The Trans-Mongolian Railway: From Beijing to Ulaanbaatar by Train
The Trans-Siberian Railway is one of those adventures that conjures up dreamy scenes of snowy tundras, exotic oriental cities, onion domed churches and fur-coat wrapped babushkas, all washed down with a few shots of vodka for good measure.
There’s something so whimsically enticing about it all - cosying up in a train carriage whilst being whisked across the barren expanse of Siberia and the Gobi Desert makes this trip a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
THE TRANS-MONGOLIAN RAILWAY PART ONE: BEIJING TO ULAANBAATAR
The first leg of the Trans-Mongolian Railway will whisk you from the Chinese Imperial capital of Beijing, steeped in history and culture, to the relatively new city of Ulaanbaatar, the booming yet chaotic capital of nomadic Mongolia, where the largest city has only recently developed it’s own identity and culture.
Overland travel on the Trans-Mongolian forces the opportunity to slow down, relax and soak in the experience. Inside the carriages, you’ll get an authentic insight into the local way of life, and gazing outside, you’ll take in the unique scenery you’d never experience on a quick flight.
There’s no better way to travel between these two cities than by immersing yourself in the local way of travel that is long distance trains.
Part one of the series will cover the Trans-Mongolians basics, pre-booking tickets for the Beijing to Ulaanbaatar leg, train carriage options, arranging Chinese and Mongolian tourist visas, how to collect your tickets once in Beijing, what to expect on train 3/4, the border crossing from China to Mongolia, and safety as a solo female on the Trans-Mongolian trains
All the advice on this page is taken from my own planning and solo travel experience when I completed this journey in the month of February (aka, the depths of a Siberian winter)!
Yaks grazing in the Gobi Desert
TRANS-MONGOLIAN TRAIN OPTIONS
So you’ve decided to plan an epic adventure on the Trans Mongolian? Great! It really is a once in a life time adventure.
But with sooo many options, how do you even know where to start planning?
First things first, it’s best to start by making a couple of key decisions:
» WHICH DIRECTION DO YOU WANT TO TRAVEL?
East to West - starting in Beijing and running to Moscow via Mongolia, this option is great for anyone starting in Asia, Australia or New Zealand and looking to finish up in Europe. This direction is the less common direction of travel, so if you’re looking for less tourists and more locals, this is best option for you.
West to East - starting in Moscow and running to Beijing via Mongolia, this is the best option if you’re starting from Europe and wanting to finish up in Asia. The more popular option with tourists, you’re more likely to share the journey with other English speaking foreigners.
» WHERE TO STOPOVER ALONG THE WAY (IF AT ALL)?
No Stops - Jump on board and ride from beginning to end! If you want to ride the railway from Beijing to Moscow without stopping off in any of the cities or towns along the way, the direct route takes 6 days overall.
Stops - If you’d like to stop and explore the cities before jumping on a train to the next destination, it’s totally possible for tickets can be booked for individual train legs . The most popular destinations to stop off at are Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia and Irkutsk in eastern Russia, however there are many other cities, particularly within Russia, that make great stopovers also - think Omsk and Yekaterinburg.
I highly recommend checking out the Real Russia schedule planner to get an idea of train options and their frequencies across the whole Trans-Mongolian network. Real Russia are a credible agency for both booking tickets within Russia and arranging a letter of invitation for your Russian tourist visa (more on the later).
The Trans-Mongolian Route Map - from Beijing to Ulaanbaatar
BOOKING TICKETS FROM BEIJING TO ULAANBAATAR BY TRAIN
Once you’ve nailed down your direction of travel and where you’d like to stop, it’s much easier to start fleshing out an itinerary. As I started my adventure from China, references in this article will be based on an East to West journey from Beijing to Moscow, however I’ll let you know any alternate advice if travelling in the opposite direction.
Step one is to arrange a ticket from Beijing to Ulaanbaatar.
» THE TRANS-MONGOLIAN EXPRESS TRAIN #3
The Trans-Mongolian Train #3 is the one leg of this trip that should definitely be booked in advance. Running once per week only, and the only option running all the way from China to Russia, this train is very popular for tourists and locals alike, especially over the busy summer months. Over winter, it’s not as busy and not always full, however given the limited train options between Beijing and Ulaanbaatar, it’s safer to have this leg locked in.
ESSENTIAL DETAILS
Departs: Wednesday at 07:27am, Chinese Standard Time.
Arrives: Thursday at 14:35pm, Ulaanbaatar Standard Time.
Cost: Deluxe Soft Sleeper 2-berth: US$385, Hard Sleeper 4-berth: US$265.
The easiest way to secure a ticket is to book with CITS, a Chinese state travel agency. Tickets can be reserved up to 60 days in advance and payment is accepted via bank transfer. Note that you will need to physically collect the tickets from the CITS office in Beijing (not the train station!) - details on this are down a bit further.
» TRAIN #23
In addition to train #3, the second option is to take train #23 which departs once or twice per week. It’s a similar quality train but it runs from Beijing to Ulaanbaatar only, it doesn’t continue on to Russia, so avoid this one if you don’t want to stopover in Ulaanbaatar! It’s the best alternative if train #3 is booked out.
Covid-19 Update: this train has not run since 2020 - check the latest schedule for restart dates.
» REGIONAL TRAINS
As a third option, it’s also possible to take a regional train to the border, use local transport such as a taxi to cross the border into Mongolia, then take a regional sleeper train on to Ulaanbaatar. It’s definitely the least convenient option but if you’re looking to save money and want to be fully flexible with your itinerary, this one might be for you.
The Trans-Mongolian Express Train #3
CARRIAGE OPTIONS ON THE TRANS-MONGOLIAN EXPRESS
There are three options for the Chinese sleeper trains, such as Trans-Mongolian Train #3:
2-berth luxury soft sleeper
4-berth soft sleeper
4-berth hard sleeper
There is barely any difference between the soft and hard sleepers (a few extra millimeters of space), so unless you’re splashing out on a 2-berth cabin (which is a great option for a couple), I’d highly recommend to save your cash and book the 4-berth hard sleeper if you’re travelling alone.
GETTING A CHINESE TOURIST VISA
To visit China, it’s necessary to apply for and receive your tourist visa before entering China, and for New Zealand Citizens (who are living in New Zealand) this can now be completed online, and may require an in-person visit at either the Auckland or Christchurch consulates (mine didn’t).
Expect to pay NZ$140 + a mailing fee.
Your application will require the following documentation:
Valid passport and additional photo.
Evidence of travel in and out of China - another reason why it’s good to have your train tickets booked.
Evidence of accommodation for every night in China - if you’ve got this booked then great, however there are ways to get around this if you want to be flexible with your plans.
An invitation letter from a Chinese company - my hostel provided this for me.
Apply for the visa between 3 months and 1 month before your intended travel date to ensure it arrives on time and take note that your visa will be for a limited time period - mine was 15 days and a single entry only.
As always, this article is intended to provide practical experience however the latest and greatest requirements should always be checked on the official Chinese and Mongolian travel visa websites.
GETTING A MONGOLIAN TOURIST VISA
To visit Mongolia, it’s also necessary for New Zealand citizens to apply for and receive a tourist visa before entering Mongolia - luckily this is the easiest visa to apply for in terms of information requirements!
If you are transiting through Mongolia to/from China and Russia, and will be in Mongolia less than 5 days, only a transit visa is required. Be sure to check the times of your entry and exit station stops carefully if using this option.
Expect to pay NZ$95 for a transit visa or NZ$170 for a tourist visa - this has gone up significantly in recent years (the tourist visa was originally NZ$95)!
Applications can be made to the Honorary Consulate up to 30 days in advance. Note that your visa will list the date by which you must enter the country, not the expiry date of the visa. You have 30 days from the date of entry.
A small village in provincial China.
ON ARRIVAL IN BEIJING
Hopefully you’ve got some spare days to look around the fascinating city of Beijing before heading off on the Trans-Mongolian train. Visiting the Great Wall of China is a must while you’re in Beijing:
Read More: Badaling, Mutianyu or Jinshanling? Why You Should Visit the Jinshanling Great Wall of China
» COLLECTING THE TRANS-MONGOLIAN TICKETS
Once you’ve arrived in Beijing, it’s time to collect your tickets from the CITS offices in central Beijing - not the train station!
Getting to the CITS office can be a little confusing. It’s located at No.1 Dongdanbei Dajie, Beijing and there’s little signage outside - it’s also not the first building on the street (like you might expect from building no.1), however head in the main entrance and you’ll find it - staff speak English and will point you in the right direction if required.
WHAT TO EXPECT ON THE TRANS-MONGOLIAN EXPRESS #3
» DEPARTURE TIME
The Trans-Mongolian departs from Beijing Railway Station and you’ll need to be there an hour before departure. The station is easily accessible via the subway station Beijingzhan (often called Beijing Railway Station in the english translation) on Line 2.
In the station, you’ll be directed to a waiting room and shortly before boarding the track number will be advised. As you arrive at the train, each carriage has signage denoting the carriage number - all berths are pre-assigned and are noted in English on the tickets, so it’s just a case of walking along to find the right number.
» BERTHS & CARRIAGES
The 4-berth rooms are made of up, yes you guessed it, 4 bunk beds. However during the day, the two upper bunks are folded away so that the occupants can sit on the lower bunks and utilise the table in between the bunks.
Luggage is typically stored underneath the lower bunk bed, so it’s handy to keep a daypack with the things you’ll need on the train and avoid needing to keep getting into the storage area.
As I mentioned early, the berths are pre-assigned and it’s not possible to request a particular space. If you’re travelling with someone else, you’ll be assigned a room together, otherwise you’ll be sharing with other passengers.
The berths are not randomly assigned though - consideration is given to who you’ll share with. As a single female traveller, I was a little concerned about being in an enclosed (lockable) room with strangers, however I was assigned a room with a young Mongolian woman of similar age and her 4 year old daughter. As I was travelling off-peak season, the train wasn’t full so we luckily had a free bunk in our room.
Sharing with a local Mongolian was one of my favourite parts of the experience - she spoke a little English so we were able to hold a decent conversation and I got to learn a lot about Mongolian life as we rolled through Inner Mongolia. For example, one of the interesting facts she shared was her hours of work. Typical office hours in Mongolia were 8am til 7pm, 6 days per week, with only Saturday’s off. On top of that, annual leave/vacation time was only two weeks per year.
Definitely a good reminder of the to appreciate the flexible working policies and work/life balance we get to enjoy in New Zealand
Tickets for the Trans-Mongolian Express #3
The 4-berth cabin on train #3
» FACILITIES ON TRAIN #3
BEDDING
When the bunks are folded down for the night, all the required bedding is supplied, including sheets, a pillow, and blankets. Even though I travelled in the depths of winter, the train was nice and warm and you’re very unlikely to feel cold (until you jump off the train!).
POWER OUTLETS
All rooms in the carriage have ample power outlets (and even USB outlets in the most modern carriages) so there won’t be any trouble keeping devices fully charged. There is no wifi available on the trains, however 3G/4G coverage is now pretty good along the route. If an internet coverage is a must, it’s possible to get a SIM in China that comes with a VPN.
WC/BATHROOM/RESTROOMS
The toilets on the Trans-Mongolian are a bit of an experience. Located at the end of each carriage, the washroom contains both a regular seated toilet and a squat toilet. Note that the washrooms are not available within a certain distance of town and cities - this is because the toilets empty directly on to the tracks below - you’ll be able to see the tracks down below. On the plus side, there’s no smells to deal with!
HOT WATER
At the top end of each carriage is a hot water machine - known as a samovar. This simple piece of equipment will become your new best friend, providing the means to prepare coffee, hot chocolate and instant noodles - all the necessities of an overnight train adventure!
THE RESTAURANT CARRIAGE
If living off instant noodles is not your thing, there is luckily a restaurant carriage connected to the train and is a great experience for a meal. The decor is a unique, but trying some of the local cuisine is a must do. The restaurant carriage switches from Chinese to Mongolian when the train crosses the border, so you’ll also get to experience some of each country.
SMOKING
Once you’ve spent a little time in China, you’ll quickly realise that smoking is pretty common, even indoors, and even inside nice restaurants. It’ll be of little surprise then that if your carriage contains locals, you can expect some smoking inside - despite the obvious no smoking signs. Whilst the train is moving it’s not really too noticeable in the cabins as the train is ventilated, however when the trains are stopped at the stations (particular at the border crossing) it can get pretty smoky inside. Unfortunately there’s not too much you can do when the main offenders tend to be the staff…
Frozen landscapes through dusty train windows.
» THE CHINA-MONGOLIA BORDER CROSSING
The border crossing occurs at Erlian (on the Chinese side) and Dzamin Uud (on the Mongolian side) and take quite a bit of time - upwards of 4 hours in total!
This is due to both the immigration process and the need to change the wheels on the train! Fun fact, the Chinese railway uses 4’ 8 1/2” gauge tracks and the Mongolian and Russian railways use 5’ gauge tracks - so the trains need to switch to the correct gauge when they cross the border!
On arrival at the border crossing, the Chinese customs and immigration will board the train and take your passports off for processing - yep it’s one of those ones where you’re stuck in the middle of nowhere without a passport! Definitely unnerving, but don’t worry, it will come back.
At this point, you’re encouraged to get off the train and head into the Erlian Train Station - there’s a lot of restaurants in the building and surrounding area to pass the time. Locals off the train dispersed into the restaurants and surrounding streets, however being unfamiliar with the process and the dark streets, it’s probably safest to stick to the main Railway Station building, especially if you’re travelling alone.
If you do head off to explore, ensure you’re back in time for departure around 1am - along with missing the train, you’ll be left behind without your passport! It’s only once the train is ready to leave that your passport is returned before heading off down the tracks for 10 minutes to the Mongolian immigration and customs officers.
The forms to fill out at the Mongolian entry are a bit entertaining - you’ll have to declare you’re not importing anything illegal (however it’s not clear on the form what is illegal to import…. I ticked no!) and all currency needs to be declared, even spare change.
Once again passports were taken away for processing and at some point during the night in the middle of your sleep, you’ll get your freshly stamped passport back!
The Trans-Mongolian Express in Inner Mongolia province.
» SAFETY ON THE TRANS-MONGOLIAN RAILWAY
Safety on the Trans-Siberian or Trans-Mongolian Railway is important consideration - especially as a female travelling alone! In fact it was probably the main comment I got when someone learned what I was off to do.
However there was no need to worry. I never felt unsafe on the Trans-Mongolian Railway, nor in China, Mongolia or Russia themselves.
IN THE CARRIAGES
On the trains, each carriage has a conductor or attendant who looks after their occupants. Their presence in the carriage stops loiterers from poking around in the room while you’re on the platform for a stretch or dining in the restaurant carriage.
As the 2-berth and 4-berth rooms are lockable from the inside, it can be concerning when wondering who you might be in a cabin with! However based on my experience it’s very unlikely to be a problem.
I shared with a local Mongolian family on one train, a similar-aged American woman on another, and a completely mixed group on the final leg through Russia. Everyone is really friendly and the atmosphere is very welcoming. You’re more likely to be sharing a vodka and snacks and making friends, than worrying about your neighbours!
Even the vodka consumption wasn’t a concern - folks would be chatting and socialising, but things never got rowdy. Once the lights went down at night everything really quietened down.
ON THE PLATFORM
It’s a good idea to take a copy of the train schedule so you know the arrival and departure times for each stop. These should be posted on the wall of each carriage, however these are sometimes missing or out of date.
The stops range from 5 minutes, where you’ll barely have time to stretch your legs, to more than 40 minutes in the big cities where it’s possible to have a bit more of an explore. Always be back in plenty of time - the conductors keep an eye, but there’s no stopping the train.
It is of course sensible to keep valuables hidden out of site or take them with you, but generally belongings are safe inside the carriages. The most dangerous part will be pickpocketers in the busy railway stations, such as Ulaanbaatar.
Crime against foreigners in rare on the Trans Mongolian - you’ll probably be treated more like a celebrity than a opportunity for theft. You’re likely to be approached for a photo because the locals are curious about you, than because they’re looking to distract and mug you. However there is one downside, and that is sadly Russia’s racism problem. Non-Caucasian passing people will need to be aware of extra attention, potentially from police or immigration while in Russia.
» WHAT TO DO ON THE TRAIN
So what do you actually do on the Trans-Mongolian from Beijing to Ulaanbaatar? That’s easy - relax! Sit back and enjoy the ride!
Time will pass quicker than you expect as your fill your days reading, catching up on emails, journals or blogs, chatting with your neighbours, meals in the dining cart, and just sitting back and absorbing the scenery as you roll through the towns and on into the expansive Gobi Desert. During winter, the snow covered ground and frozen stream are pretty mesmerising as you make your way across China and into Mongolia.
Then before you know it, you’ll start seeing the small nomadic villages on the outskirts of Ulaanbaatar!
Nomadic horses on the Mongolian steppes.
ARRIVING IN ULAANBAATAR
The Trans-Mongolian Train #3 arrives into Ulaanbaatar just after 1pm in the afternoon. The train station and the traffic on the streets outside is some of the most chaotic I’ve experienced - so I’d highly recommend pre-arranging transport with your accommodation. Otherwise, take an official taxi - but note that both vehicle and road quality is very low in the city!
» PLAN A STOPOVER IN ULAANBAATAR
Ulaanbaatar and the Terejl National Park are fascinating places to spend a few days before continuing on the Trans-Mongolian Railway. Check out this article for to spend a stopover:
Read More: Ger Camps & Camel Festivals - What to Expect on a Tour of Terelj National Park
If you’re not planning on stopping over in Ulaanbaatar, head on over to the next article in this series - the leg from Ulaanbaatar to Irkutsk.
Next in the series: The Trans-Mongolian Railway Part 2 - Ulaanbaatar to Irkutsk
Followed by: The Trans-Mongolian Railway Part 3 - Irkutsk to Moscow
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