Moscow,
Ulaanbaatar and Beijing
The Trans Siberian railway from Moscow is an economic
lifeline for the towns and cities through which
it passes on its route to Asia. One branch goes
through Mongolia and on to Beijing. This is called
the Trans Mongolian railway. It is possible to
do all or just part of the journey, in either
direction, and one can always stop in Ulaanbaatar
city to see Mongolia.
2008 Group Train Tours
Extension
Tours in Russia and China
For people coming to Mongolia, if you have never
traveled in our neighbouring countries, Russia
and China, now is a great opportunity. We can
organize your train tickets as well as tours,
accommodation and transport in Moscow, Irkutsk
(for Lake Baikal in Siberia), Ulaanbaatar and
Beijing. For more information and ideas see:  China
& Russia Extensions
The
Train Experience
From Moscow to Ulaanbaatar takes 5 days. Beijing
to Ulaanbaatar takes about 35 hours and includes
changing the bogeys. The whole train is
lifted into the air and the bogeys substituted
for the different gauge. Whether arriving from the east
or the west, this is a wonderful way to enter
Mongolia and is certainly the experience of a
lifetime. It is not just a means of getting from
A to B. It is a way to meet other travelers, to
see the way of life of the local people, and to
enjoy the constantly changing landscapes, all
of which you miss if flying directly to your destination.
Facilities
on the Train
 The
train is rather like a moving hotel. Compartments
have beds, a table, and plenty of storage space.
In each carriage there is a toilet and washroom,
and a "samovar" dispensing hot water
for tea and coffee. Attendants are constantly
present to keep the train clean and orderly. "Lux"
compartments have two beds and are really quite
luxurious. "Coupe" or "hard class"
have four bunks per compartment, all with clean
sheets and blankets supplied. Some trains have
an intermediate "soft class" with 4
softer beds.
Booking
Train Tickets
Train tickets need to be booked well in advance,
even though they will only be issued near to the
date of departure. This is particularly true during
peak tourist season in Mongolia at the beginning
of July around the time of the Naadam festival.
It isn't possible to buy return tickets, nor tickets
which would allow you to get on and off the train
whenever you fancy. If you want to make stopovers,
it is necessary to obtain a separate ticket for
each stage of the journey, and each ticket can
only be issued in the place where that part of
your journey is starting from.
Supply
of Train Tickets Without Tours
The Trans Siberian Railway system is still rather
antiquated and tightly under the control of the
Railway Authorities of China, Mongolia and Russia.
As such, obtaining tickets is nothing like the
simple procedure that it is in most developed
countries. For this reason, we only provide train
tickets for our clients who are booking tours
or other services with us in Mongolia, China or
Russia.
The
Train Schedule
Trains from Moscow to Ulaanbaatar
depart twice a week, and similarly in the opposite
direction (Ulaanbaatar to Moscow). There are trains
every day between Irkutsk and Ulaanbaatar. The
train to Ulaanbaatar departs from Beijing once
a week and the day of departure changes each year.
The train from Ulaanbaatar to Beijing also departs
once a week, and the schedule does not normally
change. Sometimes the Railway Authorities put
on an additional train during the busy tourist
season, but this is only announced once the busy
tourist season is already underway.
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