China Railway Eryuan Engineering Group and Myanmar Railways are advancing with their process to make a final decision on the US$9 billion Mandalay-Muse railway.

The Muse-Mandalay Railroad project is part of the Kunming-Muse-Mandalay-Kyaukphyu high-speed railroad project under China-Myanmar Economic Corridor. 

A technical report, which is a part of a feasibility study, has now been submitted to the government, according to Myanmar Railways and the Ministry of Transport and Communications. Myanmar Railways falls under the Ministry of Transport and Communications. 

China Railway Eryuan Engineering Co (CREEC) submitted the report, which includes results from a soil analysis test as well as suggested routes, local press reported U Htaung Shan Khan, general manager of administration and planning for Myanma Railways, as saying.

A Memorandum of Understanding to study the feasibility of the project was signed between Myanmar Railways and China Railway Eryuan Engineering Group in October last year.

The railway will be 421 kilometers long. Trains will run at the speed of 160 kilometres per hour, resulting in a total travel time of three hours from Mandalay to Muse. It would form part of the first international railway connection for Myanmar. A total of seven depots and five train stations will be built along the railroad.

The rail line will connect at the border with a rail line to Kunming, capital of Yunnan Province.

Muse is the capital town of Mu Se Township in northern Shan State, Myanmar. It is situated on the Shweli River, which marks the border between Yunnan Province and Myanmar, and is connected by a bridge and road to the Chinese town of Ruili.