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Boats Our Boats

Lone Star Riverboat has three different boats for you to choose from, to host your next Austin adventure. Chose bethween luxurious double-decked, paddle-wheel riverboat, or two smaller boats ideal for sunset/bat watching.

The Lone Star

Our largest boat, the Lone Star, is Austin's newest and most luxurious double-decked, paddle-wheel riverboat

The Little Star

The Little Star was built in 2000 and offers sunset/bat watching cruises and sightseeing cruises March through October.

The Southern Star

The Southern Star was built in 2006 and offers sunset/bat watching cruises March through October.

The Northern Star

The Northern Star was built in 2017 and offers sunset/bat watching cruises March through October.

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Lone Star Riverboat Sightseeing Tours

4.7 928 votes

208 Barton Springs Road

(512) 327-1388

About Lone Star Riverboat

• 1 hour tour
• Reservations recommended
• Departure time is approximately 30 minutes prior to sunset.
• Departure times may vary, please call for the departure schedule.
• 32' and 35' Electric cruisers
• ADA compliant
• Prices: Adults - $13, Seniors (60 and over) - $13, Children (12 and under) - $8, Children (2 and under) - Free
• Saturday and Sunday - 12:30PM & 3:00PM
• 1 hour narrated tour
• ADA compliant 
• Boarding begins 45 minutes before tour time. 
• Prices: Adults - $13, Seniors (60 and over) - $11, Children (12 and under) - $8, Children (2 and under) - Free
• Friday - 10:30PM
• 1 hour scenic tour
• Boarding begins at 9:45PM
• All Tickets: $13 per ticket
• Friday, Saturday and Sunday - 5:30PM
• Non-alcoholic CASH only beverage service (on the Lone Star) or bring your own beverage of choices
• Boarding begins at 4:45PM until 5:15PM
• Minimum number of people: 30
• Maximum number of people: 130
• $18.00 per person (30 - 80 people)
• $16.00 per person (81 - 130 people)
• Children 2 and under are no charge
• Two hour charter time (plus 30 minutes prior to departure for boarding)
• $200 for each additional hour (may be broken into 1/2 hour increments)
• Catering and beverage service may be arranged at an additional cost (see below)
• Charges are for the number of people guaranteed or on a per person basis, whichever is greater

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Lone Star Riverboat Cruises

(512) 327-1388

Lone Star Riverboat Cruises & Austin are two shining stars of Texas! Join us aboard one of our all environmentally-friendly vessels. Experience the exhilaration of the outdoors, the abundant waterfowl, our ever changing city skyline and the natural beauty that is Austin. We’re located on Lake Lady Bird in Austin, TX and feature boat charters, daily bat watching tours, weekend afternoon sightseeing tours, and a moonlight cruises on Friday nights. Free parking is available at Vic Mathias Shores subject to special event availability and on a first come first serve basis.

About Charters Imagine your social occasion on a delightful cruise right through the heart of downtown Austin, Texas aboard The Lone Star. Private charters are available year-round for groups of 30 to 100 people. Visit our charters page on our full website for more details.

Daily Bat Watching Sunset Cruises Climb aboard the Little Star, Northern Star and Southern Star Daily (March – October) for a spectacular sight to see the bats emerge from the bridge at sunset! An estimated 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats live under the Congress Avenue Bridge. Tours last 1 hour and start 30 minutes before sunset! Prices are $13 for adults, $11 for seniors, $8 for children aged 2-12, and free for children under 2.

Weekend Afternoon Sightseeing Cruises Enjoy a quiet, scenic and relaxing cruise on Lady Bird Lake, aboard one of our all environmentally-friendly electric cruisers-normally on the Lone Star – our big double-decker boat. Come join us and take in the picturesque sights of Lady Bird Lake. Tour times are Saturday and Sunday at 12:30 and 3pm, boarding begins 45 minutes prior to departure. Prices are $13 for adults, $11 for seniors, $8 for children aged 2-12, and free for children under 2.

Friday Night Moonlight Cruise Enjoy a romantic, scenic and relaxing cruise on Lady Bird Lake, aboard The Lone Star. Come join us and take in the beautiful Austin skyline under the stars with your special someone. Tours are Friday night at 10:30 and boarding begins at 9:45. All tickets are $13.

Lone Star Riverboat Cruises Reviews

Monica sleboda.

This is a great thing to do while visiting Austin. Or guide was very knowledgeable of the area and came up with fun stories. Watching the bats come out at dusk was really cool too. Only thing I wish I had known before we arrived was that it’s BYOB and you can bring food. Definitely get there early so you can get on the big boat with tables on the upper deck.

Rebecca Caday

So glad we did this! My husband and I were visiting from DFW and I wanted to find an activity that was unique and came across Lone Star Riverboat tours. Very affordable, even better. Bring your own snacks and drinks, although they did have some canned drinks for sale. Captains DJ and Robert were friendly and humorous. We sat on the top deck but there's an enclosed 1st deck as well, which I imagine is great for colder days. The tour was an hour, left promptly, and returned promptly; great for a tight schedule. Definitely recommend for a different type of excursion in Austin.

James Bastin

1 hour cruise down the river. Interesting to hear about buildings new and old and the bats! If you want to see the bats fly at night then go for an evening cruise. They aren’t visible during the day. Apparently 750k-1.5m at any time. We came November and they are apparently going back to Mexico in the next few days until next year. Not sure which month they come back..

David Johnson

It's definitely worth the price to take one of these boat tours to see the bats (and the skyline, architecture, landmarks, etc.) while in Bat City, instead of trying to see from on top of the bridge. Our captain/tour guide was excellent, but I don't recall her name (the cute blonde comedian girl). Apparently they also have a larger boat that can be chartered for private events.

A truly amazing experience. Our guide was really funny and personable. We experienced everything we were promised: a boat tour, view of the city from the water, 1.5 million bats flying out into the country to feast on mosquitoes and various other creatures they prefer to eat. This is a 100% must for both locals and visitors.

Amanda Wood

My family and I had a great time on the bat cruise! Our guide was funny and informative with information about Austin and the different buildings along the skyline, which we all enjoyed. We've lived in Austin for less than a year and learned so many new things. And, the bats were awesome! Such a fun experience!

John VonReeden

As a visitor from Phoenix this was a very fun experience. It’s scheduled for 1-hour but to ensure we got a full experience we got to stay out for an additional 30 minutes. Our Captain ‘Crunch’ was excellent, she was knowledgeable of her job and the sites she told us about along the way. Highly recommended. We also participated in the BYOB, we stopping at the closest corner store and poured our beverages in a styrofoam cup.

Nicolas Stephens

Captain Rob was charming and knowledgeable. He kept things going, while we waited for the bats to fly. He piloted the boat very calmly and kept everybody entertained. I would highly recommend using him if you want to see the bats and learn all about how awesome nature is.

Courtney Zimmerman

Great tour, took my dad, stepmom and their best friend on the tour when they were visiting me in Austin and our Captain went above beyond to put us right in the center of all the bat cinematics, informative and entertaining. Right on schedule to over a million bats fly out for their night out on the town :). Highly recommend as must-see in Austin. Thank you Lonestar Riverboats for giving a memorative event for my family

Alexandra Daniel

My co-worker and I went on a bat tour while visiting in Austin for a conference. We had heard from another co-worker who visited the year prior that this was a worthwhile experience that was not to be missed! Our tour was piloted by Captain Christine. Her unique sense of humor was thoroughly enjoyed as she shared the history of the area while we sailed up and down the Colorado River. I loved learning all about the Mexican Free-Tail Bats. Seeing the bats fly out from under the bridge at sundown was like nothing else I have ever seen before. I highly recommend this experience for anyone looking for a one-of-a-kind activity while in Austin. It is rather inexpensive at $13 for an adult ticket for an hour-long tour.

Lone Star Riverboat Cruises VIP List   Learn more about the VIP program

Total Score: 3060

Lone Star Riverboat Cruises Gallery

Lone Star Riverboat

• 10:00am - 5:00pm
• 10:00am - 2:00pm

Authentic double-decked, paddlewheel riverboat provides sightseeing and sunset bat-watching cruises on Town Lake. Private charters available. Tickets at Austin Visitor Center.

Facility Information

• Event maximum capacity (# ppl): 80

Facility Info

• Largest Room 1500
• Number of Rooms 2

Lone Star River Boat

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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Lone Star River Boat - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024) - Tripadvisor

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Great experience at a bargain price. - Lone Star River Boat

• United States    
• Texas (TX)    
• Austin    
• Austin - Things to Do    
• Lone Star River Boat

Bats weren’t very active the day we went but we did see some. Regardless our guide made the... read more

A lovely experience. The staff were very professional and friendly we learned a lot too - we had a... read more

Great experience at a bargain price.

Great excursion in Austin. Our boat captain was very fun and knowledgeable. Put us in the perfect location for bat viewing.

I am from Austin originally but it has been years since I lived here. It was amazing to visit home. I have done this tour before as well as watched the bats many times. I have to I will do this one again and again! We were the last tour for the time being, sallied right on time, wasn’t crowed, brought our own drinks (no glass) and Chris our tour guide was great. Very knowledgeable about downtown & the bats. He was funny too. All in all a great way to close out by visit home. This is the one thing everyone should do 🙋🏻‍♀️

Captain DJ was the best, funny, informative and diligent. It was raining when we got there, sprinkling really, and then it started to pour! He let us go inside and wait as he watched the storm tracking on his phone predicting it should pass. It passed and we heard all about the surroundings of Austin, watched a great sunset and then saw an amazing bat show! If you don’t go and do this you are missing out!

We loved hearing the history of Austin. Watching bats come out at sunset was wonderful. The captain of our boat was very knowledgeable about Austin and the bats. He was able to answer all of our questions. We went with 3 generations in our family. From age 13 to to 65. We all enjoyed it. We were in perfect spot to see bats clearly. They practiced social distancing and we never felt uncomfortable. Water and drinks are available for reasonable price on dock. We parked at Hyatt for $10, but there is free parking around. I believe that if you are disabled you could still do this tour. There is ramp going onto boat we were on.

We had a great time on the river cruise. Chris was very informative and delivered on fun and facts about this wonderful city. His demeanor was humorous and light hearted. I would definitely recommend this tour if you are visiting Austin.

June 25, 2020 8PM Bat Tour: Great value for the time and scene. I would recommend the top deck. Was BYOB (not sure if a usual thing or COVID) so we brought wine with crackers/cheese. Wish the speaker was louder as we can could barely hear the highlights but overall crew was pleasant and knowledgeable. Get there around 7-730PM for best seating selection. COVID: And bring your own sanitizer, wipes, Their prep in that area was minimal at best. Masks required. Have to reserve/pay online or pay in cash at dock.

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Lone Star Riverboat

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Time Out says

One of Austin’s most distinguishing features is the stretch of water that cuts through downtown and goes by three different names: Lady Bird Lake, Town Lake and the Colorado River. Besides being a pretty place to jog or bike around, it’s also great spot to take in the sights aboard one of the Lone Star Riverboat Cruises. They have a sunset bat watching cruise on one of their smaller boats, along with an afternoon sightseeing cruise and a Friday night moonlight cruise, both on their signature boat named The Lone Star. The cherry on top? All the tours are BYOB.

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Cruising the Moskva River: A short guide to boat trips in Russia’s capital

There’s hardly a better way to absorb Moscow’s atmosphere than on a ship sailing up and down the Moskva River. While complicated ticketing, loud music and chilling winds might dampen the anticipated fun, this checklist will help you to enjoy the scenic views and not fall into common tourist traps.

How to find the right boat?

There are plenty of boats and selecting the right one might be challenging. The size of the boat should be your main criteria.

Plenty of small boats cruise the Moskva River, and the most vivid one is this yellow Lay’s-branded boat. Everyone who has ever visited Moscow probably has seen it.

This option might leave a passenger disembarking partially deaf as the merciless Russian pop music blasts onboard. A free spirit, however, will find partying on such a vessel to be an unforgettable and authentic experience that’s almost a metaphor for life in modern Russia: too loud, and sometimes too welcoming. Tickets start at $13 (800 rubles) per person.

Bigger boats offer smoother sailing and tend to attract foreign visitors because of their distinct Soviet aura. Indeed, many of the older vessels must have seen better days. They are still afloat, however, and getting aboard is a unique ‘cultural’ experience. Sometimes the crew might offer lunch or dinner to passengers, but this option must be purchased with the ticket. Here is one such  option  offering dinner for $24 (1,490 rubles).

If you want to travel in style, consider Flotilla Radisson. These large, modern vessels are quite posh, with a cozy restaurant and an attentive crew at your service. Even though the selection of wines and food is modest, these vessels are still much better than other boats.

Surprisingly, the luxurious boats are priced rather modestly, and a single ticket goes for $17-$32 (1,100-2,000 rubles); also expect a reasonable restaurant bill on top.

How to buy tickets?

Women holding photos of ships promise huge discounts to “the young and beautiful,” and give personal invitations for river tours. They sound and look nice, but there’s a small catch: their ticket prices are usually more than those purchased online.

“We bought tickets from street hawkers for 900 rubles each, only to later discover that the other passengers bought their tickets twice as cheap!”  wrote  (in Russian) a disappointed Rostislav on a travel company website.

Nevertheless, buying from street hawkers has one considerable advantage: they personally escort you to the vessel so that you don’t waste time looking for the boat on your own.

Prices start at $13 (800 rubles) for one ride, and for an additional $6.5 (400 rubles) you can purchase an unlimited number of tours on the same boat on any given day.

Flotilla Radisson has official ticket offices at Gorky Park and Hotel Ukraine, but they’re often sold out.

Buying online is an option that might save some cash. Websites such as  this   offer considerable discounts for tickets sold online. On a busy Friday night an online purchase might be the only chance to get a ticket on a Flotilla Radisson boat.

This  website  (in Russian) offers multiple options for short river cruises in and around the city center, including offbeat options such as ‘disco cruises’ and ‘children cruises.’ This other  website  sells tickets online, but doesn’t have an English version. The interface is intuitive, however.

Buying tickets online has its bad points, however. The most common is confusing which pier you should go to and missing your river tour.

“I once bought tickets online to save with the discount that the website offered,” said Igor Shvarkin from Moscow. “The pier was initially marked as ‘Park Kultury,’ but when I arrived it wasn’t easy to find my boat because there were too many there. My guests had to walk a considerable distance before I finally found the vessel that accepted my tickets purchased online,” said the man.

There are two main boarding piers in the city center:  Hotel Ukraine  and  Park Kultury . Always take note of your particular berth when buying tickets online.

Where to sit onboard?

Even on a warm day, the headwind might be chilly for passengers on deck. Make sure you have warm clothes, or that the crew has blankets ready upon request.

The glass-encased hold makes the tour much more comfortable, but not at the expense of having an enjoyable experience.

Getting off the boat requires preparation as well. Ideally, you should be able to disembark on any pier along the way. In reality, passengers never know where the boat’s captain will make the next stop. Street hawkers often tell passengers in advance where they’ll be able to disembark. If you buy tickets online then you’ll have to research it yourself.

There’s a chance that the captain won’t make any stops at all and will take you back to where the tour began, which is the case with Flotilla Radisson. The safest option is to automatically expect that you’ll return to the pier where you started.

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• St. Petersburg - Moscow Cruise

This 8-day Russian river cruise by luxury ship will take you to the jewels of Russia - St. Petersburg and Moscow as well as the most significant towns between these 2 magnificent cities: Mandrogui village, Kizhi island with its amazing wooden architecture and Uglich and Goritsy with their tranquil, country atmosphere.

• Route St. Petersburg - Mandrogui - Kizhi - Goritsy - Uglich - Moscow
• Languages English-speaking guide is guaranteed. Other languages are on request.
• Cruise Ship 5-star cruise ship MS Rostropovich
• Group Tour This is a group tour. There will be other people in your group.

This is a great Russian river cruise on a comfortable 4-star ship that will take you to St. Petersburg and Moscow and the most significant places between these 2 cities: Mandrogui village, Kizhi island with its amazing wooden architecture and Uglich and Goritsy with their tranquil atmosphere.

• Route St. Petersburg - Mandrogui- Kizhi - Goritsy - Uglich - Moscow
• Cruise Ship 4-star cruise ship: MS Crucelake

This is our shortest St. Petersburg to Moscow cruise and it is a perfect choice for those who have already been to Moscow and St. Petersburg and would like to explore the small, charming towns lying between the Two Capitals.

• Route St. Petersburg - Shlisselburg - Valaam - Svirstroy/Lodeynoe Pole - Mandrogui - Kizhi - Kuzino - Myshkin - Uglich - Moscow
• Cruise Ship 3-star cruise ships: MS Swan Lake, MS Moonlight Sonata

This is our most popular St. Petersburg to Moscow cruise. Besides in depth visits to St. Petersburg and Moscow, the cruise covers all the most important areas between the two capitals: Mandrogui - a colorful village famous for local handicrafts, amazing Kizhi Island with its beautiful nature and wooden architecture, as well as the ancient towns of Goritsy, Yaroslavl, and Uglich.

• Route St. Petersburg - Mandrogui - Kizhi - Goritsy - Yaroslavl - Uglich - Moscow
• Cruise Ship 3-star cruise ships: MS Zosima Shashkov

This is a classic St. Petersburg - Moscow cruises that takes you to the Two Capitals as well a number of charming ancient towns on the way: Mandrogui village, Kizhi island, Goritsy, Yaroslavl, and Uglich.

• Cruise Ship 4-star cruise ships:, MS Nikolay Chernyshevsky, MS Nizhny Novgorod, MS Konstantin Fedin, MS Sankt-Peterburg, MS Kronshtadt

This St. Petersburg to Moscow cruise is a great way to discover Russia. The cruise includes in-depth visits to Russia’s two capitals and also makes stops at all of the important sites along the route including Mandrogui - a colorful village famous for local handicrafts, amazing Kizhi Island with its beautiful nature and wooden architecture, as well as the ancient towns of Goritsy, Yaroslavl, and Uglich.

This 11-day St. Petersburg to Moscow cruise covers all the important places: Mandrogui - a colorful village famous for local handicrafts, amazing Kizhi Island, as well as the ancient towns of Goritsy, Yaroslavl, and Uglich.

• Cruise Ship 3-star cruise ship: MS Moonlight Sonata

This 8-day Russian river cruise on a luxury ship takes you to Russia’s two capitals – Moscow and St. Petersburg, as well as to the ancient towns of Uglich and Goritsy, Kizhi island with its outstanding wooden architecture, and Mandrogui village, famous for traditional handicrafts, and Valaam archipielago with its amazing monastary.

• Route St. Petersburg - Valaam - Mandrogui - Kizhi - Goritsy - Uglich - Moscow
• Cruise Ship 5-star cruise ship MS Mustai Karim

We would like to thank you very much for making the arrangements for our river cruise from St. Petersburg to Moscow in Sept-Oct. We were very pleased with every aspect of the cruise. The accommodation and the meals were excellent, the staff very knowledgeable & courteous, the quality of the tours was excellent. We found the lectures on the boat very interesting & everything possible was done to make sure the tourists had a wonderful experience. Thank you, too, for arranging the hotel for us the night before the cruise. It was in a great location & very comfortable. All aspects of the trip were wonderful & it was great value for money spent. Our sincere thanks.

We just wanted to thank you again for your help in setting up our Russian cruise. We've appreciated your support all the way through - from taking us through the complex paperwork of the visa application to talking to our taxi driver in St Petersburg to make sure that we were in the right place. Great service! We absolutely loved the cruise! We learned a lot, relaxed a lot and were dazzled by beautiful cities and landscapes. We couldn't have asked for a better introduction to Russia. Thanks again!

St. Petersburg Cruise

This St. Petersburg cruise to Moscow Cruise is a great combination of ancient Russian cities, famous for their history, architecture and art. Travel along the magnificent Volga River that links these 2 beautiful and historic cities. Port calls include the Russian capital Moscow , Saint Petersburg , Kizhi , Goritsy and Uglich . The river cruise ship will take you along the Neva River , Lake Ladoga ,the Svir River , Lake Onega , the Baltic canal , White Lake and the Volga River . The beauty of the countryside will make your trip unforgettable. Come to Russia in the summer of 2021 with Express to Russia.

Frequently Asked Questions From Our Travelers

A russian land tour or a river cruise - which is better.

This decision completely depends on your preferred way of travelling. During the Russian river cruise you will not only visit the two largest cities of Russia, but also small towns and villages along the route and you will have a chance to participate in master classes, learn a little Russian language and dive into local Russian culture and hospitality. For those who prefer custom-made programs and more free time in the cities of their choice we recommend a land tour, both are excellent options. To find out more about the differences click here .

Do I need a visa for a Russian River Cruise?

If your citizenship is not on the list of countries with visa-free access to Russia, you will need a valid Russian visa. Please make sure to start the process in a timely manner, so as to avoid any last-minute pressure. More details on Russian Visas can be found here .

What is the best Russian river cruise line?

There are several Russian river cruise lines. Each cruise line offers a number of ships and programs at different price ranges. You call feel confident in choosing any of them. All of these cruise lines are well trusted and have been in business for a long time. We also recommend checking guests' reviews and asking our reservation specialist for more details regarding any concerns.

How far in advance should I book a Russian river cruise?

Usually the cruise operating companies set their schedules and prices well in advance - at least one year before the actual cruise starts. So, we may recommend that you book your cruise and place a deposit as early as possible so that you have enough time to arrange all other components of your journey. Please also note that cruise cabins sell out quickly, so it is always a good idea to book your cabin of choice in advance.

What should I pack for a Russian River Cruise?

The weather here can be unpredictable. So first of all it is important to have comfortable clothes and some wind/waterproof items. We highly recommend that you check our new article that contains full information on packing for a Russian river cruise .

What is the voltage in Russia?

Russia uses 220V voltage as does most of Europe. So before packing your devices, do not forget to take a proper adapter, so you may recharge all of your devices with no stress. For more information please see our useful tips .

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Moscow to Saint Petersburg

13 days – 12 nights

Collapse Full Itinerary

Gold, Platinum  Airport transfer / Check-in at centrally located Marriott Aurora***** or Ararat Park Hyatt*****

Imperial : Private airport transfer / Check-in at the luxurious Four Seasons Moscow***** only a minute from the Kremlin and Red Square

Volga dream experience:

Gold: City Tour / Novodevichy Cemetery Imperial, Platinum:  City tour / Lunch in a Moscow City Skyscraper / Novodevichy Cemetery / Sparrow Hills

Meals: Breakfast

Platinum / Imperial

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Gold:  Moscow Kremlin / Armory Museum / Red Square / GUM Department Store

Platinum:  Moscow Kremlin / Armory Museum / Red Square / St. Basil’s Cathedral / GUM Department Store / Park Zaryadye

Gold:  Tretyakov Gallery / Moscow Metro Tour.

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Myanmar people turning attention to EVs as fuel prices continue to soar in country

Tuesday, 19 Mar 2024

Related News

UN secretary-general alarmed by reports of Myanmar airstrikes

Myanmar is confident in attracting foreign tourists to its shore, lone wolf show as only one student takes social science national exam in myanmar.

YANGON (Xinhua): As fuel prices soar and concerns over environmental impact grow, many residents in Myanmar are turning to electric vehicles (EVs) as a solution to their transportation needs.

Ko Swe Naing, 43, the owner of a purification water plant in Myanmar's bustling commercial hub Yangon, recently made the switch to an EV car.

"Fuel prices are rising. The fuel supply was sometimes insufficient here. Queuing for fuel was annoying," he said. "Therefore, I decided to purchase the EV," he told Xinhua.

"It is a Made-in-China car. Since purchasing it, I've experienced a quieter and more efficient ride. I drive it from my home to the office. I can go up to three or four days on a single charge. It saves on my fuel costs," he said.

Ko Myo Swe, 43, who has been driving an EV for six months, also said, "The advantages of the EVs are the quick acceleration, lack of carbon emissions, and minimal maintenance requirements."

"China is currently leading the EV market worldwide. The influx of Chinese EVs into Myanmar has made the EVs accessible and affordable," he added.

Kyaw Soe, a 50-year-old Yangon resident, told Xinhua that he has bought a new EV as many people in Myanmar have come to use EVs. "I already had two fuel cars. I purchased this EV a few days ago because I wanted to try it," he said.

But the lack of charging stations in Myanmar remains a challenge for EV users, he added.

For Khaing Htoo, a 32-year-old EV user in Yangon, the transition to an EV was driven by both cost-saving measures and the desire for a smoother driving experience.

"Shortages of fuel supply in the past months pushed me to consider an EV," he said. "My car is a Chinese BYD brand. I mostly drive in downtown Yangon. It is very convenient to drive downtown. It is quiet and light," he added.

Beyond vehicle owners, passengers are also embracing EVs. U Kyaw Tun, a passenger in his 60s, praised the efficient air conditioning of EVs during his journey from Yangon city of Yangon Region to Pyapon town of Ayeyarwaddy Region.

"I frequently come to Yangon for work. Since the introduction of electric vehicle transport between Yangon and Pyapon, I have taken only EVs. They are quiet and their air conditioning is very good," he said.

With growing awareness of environmental issues and the economic benefits of EV ownership, stakeholders are optimistic about the future of e-mobility in the country.

Daw Myat Mon Thein, a deputy general manager from the Ministry of Industry, said, "Many people, particularly those in the cities in Myanmar, are switching to EVs because fuel prices are rising globally."

She further highlighted that nearly all the EVs in Myanmar come from China, underscoring China's leadership in EV technology.

"We are working our best in accordance with EV frameworks. Therefore, despite some challenges, the use of EVs in the country will only increase in the future. It will not decrease," she said. - Xinhua

Tags / Keywords: Myanmar , EVs , Preference , Petrol Prices , Soaring

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A Journey Through Putin’s Russia

Our moscow-based reporter traveled around the country to gauge the mood before a presidential vote..

This transcript was created using speech recognition software. While it has been reviewed by human transcribers, it may contain errors. Please review the episode audio before quoting from this transcript and email [email protected] with any questions.

From “The New York Times,” I’m Sabrina Tavernise, and this is “The Daily.”

[THEME MUSIC]

Russians go to the polls today in the first presidential election since their country invaded Ukraine two years ago. The war was expected to carry a steep cost for Vladimir Putin, but as my colleague Valerie Hopkins explains, the opposite has happened. Today, Valerie travels around Russia to understand how Putin has done it and how long that can last.

It’s Friday, March 15.

So, Valerie, the presidential elections in Russia are starting today, and it’s the first one since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine two years ago. And back then, there was this idea that the war could potentially become ruinous for Vladimir Putin, both politically and economically. And here we are with Putin running for re-election two years later.

So we come to you as our on-the-ground Russia expert to talk about where we are in the arc of President Putin’s power.

Well, Sabrina, these elections are set to run Friday to Sunday. 29 regions are voting online, and some of them have already started. And it’s a big event for Putin, but you and I both know very well that elections aren’t necessarily the best measure of the people’s choice in Russia.

Putin is running once again without any real genuine competition. Some of my friends in Moscow actually just refer to it as the voting.

The voting.

Because it’s not really an election.

People are going to vote, but it’s not truly a choice.

Exactly. So Putin is expected to just glide to another six-year term, his fifth. And that puts him on a path to becoming the longest-serving leader in Russia since the Russian Revolution more than 100 years ago.

Incredible.

And what’s so remarkable is that this isn’t just a story about an autocrat extending his reign. This is a leader with pretty sky high polling numbers right now and seemingly broad support.

So tell me about that. What is that support?

I mean, Sabrina you and I both know that opinion polls are to be taken with a grain of salt in Russia, especially in a time when repression has become very intense and is only getting stronger by the month. But polls conducted by independent pollsters like the Levada Center, which use focus groups and really big sample sizes, show that Putin’s approval rating is at 86 percent.

The highest in nearly a decade.

86 percent?

Yeah. And even the more general question, is Russia going in the right direction, that answer has really shocked me. It’s 75 percent. Right now it’s the highest it’s ever been since a pollster started asking the question in 1996.

That is incredible. I mean, the highest number since the beginning of polling, basically.

Yes. And for me, that’s really so incongruous. Because remember, you and I were on the ground in Ukraine when the war started, and Russia began being deluged with Western sanctions. One company after another announced they were pulling out. And then, slowly, it became clear that this war was going to last much longer and be far more deadly than anyone originally expected, I think including Mr. Putin himself. And it seemed like Russia’s future was a massive question mark.

So looking at the polls now, it’s remarkable to see that Putin has managed to get past all of that. And so I really wanted to get out into the country and talk to some of the people behind these numbers, to understand what it is that has kept their support for Vladimir Putin so high and how he’s been able to defy the expectations that so many people had at the beginning of this war.

So where did you start?

So a few months ago, I decided to go to the ninth largest city in Russia, Samara. It’s a city on the Volga River. And I was interested in Samara because it’s a pretty big industrial city, and I really wanted to see how ordinary people living there were feeling about the war and were experiencing all these changes to Russia’s economic life.

I mean again, this was one of the big questions hanging over the war — would it crater the Russian economy? And it occurred to me that a really good place to get a feel for that is at the mall.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

So I went to one downtown with a couple of my colleagues. And I was really interested to go and see what ordinary life is like for people who are doing some shopping or catching a film.

Valerie, you are a Russian mall expert. Also a Russia expert, but our Russian mall expert. Continue. What did you see in this one?

This mall was really interesting. I saw a lot of activity. One thing I have to say I appreciate is that there’s a group of young teenage boys who are playing with large-size chess pieces. Very Russian.

There’s no empty storefronts. They’ve all been replaced by new brands from different countries in the world, some of them Russian, some of them from the Middle East, the Gulf.

And let me tell you, Sabrina, that’s really different from what I saw in malls even in Central Moscow at the end of 2022. Many Russian, especially young, hip, urban Russians were devastated by the departures of Zara, H&M, McDonald’s, Coca-Cola.

And these were departures of Western companies because of the sanctions.

Absolutely. And you would go to malls, and it would just feel like a dead zone. Stores shuttered, dark hallways. You could see what was no longer available to you as a Russian consumer. And now all that has changed.

But I don’t know. There’s also a lot of new stores, like BFree and GJ. I don’t know what that is.

Oh. But that’s a Russian brand, right?

Of course, Zara and H&M have been replaced by stores that we in the States have never heard of, but you could still get a lot of the same goods. It seemed like your average mall teenagers walking around, drinking soda.

[SPEAKING RUSSIAN]

One of the big questions I get from friends back home is, did you try the fake Coca-Cola, Dobry-Kola, the new brand that has essentially taken over all of Coca-Cola’s business inside of Russia?

So I’ve just bought a Dobry-Kola.

And for the uninitiated, Dobry-Kola means —

Cool-Cola. I mean, yeah, I’ve seen various translations — Good Cola, Cool Cola.

Let’s see if there’s any difference whatsoever.

Hmm. I don’t think so.

So what does Good Cola taste like?

Pretty much like the real thing. Maybe like a normal knockoff Coke.

Do you think there’s any difference?

A little bit.

I don’t know if Coca-Cola took their secret sauce when they left or not.

But I don’t mean to paint a picture of a mall full of only knockoffs. I think, frankly, I was astonished by the amount of Western goods still available. There was still Chanel, all of the luxury cosmetics and perfume are widely available in Russia.

So really what you’re seeing is a mall that has actually returned to some semblance of economic normal.

Yeah. In the past two years, Russia has been able to really successfully reorient its economy. Consumers clearly still have the money to buy expensive Western products, so they’re often paying a huge premium, importing them from China, from Kazakhstan, from Georgia, Armenia and the neighboring countries through middlemen.

Oh, let’s talk to the Apple people. They’re selling all the Apple products. Let’s find out how do they get them. Are they more expensive? [SPEAKING RUSSIAN]

This became really clear to me once I set foot into a shop selling Apple products.

So tell me about that shop.

So it looked like an ordinary Apple Store. They had all the MacBooks and MacBook Pros and accessories, iPhones. And in fact, when I first went in just to inquire about the price —

The salesman that I talked to was really proud to say that it wasn’t that much more expensive than in the West, and that actually they had gotten the latest iPhone model in stock three days only after it debuted in America.

Interesting. So what did the guy say?

He shrugged his shoulders about the economy, about the sanctions. He said, we have no problems getting any of this stuff in. People are still able to buy it. And he told me that he actually felt very confident that Russia would be able to survive and maybe even thrive economically.

He compared Russia to Iran, which has been under sanctions for decades, not that it’s the most economically successful country in the world.

His point was that other countries have figured out how to survive economic sanctions. And Russia is as well positioned as anyone to do that. I mean, he mentioned how resource-rich Russia is. It’s one of the world’s biggest oil producers, and that has already helped it to generate money to keep the economy afloat.

So this is one of the keys to Putin’s success, right? Keep the people happy with iPhones. Have the stuff still come in. Make sure that they’re not cut off from the world in terms of the stuff that they want.

Exactly. Standing in this fake Apple Store in the Samara mall, the war felt really distant to this guy. He’s injured, so he couldn’t be mobilized, although he does feel bad for some of his friends who are fighting. But he said the war is not really this immediate presence in his life and that his life really hasn’t changed at all.

And when I thought about it more, it wasn’t all that surprising to me. I mean, here we were in a relatively big city, and I knew that Russia had been drafting far more soldiers from rural areas around the country than they are from cities.

I started to think I needed to go further afield, to the more rural communities that are actually bearing the brunt of this war. So my team and I hopped in a car, and we drove for hours along a potholed road all the way to a little village called Oatmeal.

We’ll be right back.

So, Valerie, tell me about the town of Oatmeal. And is it actually called Oatmeal?

Well, yes. I mean, in Russian it’s Ovsyanka. It was a collective farm back in the days of the Soviet Union. In some of the open fields, you can just see the remains of collapsed infrastructure, but the village of Ovsyanka itself provides almost no jobs. Mostly people are working in subsistence agriculture or hunting for scrap metal, doing odd jobs here and there.

I mean, the place is really impoverished. Every year, it seems like there’s another suicide, which in a really small place takes its toll. It feels like a place with a lot of despair.

So really a classic post-Soviet economically depressed landscape, a place that had been this large functioning farm, this collective farm with the whole village employed in working it, and after the Soviet collapse, that just died.

Right. I mean, this is a place that really hasn’t seen any of the fruits of Putin’s economic success story. And these small depressed villages are the kind of places that have sent a lot of people to this war.

So I arrived in Oatmeal and went straight to the house of the Kadyrov family, who had lost their son in the war.

And I was really interested in how the family would make sense of their loss and of the war and what they thought of Russia in that moment and what they thought of Putin who launched this war. And as we arrived, the family were waiting for his body to be brought by the local military officials.

And as we sat cross-legged on the floor of their main room, as mourners trickled in and out to pay their respects, they told me about him.

His name was Garipul S. Kadyrov.

He was an ethnic Kazakh, like most of his relatives. But to his friends and family, he was known by his Russian nickname, Vitya.

He was a soft spoken farmer. And shortly after Vladimir Putin announced a general mobilization, officials from the military commissariat came to his house and told him he was going with them.

And so his family said that, though he didn’t expect to be drafted, as soon as he was called up, he said it was his duty. And he went that very day to start his military training. But after just a few months into his tour of duty, he was killed in a part of Ukraine that had been a meat grinder for Russian soldiers.

Shortly after we arrived, a military convoy came carrying his body.

His mother sobbed most of the day, and one of his sisters was wailing so much that she needed to take sedatives.

And just witnessing the pain, it was immense.

And then the whole village assembled for a formal ceremony for him with military honors.

[BAND PLAYING RUSSIAN ANTHEM]

The head of the district government even came to speak.

He gave a patriotic speech about him dying for the sake of freedom.

He said it is precisely thanks to guys like him that there are peaceful skies over our country. And by participating in the special military operation, which is what Russia calls the war, they are protecting our freedom, our lives, and the health of our children.

So what did the family make of all of this?

Well, despite the fact that they had lost their son, their brother in the war, despite the poverty and pain of this small village community —

— you hear them embracing certain elements of Putin’s messaging around the war. Many relatives repeated a lot of the shorthand that Putin has been using from the beginning.

Saying that this was for the good of the motherland.

And that this has long been Russian territory, that most of Ukraine has always historically been a part of Russia, that Ukrainians and Russians are actually one ethnic group.

One thing that really stuck out to me the most was the fervent belief that this is a war against the West.

There was a strong conviction that the West had turned Ukraine against Russia, and this was not a war of choice for Putin.

And so I don’t think this was purely that they were taking Putin’s propaganda wholesale. But you could see a need to make sense of their loss and to understand the tragedy that befell their family.

But there is another element in this too, which is something the family didn’t really speak about. And that’s the fact that men who often are not able to really provide very much for their families while they’re alive know that if they do die, their family can get somewhere up to $60,000, $70,000, $80,000 in compensation payments after their death.

Wow. So extremely meaningful for a family like Vitya’s.

Absolutely. This is a place where presumably people are living on maybe the equivalent of hundred, couple hundred dollars a month. So these salaries are an incredible boon. And in fact, Putin, in his most recent state of the union speech last month, actually talked about wanting to elevate the role of soldiers and veterans in society and give them more leadership roles and more opportunities. And this is widely perceived as an attempt by Putin to reengineer a new middle class comprised of people involved in the war effort.

Wow. God. I mean, it’s very dark, but it’s also quite cunning of Putin, that there is an economic element to this war for the people who are dying, and that is something that can blunt any potential political opposition to it. So the people doing the dying are not going to be the people asking the questions, in part because this money is coming in, and he knows that.

Yes. And I mean, Sabrina, I’ve spoken to other family members who have lost their sons and husbands in this war, and they all say that no amount of money can bring back their son. But it does have an effect of making these families far less vocal and far less prone to uniting in some kind of a protest movement that could challenge Putin.

But, Sabrina, with all that being said, the longer I spend time in the Kadyrov house, the more I realized that there were so many layers to this family’s grief, and that there were people present at the funeral who really aren’t on the same page about this war.

So tell me about those people.

So I had this really surreal reporting experience. After this military honors ceremony, the crimson military-issued casket was actually brought into the house, where, according to local custom, Vitya was to spend one final night at home before being buried in a nearby cemetery. And as members of his family gathered around his coffin, they got into a debate actually about why he died.

They’re gathered around his casket. Nobody knows what was inside. The members of the family knew that the body had actually been decomposing for some time in the trench before the Russians were able to get it out. So many people were heartbroken that they couldn’t wash the body, they couldn’t see the body. And I think that drove one of the family members especially to start speaking out against the war.

He called the war in Ukraine nonsense.

And then he said, what? Defending the motherland? From whom?

He said that he thought the people who believed that this war was necessary had been in some kind of a stupor.

He was one of the few people in the family who was willing to say, actually we attacked Ukraine, not the other way around.

There were other people around who chimed in.

One family member compared it to Putin’s annexation of Crimea, saying, what do we even need that for? In other words, Russia is already such a vast and huge country, I mean, the biggest one territorially in the world. Why do we need new territories? And this idea of a greater unified Russia encompassing Ukrainian land wasn’t really landing for him.

I mean, these are very brave questions. Saying this also to you sitting there, an American reporter, this is the thing Putin has really been focused on, that people not say things like this. And yet there they were, saying these things against the war.

There’s no doubt this is a really dangerous thing to say to a journalist at a time when the Russian government is really policing all kinds of dissenting voices on this war. And the extent of repression in Russia now is so strong that even whispering about them can get you in huge trouble, can land you in jail, can land you with a fine.

With my colleague Anton Troianovski and other members of our bureau, we’ve been reporting on the way that people have been fined for anti-war scribbles on a bathroom wall or a simple request to a DJ to play a song by a Ukrainian musician, not to mention people who take the risk of standing in the street with an anti-war slogan.

Right. Boosting the economy and paying off soldiers is one thing, but repression is really the foundation of what Putin has been up to here.

Absolutely. I mean, that’s what holds this whole system together. There are a lot of people in Russia who share anti-war views and who are fed up with more than two decades of Putin in power. But they have very little recourse to do anything to change the situation at this point.

We’ve been reminded of that in the past few weeks in the aftermath of the death of Alexei Navalny, the biggest and most important opposition politician and dissident in post-Soviet Russia. His supporters have shown up to memorials, to his funeral. But everywhere you turn, you’re reminded of the repression that still keeps all of them in check.

I went to some of the memorials and watched as riot police stood on, checking people’s IDs and encouraging people not to linger. While I was there, I talked to a 17-year-old student who said he had been too scared to put down flowers because of possible consequences. And he’s right to worry. I mean, hundreds of people have been arrested across Russia for the simple act of laying down flowers or publicly mourning Navalny.

So even in this moment where the opposition may have been galvanized to some degree in the lead-up to election day, we’re still reminded of the hold that Putin has on Russia.

So, Valerie, to answer the question you started with, how has Putin managed to keep such a tight grip on things, repression is still central to how he’s doing that. But he’s also worked extremely hard to keep people happy in malls, with their iPhones, keeping the economy going, and also paying out those bonuses to soldiers’ families in these very poor areas. And at this moment, heading into his re-election, that’s all basically working.

That’s true, Sabrina. But these are a lot of plates he’s spinning, trying to keep the economy afloat while paying huge salaries to military personnel and revamping the entire military industry. The Kremlin has dipped into reserves to make these financial payments. The economy has changed so much, and no one knows how it will be affected in the long run. The oil price could change. And on top of that, the kernel of dissent remains despite this inertia of repression.

Interesting. So he’s, of course, very much in control, but it’s tenuous. I mean, for it to work, Putin really needs to keep his eyes on all of these areas at once.

Absolutely, Sabrina. I mean, it’s a precarious balance.

And traveling across this vast country, I’ve seen the tremendous power and reach of Putin. Even if these elections are not legitimate, he’s still on the cusp of becoming one of the longest-serving leaders in Russia’s history. And that is a testament to his tremendous staying power. But you also do see the cracks and the tension here. And so the question is whether these cracks begin to widen or whether Putin will prevail, as he has over yet another tumultuous period in Russia’s history.

Valerie, thank you.

Thank you, Sabrina.

Alexei Navalny’s widow, Yulia Navalnaya, has called on Russians who oppose Putin to show up at the polls at noon on Sunday as a sign of collective protest. Earlier this week, Navalny’s top aide, Leonid Volkov, who was helping lead that call to action, was beaten and sprayed with tear gas near his home in Vilnius, Lithuania. Just hours before the attack, Volkov had given an interview in which he expressed concern for the safety of Navalny’s supporters, saying, quote, “the key risk is that we will all be killed.”

Here’s what else you should know today. A jury in Michigan found James Crumbley guilty of involuntary manslaughter, holding him partially responsible for failing to prevent his son from carrying out the state’s deadliest school shooting in 2021. Crumbley’s wife was convicted of similar charges in a separate trial last month.

The couple’s parenting skills had come under intense scrutiny as had their son’s access to a handgun that his father had bought. Now two separate juries have taken the unusual step of holding parents criminally responsible for their child’s crimes.

And Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a speech on the Senate floor, calling him a major obstacle to peace in the Middle East and calling for new leadership in Israel.

As a lifelong supporter of Israel, it has become clear to me the Netanyahu coalition no longer fits the needs of Israel after October 7.

Schumer’s speech was the sharpest critique yet from a senior American elected official. He was effectively urging Israelis to replace Netanyahu, who is under indictment in Israel for bribery and fraud.

I believe in his heart he has his highest priority is the security of Israel. However, I also believe Prime Minister Netanyahu has lost his way.

Schumer, the highest-ranking Jewish elected official in the United States, said that he believed that Netanyahu had chosen himself and his ambition as a politician over his country. Schumer also said that Netanyahu had allowed too many civilian deaths in Gaza, which he argued had reduced support for Israel around the world.

Today’s episode was produced by Rob Zipco, Mary Wilson, and Shannon Lin, with help from Summer Thomad. It was edited by Brendan Klinkenberg and Michael Benoist, fact-checked by Susan Lee and Milana Mazaeva, contains original music by Dan Powell and Marion Lozano, and translations by Milana Mazaeva. It was engineered by Chris Wood. Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly.

That’s it for “The Daily.” I’m Sabrina Tavernise. See you on Monday.

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Hosted by Sabrina Tavernise

Featuring Valerie Hopkins

Produced by Rob Szypko ,  Mary Wilson and Shannon Lin

With Summer Thomad

Edited by Brendan Klinkenberg and Michael Benoist

Original music by Dan Powell and Marion Lozano

Engineered by Chris Wood

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Russians go to the polls today in the first presidential election since their country invaded Ukraine two years ago.

The war was expected to carry a steep cost for President Vladimir V. Putin. Valerie Hopkins, who covers Russia for The Times, explains why the opposite has happened.

On today’s episode

Valerie Hopkins , an international correspondent for The New York Times.

Background reading

Mr. Putin, in pre-election messaging, was less strident on nuclear war .

What to know about Russia’s 2024 presidential vote.

There are a lot of ways to listen to The Daily. Here’s how.

We aim to make transcripts available the next workday after an episode’s publication. You can find them at the top of the page.

Fact-checking by Susan Lee and Milana Mazaeva .

Translations by Milana Mazaeva .

The Daily is made by Rachel Quester, Lynsea Garrison, Clare Toeniskoetter, Paige Cowett, Michael Simon Johnson, Brad Fisher, Chris Wood, Jessica Cheung, Stella Tan, Alexandra Leigh Young, Lisa Chow, Eric Krupke, Marc Georges, Luke Vander Ploeg, M.J. Davis Lin, Dan Powell, Sydney Harper, Mike Benoist, Liz O. Baylen, Asthaa Chaturvedi, Rachelle Bonja, Diana Nguyen, Marion Lozano, Corey Schreppel, Rob Szypko, Elisheba Ittoop, Mooj Zadie, Patricia Willens, Rowan Niemisto, Jody Becker, Rikki Novetsky, John Ketchum, Nina Feldman, Will Reid, Carlos Prieto, Ben Calhoun, Susan Lee, Lexie Diao, Mary Wilson, Alex Stern, Dan Farrell, Sophia Lanman, Shannon Lin, Diane Wong, Devon Taylor, Alyssa Moxley, Summer Thomad, Olivia Natt, Daniel Ramirez and Brendan Klinkenberg.

Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly. Special thanks to Sam Dolnick, Paula Szuchman, Lisa Tobin, Larissa Anderson, Julia Simon, Sofia Milan, Mahima Chablani, Elizabeth Davis-Moorer, Jeffrey Miranda, Renan Borelli, Maddy Masiello, Isabella Anderson and Nina Lassam.

Valerie Hopkins covers the war in Ukraine and how the conflict is changing Russia, Ukraine, Europe and the United States. She is based in Moscow. More about Valerie Hopkins

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