YANGON- 10 new air-conditioned train carriages being bought from South Korea will be up and running on Mandalay-Myinkyina rail road in early March, according to the Ministry of Transport and Communications.

The new train cars made in Korea already arrived in Locomotive and Coach Factory in Myitnge.

The new air-conditioned trains will take about 17 hours to travel Mandalay-Myitkyina route, one hour less than other trains.

Ordinary tickets on the line are Ks9,000 and first-class tickets are Ks 8,000.

Myanma Railways (MR) signed a contract agreement with the Dawonsys Company to buy 100 new modernized train carriages under the Korean loans on December 5th, 2018.

The Ministry will use a US$ 45 million loan from Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) of the EXIM Bank to buy the train carriages.

A vessel carrying 10 new air-conditioned train carriages out of 100 and spare parts bought under a loan from South Korea arrived in Thilawa Jetty, Yangon, on January 7th.

Myanmar is cooperating not only with South Korea but also with Japan in Yangon circular railroad upgrading project and the upgrading process of Yangon-Mandalay railroad.

Moreover, Myanmar and Japan will cooperate in Hanthawaddy airport project, it announced.

A total of US$2.7 billion from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will be used to upgrade Yangon-Mandalay railroad under a five-year plan from 2018 to 2023.