Nyaung-U has a small airport mainly serving domestic flights. Most travellers enter the country via Yangon International Airport and then get a short flight to Nyaung-U. Air Bagan, Air Mandalay, Myanmar Airways and Yangon Airways all offer services on this route, and there are also flights from Nyaung-U to Mandalay, Thandwe and Heho.

On arrival at the small, one-terminal Nyaung-U Airport, foreign tourists will need to pay a US$10 archaeological zone fee. Transport options from the airport are limited. Most visitors pre-arrange for their hotel or tour company to meet them at the airport and take them to their hotel. There are taxis available at the airport, but you will usually have to haggle hard to avoid an exorbitant price. The airport is only a 10-minute drive from Old Bagan and most of the town’s hotels. Facilities at the airport are basic.

Yangon International Airport is the major airport in the country and has recently undergone a significant modernisation programme which included the opening of a new terminal. There are a number of international routes available here, with the majority to destinations in Southeast Asia, but also some flights to and from the Middle East and India. International carriers providing services here include Malaysia Airlines, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines and Thai Airways. 

Facilities at Yangon International Airport include VIP lounges, an automated baggage handling system, ample parking and a range of shops and eating and drinking options.

Bagan can be reached by road from Yangon, which makes for an interesting drive through cities, towns and the agricultural heartland of the country. It is a 425-mile drive and the initial stretch runs through the Bago plain, with paddy fields on either side of the road. Bago had a number of interesting sights if you have the time to stop here and explore. The journey then continues through the ancient capital Toungoo, today famed for bananas, coffee, tea, cardamom and betel nuts. Before reaching Bagan, you pass through the arid Meiktila plain, where rainfall is rare.

The town of Meiktila, with a famous lake in the centre of the town is a transport crossroads, acting as the access point for Shan State in the east, the northern highway heads to Mandalay and Bagan visitors take the road heading west.

While most tourists reach Bagan by air, if you have the time its certainly an interesting route to drive and it would be possible to negotiate for a car to drive you. Alternatively there are regular buses to Nyaung-U from Yangon and Mandalay; Nyaung-U bus station is situated four miles from Old Bagan.

There is a daily train from Yangon to Bagan with stops at Shweddaga, Aunglan, Taungdwingyi, and Kyaukpadaung, leaving Yangon at 22:15 and arriving in Bagan at 18:15. There are two trains a day from Mandalay with the first train leaving Mandalay at 09:50 and arriving at Bagan at 19:55 and the second service departing Mandalay at 22:00 and arriving at Bagan at 04:50. Trains here tend to be slow and not very comfortable, making flying between destinations a more preferable means of travel for many.

It is possible to get to Bagan by boat. In the peak season between May and September, the Irrawaddy Princess travels once a week between Mandalay and Bagan. From Mandalay the boat leaves at midday on Thursday, arriving in Bagan on Friday evening. The returning boat leaves Bagan on Sunday night.

The easiest and most comfortable way to get around Bagan is by hire car. An air-conditioned car is recommended for travel in the hot and dusty afternoons. Cars with drivers are also available, and you should be able to negotiate a reasonable price with the driver. Your hotel should be able to assist you with any arrangements. You can also arrange for a car to take you farther a field to Mount Popa, Mandalay or even Yangon.

For something more traditional, it is possible to hire a horse and cart to take you around the sights. This is easy enough to arrange, as you will see cart drivers at the front of major hotels and near the river. Travelling by horse-drawn cart is a cheap and fun way to travel, although it is not recommended at the hottest times of the day. The horsemen often make interesting guides too.

For a few dollars a day you can rent a bike here. Cycling can be a pleasant way to get around the local area, riding from temple to temple along the generally flat paths. You will need to be fairly fit and remember to make sure you have plenty of water. Cycling in the heat can be very energy sapping; early morning or late afternoon is the best times to explore on a bike. There are plenty of places to hire bikes, but make sure you hunt around for a place with bikes in good condition.

The simplest mode of transport is of course to explore the dusty rural paths on foot, discovering temples and getting a good insight into the local way of life.