Getting Around Mongolia

If anyone tries to look up the schedule, trains, berth availability on Express-3 Russian reservation system in 99% of cases nothing will come up for Ulan-Bator.

This is simply because a city is not the same thing as a station and the Express-3 reservation system is very picky.

Instead of trying all kind of combinations in Cyrillic to satisfy the Express-3 there is also a hidden numeric code assigned to every possible and impossible station all over Eurasia.

The code for Ulan Bator is 3100022

The code for Moscow Yaroslav station where the trains to U.B. do depart is by the way 2000002

BY AIR
It is no longer necessary to organise a guided tour before you come to Mongolia. Direct flights arrive from China, Russia, Japan and South Korea. I came to Mongolia from Japan via South Korea on a MIAT flight. I found the service to be of an international standard.
Korean Air also operates flights to Ulaan Baatar.
http://www.koreanair.com/index.asp?langid=EN

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Continued from my Russian page...

We crossed the border to Mongolia at Nausjkij (Russia) and Suhe-Bator (Mongolia). We waited four hours at the border - but it might take much longer time. At the border all restrooms in the train were closed, but we could use the restrooms in the station building instead. A Russian official entered the train and informed us (in well-spoken English) about the procedure at the border. First the Russian passport authority collected all passports, later customs checked our cabin (and had a quick look at our luggage), and we got our passport back. We had absolutely no problems at the border.

From Moscow to Ulaanbaatar we were travelling with a Mongolian train. Suddenly there was a carpet on the carriage floor... and the restrooms had toilet paper and soap... The train had to arrive in Ulaanbaatar with style. The train arrived as scheduled in Ulaanbaatar, the Danish railway company could learn from their Mongolian colleagues...

When travelling from Ulaanbaatar to Beijing we passed through the Gobi Desert. Very hot and dusty! There was dust all over the cabin - and I will recommend you to bring a dust mask to keep the sand and dust out of you lungs.

Will continue on my China page...

The best way of getting around Mongolia, other than the traditional horse-back method, is to catch one of the ubiquitous UAZ minivans. There are lots that follow set routes, or you can hire your own with a driver from one of the hostels in UB.

Gingghis Khaan International Airport has a nice sound to it, but the reality is that it handles only a couple of international flights a day, mainly to Beijing, Seoul or Moscow. There is one lonely baggage carousel. But the lack of traffic means that passengers are processed quickly on arrival and departure. Currency exchange is basic. When old Cliffie was there they had run out of US dollars and were trying to cope with a few large Chinese notes and a small boxful of euro coins.

Normal cars are outnumbered by 4x4s in Ulaanbaatar. And the vehicle of choice is the Hummer. They come in different colours and configurations. Some, just arrived in the city, look dusty and well travelled. Others, like the two in the photo, have been washed and polished for a wedding. It must be fun to roll around the city in a yellow Hummer on your wedding day.

Getting to/from the airport in Ulaanbaatar is a little tricky if you decide to use public transport. It's a better option to take a "taxi" (basically a normal car) from outside the terminal. I took one driven by a young guy into the city centre for T10,000 (togrogs) on a rough looking road past dozens of American style billboards and some pretty rough looking places that doesn't give you the best first impression of the city.

If you're planning on heading out of Mongolia on a train via the Trans-Mongolian or Trans-Siberian Railway, then this is the place to come to in order to reserve a ticket NOT the main railway station. I took the train from Ulaanbaatar to Beijing and came here to get a ticket. The system in order to get a ticket is a bit weird and old fashioned which I will now explain. Firstly, don't go straight to the Beijing or Moscow counters (there are signs directing you the way). Instead, go to room 109. Here, a woman will check the availability on a computer and then write something down on a piece of paper for you. Take this to the counter of your choice where you can then pay (albeit eventually). The whole system is very archaic as I didn't know about "room 109" and so stood in line at the counter for 30 minutes before being told to go to the room first. Why everything can't be done at the counter (as they have a computer there), I don't know but now you know what to do. Anyway, my lovely soft-class sleeper ticket cost T133,150.