goal is to connect the Chinese railway network to a port in the Bay of Bengal. The railway would enable cargo from China to avoid going around the Strait of Malacca.
China has been building the Dali–Ruili railway in anticipation of the Muse to Kyaukphyu section eventually being built. The Dali–Ruili railway is one of the world’s most ambitious railway projects, and it deserves a separate article (coming soon). A Special Economic Zone is also being planned for Kyaukphyu.
Myanmar and China agreed to the project in 2011, but no progress was made beyond the agreement. The project was resurrected in 2018, and most recently it was reported that a feasibility study for the Mandalay to Kyaukpyu railway would be ready in 2022.
[Mandalay Station.]
The Muse-Mandalay section is 431-km and will be a standard gauge railway, with trains operating at speeds of up to 160 km per hour. There is currently a railway from Mandalay to Lashio (which is about two thirds to Muse), but it will be a completely new line. The current railway is famous for the Gokteik Viaduct between Pyin U Lwin and Hsipaw.
[Train on Gokteik Viaduct.]
Muse-Mandalay-Kyaukphyu Railway Map
[Map of Muse-Mandalay-Kyaukphyu Railway Map.]
News Archive
2024
China prepares for Kyaukphyu-Kunming railway construction, urges stability for progress – [03/12/24]
“Dr. Zheng Zhihong, Minister-Counsellor of the Embassy of China in Myanmar, stated that preparations are underway for the construction of the Kyaukphyu-Kunming railway, emphasizing the need for a stable and peaceful environment to support the project.”
Myanmar junta media hail ‘success’ of regime boss’s visit to China – [11/11/24]
“During his meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Min Aung Hlaing, who is desperate for Beijing’s intervention to halt the fighting in northern Shan State and for diplomatic support on the international stage, promised to launch construction of the Muse-Mandalay-Kyaukphyu railroad in secure areas, adding that Myanmar also attached great importance to the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor project.”
Myanmar junta seeks loan for Muse-Mandalay railroad project from China – [25/03/24]
“The Myanmar Military Council’s Financial Analysis Committee say they are trying to get a soft loan from the Chinese government for the construction of the Muse-Mandalay railroad project.”
2023
China begins surveys for railway on Myanmar’s Indian Ocean – [16/10/23]
“China has started surveying for a railway to Kyaukphyu on Myanmar’s Indian Ocean coast from Kunming in the southern Chinese province of Yunnan, according to Rakhine State residents.”
Myanmar junta minister discusses train lines to China – [29/09/23]
“The Muse-Mandalay rail project is a major part of the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor and the wider Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to link global markets with China.”
Myanmar, China discuss new Muse-Mandalay railway, Mandalay-Kyaukphyu railway projects – [29/09/23]
“Myanmar and China are discussing establishment a new Muse-Mandalay railway and Mandalay-Kyaukphyu railway section under the Myanmar-China railway cooperation project, according to the Ministry of Transport and Communications.”
Talks underway to resume work on Trans-Myanmar railway linking China to Bay of Bengal – [13/03/23]
China-Myanmar Muse-Kyaukpyu railway project restarted – [09/03/23]
China, Myanmar have resumed work on railway project, report says – [01/03/23]
“Work on the long-planned Muse-Kyaukphyu line is once again inching forward, but construction is likely many years off.”
China and Myanmar resume work on Muse-Kyaukphyu railway – [27/02/23]
“A Chinese state-owned company and the military regime are quietly pushing forward with a railway line that would run through active conflict zones, after lengthy delays due to Myanmar’s wariness, COVID-19 and then the coup.”
2022
China carves path to Indian Ocean with Myanmar rail network – [20/10/22]
2021
Feasibility study on BRI railway link in Myanmar to take 18 months – [14/01/21]
“Myanmar and China have agreed to complete a feasibility study within one and a half years on the Mandalay-Kyaukphyu Railway, a major part of China’s planned strategic railway linking China’s rail network in Yunnan province’s Kunming with Myanmar’s Kyaukphyu port in western Rakhine State, Myanma Railways said.”
Myanmar, China sign MoU on feasibility study for Mandalay-Kyaukpyu railway project – [13/01/21]
Myanmar, China to conduct feasibility study on Mandalay-Kyaukphyu railway – [12/01/21]
“The China Railway Eryuan Engineering Group Co Ltd had presented the feasibility study report for the Muse-Mandalay section of the railway during Chinese President Mr. Xi Jinping’s first visit to Myanmar in January, 2020. The two countries had also discussed matters related to technical and financial issues.”
2020
Chinese to conduct feasibility study on Mandalay-Kyaukphyu railway – [22/06/20]
“The railway is part of a larger railway project connecting Muse to Mandalay. A memorandum of understanding for the railway was signed between the Myanmar government and China Railway Eryuan Engineering Group Co Ltd (CREEG) on October 22, 2018.”
Myanmar pulls Swiss firm to scrutinize China’s BRI project – [11/06/20]
“The Myanmar government says it is receiving help from a Swiss company to scrutinize a China-backed study on Beijing’s ambitious railway project to connect Mandalay with Kunming, the capital of Yunnan Province in southwestern China.”
Tracing the more than century-old dream of building a Myanmar-China Railway – [17/03/20]
Myanmar, China sign dozens of deals on BRI projects, cooperation during Xi’s visit – [18/01/20]
“During the ceremony, China again handed over to Myanmar the Muse-Mandalay Railway Feasibility Study Report, which is an initial phase of the strategic railway link that Beijing plans to build—with a parallel expressway—from Kunming to Kyaukphyu, in addition to a separate road running through northern Myanmar, India’s northeastern states and Bangladesh under the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor (BCIM-EC).”
2019
China-Myanmar railway line may pose challenge for India – [26/12/19]
Potential environmental and social impacts of Chinese mega-projects in Myanmar raise concerns – [19/11/19]
“Environmental impact and social impact assessments for two key projects of the CMEC—the Kyaukphyu SEZ in Rakhine and the Muse-Mandalay railway project in northern Shan State and Mandalay Region— are now under way.”
Planned China railway raises fears of land grabs in Myanmar – [10/10/19]
Route of new Muse-Mandalay express railroad selected – [22/08/19]
China-backed Muse-Mandalay Railway to cost $9 billion – [14/05/19]
Full steam ahead for China-Myanmar high-speed railway – [21/02/19]
“A long stalled rail project to connect the two nations has been given new impetus under Aung San Suu Kyi’s isolated government.”
Survey starts for major railway project – [01/02/19]
“The project calls for the building of a high-speed railway line from Kunming, China, to Muse on the Myanmar-China border and from there to Mandalay and terminating in Kyaukphyu in Rakhine.”
2018
Analysis: Muse-Mandalay railway agreement with China raises debt, conflict fears – [31/10/18]
How likely is the successful completion of the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor? – [29/10/18]
China, Myanmar look into railway project linking Muse to Mandalay – [23/10/18]
China, Myanmar sign MoU on feasibility study of Muse-Mandalay railway – [23/10/18]
China-Myanmar high-speed railway quietly back on track – [06/07/18]
2014
Ambassador denies China-Myanmar rail project cancelled – [25/07/14]
“Asked by Myanmar media “why the Chinese side gives up Kyaukpyu- Kunming railroad project and has no signing of extension of the project with the Myanmar side”, Yang denied the abandonment of the project by the Chinese side.”
2011
Myanmar, China agree cross-border rail project – [28/04/11]
“Myanmar and China have agreed to build a rail link connecting Southwest China with the Indian Ocean, officials and local media said on Thursday. The railroad will be built in five stages over the next three years and will stretch for total of 1,215 kilometres (755 miles), from the Kyaukphyu deep-sea port in Myanmar’s Western Rakhine State to China’s Yunnan province”.
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