Gokteik Viaduct

The Gokteik viaduct was built in 1900 by an American steel company to carry the railway across a gorge in the Shan hills, and it is still doing it: around six hundred and eighty metres of steel trestle, standing about a hundred metres above the valley floor on latticed towers. The train crosses at a crawl, partly for safety and partly because the structure is old, and the carriages sway. The ride from Pyin Oo Lwin to Hsipaw takes most of a day and the viaduct is the reason people take it.

What you actually see

• The crossing - a single track on steel trestles about a hundred metres above the gorge.
• The structure - latticed towers of 1900 steelwork, visible from the carriage windows on the curve.
• The gorge - forested and steep, with a river far below and a cave system at its head.
• The train itself - slow, rough and open-windowed, through hill stations and small markets.

When to go

November to February is dry and clear, with the best chance of seeing the gorge rather than cloud. The monsoon brings mist and delays. Trains run to a schedule that changes; departures are confirmed at the station rather than online.

Honest expectations

The train is slow, hard-seated and frequently late, and the day is long. Photography of the bridge has at times been restricted and rules vary with the staff on duty. The line has been subject to suspension, so check locally before building a plan around it.

Nearby

Pyin Oo Lwin is west along the line and Hsipaw is east, both a few hours away.