Kalaw is served by the old colonial-era railway line between Thazi and Shwenyaung (near Inle Lake). The train journey is slow — the overnight train from Yangon takes around 12 to 15 hours — but the scenery through the Shan hills is spectacular. The famous Gokteik Viaduct, a steel trestle bridge built by American engineers in 1900, is on this line further north toward Mandalay.
Buses from Mandalay, Yangon, and Bagan arrive at the bus station on the main highway at the southern edge of town. The journey from Mandalay takes about five hours. Shared taxis also run between Kalaw and Inle Lake, taking about two hours and offering the most flexibility.