382
TRANSPORT
GETTING AROUND^
windows as the locals. Pay-
ment is usually required in
US dollars or FECs. Smaller
stations sometimes require
some perseverance to get a
ticket, as agents aren’t used
to foreigners climbing on.
MTT is supposed to set
aside seats for foreigners,
which can mean they will
have seats when the book-
ing offi ce or station window
says that the train is full. Aday or two’s notice is usually
enough to book a seat.
If you want to try your
luck at getting a coveted
sleeper, you’ll need at least
a couple of days’ notice –
longer during the high sea-
son (November to March),
when berths are sometimes
booked weeks in advance.
If you hold a seat on a train
pulling a sleeper car, you
can try to upgrade to a berthafter you board by paying the
additional fare directly to the
conductor.
If you’re having trouble
buying a ticket or making
yourself understood at a
train station, try seeking out
the stationmaster (yonepain
in Burmese) – the person
at the station who is most
likely to speak English and
most inclined to help you get
a seat.