Transport in Mongolia.

Travel around Mongolia may be slow, arduous and uncomfortable but the rewards frequently outstrip the demands. The road network is a system of frequently travelled routes, not paved, but scribed into the landscape by the tyres of passing vehicles. Although the networks are pretty rudimentary, public transport can be found to deliver Mongolians, and hardy travellers, between the aimag towns and Ulaanbaatar.

Travel in this manner can be hot, overcrowded and uncomfortable. You might even find yourself thrown in the back of a van amongst the local drunks. In order to achieve success, you must come mentally prepared:

Be flexible: Mongolian transport leaves when full, despite your ticket, this could be before you arrive / very, very late.

Seize opportunities: Integrate with the locals, alleviate boredom and discover more about Mongolia. This will involve learning some Mongolian, few people speak English outside the city and larger towns.

Allocate plenty of time: If your bus breaks down on the Mongolian steppe, your 8 hr journey could last several days as you wait patiently for the next passing vehicle.

Be patient and friendly: These are two fundamental facets of Mongolian lifestyle. Adopt them early and enjoy yourself from the start of the adventure. Remember, the pace of life here is slow, the steppe is vast, travel times are long and journeys are very uncomfortable.

Come equipped: If you do break down in the wilderness, you can rest assured you will be rescued by a well meaning passerby... eventually. A night in the wilderness, sleeping on or next to a bus, will be far more comfortable if you come prepared. Be sure that you always take plenty of water and snacks when venturing out of the main towns.

Plan and prepare: Drivers display destinations using a sign placed upon the dashboard, this is written in Cyrillic script. It will be far easier to locate your bus, if you ask the patron of your accommodation to write the destination on a piece of paper for you.

Many tourists travel with organised tours, others share the cost of jeep hire and still others use the local public transport network. There is no right or wrong way to travel, choose whichever method is right for your budget and personality.

Mongolia: Travel by Rail.

The Trans Mongolian railway splits the country in half down the middle neatly dividing east and west. Over 1000 km in length, the line runs from Ulan Ude on the Trans Siberian network (Russia), across the northern border. It then passes down through Mongolia to the Chinese border in the south. Here it connects to the Chinese railway network and maintains important trade links between the three nations. The Mongolian rail network carries 95% of freight and 55% of all passenger traffic through the country.

To promote and maintain development, the Russian government has recently unveiled plans to invest 250 million USD into the Mongolian rail network. Most of the money will be spent on a new line that facilitates the carriage of mineral deposits into Siberia.

As well as the Trans Mongolian line, two important spur lines carry freight and passengers. The first runs from the town of Erdenet (west of Ulaanbaatar) to Darkhan (north of Ulaanbaatar). The second connects Ulaanbaatar itself, eastwards to the town of Baganuur.

A third, little known line, can be found in the far east of Mongolia. This is not connected to the main network, running from Mongolian Choibalsan to Borzya in Siberia. The eastern line is closed to passengers beyond a Mongolian town called Chuluunkhoroot. Officially the border to Siberia can be crossed by road at Ereen Tsav and trains can be picked up again in Borzya.

In practice, at this crossing post, foreigners are turned away by border officials who claim the Russian side is a restricted zone. If you intend to cross here, before arrival you should apply for permission from the Russian Foreign Ministry. Onward travel can then be resumed at Borzya, a town on the Trans Manchurian rail route.

Tickets for travel on the Trans Mongolian network can be arranged through an agent such as Real Russia. In my own dealings, I have found the company to be fast and reliable. The website is also great for rail schedules, itinerary planning and visa arrangements. I have yet to find a cheaper source of tickets and visas other than buying them direct. A ticket between Irkutsk and Ulaanbaatar costs approximately US$228.97 2nd class (GBP£150). Similarly a ticket between Ulaanbaatar and Beijing costs $216.39 2nd class (GBP£140).

Get Timetable and Pricing information from Real Russia:

Travellers should be aware that train tickets sell out far in advance during summer months. This is especially true on the international trains and around the Naadam festival (11th-13th July each year). You should consider purchasing tickets at the earliest opportunity or be prepared to make alternative travel arrangements. See Mongolia Border Crossings for further details.

Mongolia: Railway Map.

Mongolia: Travel by Air.

Mongolia’s largest airport is Chinggis Khan International, located just outside Ulaanbaatar. This airport receives all of Mongolia’s international air traffic, with one minor exception. From Olgii, in western Mongolia, it’s currently possible to fly to Almaty, Kazakhstan on a scheduled weekly flight with Trans-Olgii. Before booking and embarking upon flights to...from... or within Mongolia, travellers must understand that Mongolian operators are definitely not up to western safety standards. Although international carriers generally have better safety records than domestic carriers; this is largely due to the requirements of external airports.

For the cheapest international flights try Skyscanner, it compares comparison sites for the very best prices. You can also view the cheapest flights available for each day of an entire month.

Mongolia: International Airlines.

  • Aero Mongolia (airline code MNG; www.aeromongolia.mn)
  • Destinations:
  • Dalanzadgad, Hohhot (China), Khovd, Irkutsk (Russia), Oyutolgoi, Ovoot, Tavan tolgoi, Ulaangom, Ulaanbaatar, Ulgii.



  • Eznis (airline code ZY; www.eznisairways.com)
  • Destinations:
  • Altai, Bayankhongor, Choibalsan, Dalanzadgad, Hailaar (China), Karkorum, Khovd, Murun, Oyu tolgoi, Ovoot, Tavan tolgoi, Ulaangom, Ulaanbaatar, Ulan-Ude (Russia), Ulgii, Uliastai.


  • MIAT (airline code OM; miat.com)
  • Destinations:
  • Beijing-Capital (China), Berlin-Tegel (Germany), Irkutsk (Russia) [seasonal],Moscow-Sheremetyevo (Russia), Osaka-Kansai (Japan) [seasonal], Seoul-Incheon (South Korea), Tokyo-Haneda (Japan), Tokyo-Narita (Japan).

Mongolia: Domestic Airlines.

Domestic airlines fly routes throughout Mongolia, landing at a total of 44 airports. Some of the more popular runways are paved, but the vast majority are grass. Below is a map of airports served by the two main domestic carriers, Eznis and Aero Mongolia.

Mongolia: Flight Route Map.

Aero Mongolia: Route Map

Eznis: Route Map

Mongolia: Domestic Flight Pointers.

Check in at least one hour before your flight.

Flights may be overbooked, even if you have a ticket with allocated seating.

There is often a scramble for seats, as they are not generally allocated beforehand.

There is no central reservation system, so, if you buy return tickets, they must be confirmed upon arrival at your destination.

Although prices are generally cheap, tickets for foreigners are usually higher than for local Mongolians. It’s possible to ask a local to purchase tickets on your behalf, you do not need to buy them in person.

Under fives fly free and children between 5 and 16 are usually half price.

Don’t be fooled by touts offering reservations in exchange for a deposit. Without a ticket you won’t be getting on a plane.

Tickets sell out quickly, so if you need to purchase a flight, buy it as soon as you arrive. This is particularly true in the countryside or over the summer months.

Mongolia: Travel by Road.

Around Ulaanbaatar.

Buses:

Public buses and trolley buses are the main methods of transportation in Ulaanbaatar, they begin service at 6am and finish at 10pm. Buses in Ulaanbaatar charge a fixed fee per ride to any destination in the city. On a public bus this fee is 200 MNT and on a trolleybus it’s 100 MNT per ride.

Taxis:

There are dedicated yellow taxis who officially serve the city, however private cars can also be hailed for an inexpensive ride. It is highly recommended that you stick to using the dedicated yellow city cabs. There are obvious advantages to using licensed vehicles; you are far less likely to be involved in an accident because of human or mechanical error. The small extra cost is worth every penny, as road accidents are, unfortunately, an all too common sight. Expect to pay approximately 500 MNT per km of travel on the meter. For charter hire, travelling short distances in or outside Ulaanbaatar, expect to pay in the region of 3,000MNT per hour. As a tourist in the city, negotiate prices before getting into the cab. It is unfortunate, but some unscrupulous taxi drivers will try to fleece you for every penny you own especially outside the airport.

Leaving Ulaanbaatar.

Mongolia’s Intercity Shuttle Buses:

Buses travel daily from Ulaanbaatar to most of the aimag towns throughout Mongolia. Upon arrival at an aimag, other vans may be waiting, offering transport to the sums (smaller towns) throughout the province. Travel between aimags by public transport is extremely hit and miss, often necessitating a journey back to the capital.

For long distance journeys, tickets can be purchased 2 days in advance. If a ticket is available on the day of travel, it will often attract a higher fare. Try to arrive at least 1 hour early for your scheduled journey as buses depart when they are full, not at the allotted departure time. It is extremely unlikely that anybody at the bus station will speak any English whatsoever. Because of this, it will sometimes be necessary to employ a translator, or to buy tickets from your guesthouse or hostel.

Tourist attractions away from the public transport network can be reached easily if you hire a jeep or taxi upon arrival at your destination.

Below, I have provided details for some of the most popular and reliable routes out of Ulaanbaatar.

From Dragon Station, transport can arranged to most aimag towns, even to Ulgii in Western Mongolia if so desired (48 hr journey). Prices for these long trips are extremely inexpensive, however, departure and journey times are heavily reliant on luck, so I have not listed them here!

Ulaanbaatar’s Bus Stations:

  • Dragon Bus Station (western) Destinations:
  • Tsetserleg: 15,000 MNT; 11 hours; 8am daily.
  • Arvaikheer: 10,000 MNT; 10 hours; 8am daily.
  • Mandalgovi: 10,000 MNT; 6 hours; 8am daily.
  • Khakhorin: 10,000 MNT; 8 hours; 9am daily.
  • Erdenet: 10,000 MNT; 7 hours; Midday and 2pm daily.
  • Darkhan: 5,000 MNT; 4 hours; 9am, 10am, 3pm and 4pm daily.
  • Bulgan:10,000 MNT; 8 hours; 8am daily.

  • Bayanzurskh Autostation (eastern) Destinations:
  • Choibalsan: 15,000 MNT; 13 hours; 7am daily.
  • Undorkhaan: 10,000 MNT; 5 hours; 7am daily.
  • Dalanzadgad: 15.000 MNT; 12 hours; 7am daily.

  • Undsen Khuulin Gudamj (central) Destinations:
  • Moron: 20,000 MNT; Midday Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Mongolia Bus Routes.

Travelling by car:

Away from the capital few roads are paved. Instead the road network is composed of an intricate network of tyre tracks winding their way throughout the countryside.

From aimag towns, jeeps and vans can be hired offering a means of transport to explore the countryside. The price should be in the region of 300 MNT – 600 MNT per km of travel. This includes the cost of petrol and the drivers pay for the journey.

Before hiring a car, check driver’s credentials and the condition of the vehicle. An accident or breakdown in the countryside can involve a few days of sitting idly by, waiting for the next vehicle to pass by.

If you are planning to drive your own vehicle or a hire car around Mongolia, it is worthwhile investing in a GPS system. These are surprisingly accurate on wilderness trails. Other recommended investments are an accurate Mongolian Road Map (available at the Ulaanbaatar Map Shop, near the State Department Store) and a local guide / translator.

If travelling to China in your own car, a Chinese driving permit and a guide are necessitated by law once you pass over the border.

Mongolian Road Map.

Mongolia: Travel by Horse.

Horse is the traditional method of travel in Mongolia. If you plan to hire a trusty steed for any length of time, visit the Black Market in Ulaanbaatar and pick up a Russian leather saddle. Mongolian saddles are made from wood, and are no good for extended periods of riding.

Horses in Mongolia tend to be of wild temperament and must be watched closely. They may seize the opportunity to bolt, and if lost must be paid for at the end of your trip. Horse thieves operate throughout Mongolia, and will make the most of the opportunity if they happen upon a foreigner. Wild animals are another consideration; wolves prowl the countryside and will happily consider a horse as their next meal. Where possible stay with local nomadic families who will help you to tether and watch other your precious mount.

Mongolia: Travel by Water.

The waterways of Mongolia are frozen for much of the year, generally thawing in May and freezing again during September. Including these ‘touch and go’ months, the waterways are only accessible for 5 months of the year, which is perhaps the reason they are seldom used.

Lake Khuvsgol is the only real exception, and is presently the most commonly used waterway in the whole of Mongolia. Charter boats are available for hire if you wish to sail upon its crystal clear waters. Little traffic passes on the other rivers and lakes of Mongolia, for either freight or passenger.

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