Train schedule in Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia). Train time table in Ulaanbaatar. Train in Ulan batar. Train in Ulaanbator. Train schedule Ulan-Bator (Ulaanbaatar, Ulaanbaator) - Ulan-Ude - Irkutsk. Train schedule Ulaanbaatar - Beijing.

TRAINS. TIMETABLES. TICKETS

TRANS MONGOLIAN RAILROAD

Train schedule in Ulaanbaatar

Most people travel from Russia or China to Mongolia directly along the Trans-Mongolian Railway line. The following gives general information on traveling the route by rail. Trans Mongolian Railway operates some 1,110 kilometers of "Trans-Mongolian Main Line" (inside Mongolia). Dating back to 1938, the Trans Mongolian runs from Russian border via Ulaanbaatar to the Chinese border. Exploring Mongolia following the rail lines of the legendary Trans Mongolian and Trans Siberian Railways is more than a simple way of transportation, it is an expedition in itself. Total distance by rail from Beijing to St Petersburg is 7,925 km. Travelers can join in Moscow (or St. Petersburg) or in Beijing (or Hong Kong and Hanoi). There are usually nine compartments in each carriage with four berths in each (twin-share rail compartments are available for a supplementary price).

THE NORTH DIRECTION

Route: Beijing - Ulaanbaatar - Ulan-Ude --  Irkutsk - Krasnoyarsk - Novosibirsk - Yekaterinburg - Moscow

We hope you had good time in Mongolia. Our next stop is Siberia - Irkutsk city near Lake Baikal. There are only 2 reliable train connections from Ulaanbaatar to Irkutsk: daily Train 305 Ulaanbaatar - Irkutsk and Train 005 Ulaanbaatar - Moscow (available on Tuesdays and Fridays only).
 

Train 263 departs Ulaanbaatar in evening and arrives to Irkutsk in the morning after 2 nights of travel. It does not have 1st class, but it is possible to book (min. 2 people required) the whole entire 2nd class cabin if you want space and privacy.
 

Train 005 has both, 1st and 2nd class. It departs Ulaanbaatar in the afternoon and arrives to Irkutsk the next day in the afternoon. Both trains can be reserved in advance, so book early. In Irkutsk, we suggest staying for 2-4 nights at least. This way you will have enough time to see the city and visit Lake Baikal, which is 70km/44mi away from Irkutsk.
 

THE SOUTH DIRECTION

Route: Irkutsk - Ulaanbaatar - Erlian (Ereen) - Hohhot - Beijing

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• Reservation train ticket
  (Ulaanbaatar - Ulan-Ude, Ulaanbaatar - Irkutsk, Ulaanbaatar - Moscow, Ulaanbaatar - Beijing, Ulaanbaatar - Hohhot, Erlian (Ereen) and other ... )
   
• The restaurant carriages on the Russian and Chinese trains have decent food and drinks. Note that toilets are normally locked whenever you are in a station and for five minutes before and after. Showers are only available in the deluxe carriages. In 2nd and 1st class, there is a washroom and toilet at the end of each carriage which always get progressively filthy.
   
• Generally you are only allowed to take 35kg of luggage, but for foreigners, this is rarely checked, except perhaps when departing Beijing. A lot of smuggling is done on this train, so never agree to carry anything across the border for anyone else.
   
• If you want to get off the Trans-Mongolian at Sukhbaatar, Darkhan or Sainshand, you will still have to pay the full fare to/from Ulaanbaatar. If you are not actually getting on the train in Ulaanbaatar, you should arrange for someone in Ulaanbaatar to tell the attendant that you will catch the train later, so your seat is not taken.
   
• Tickets list the departure, not arrival, times. Get to the station at least 20 minutes before arrival to allow enough time to find the platform and struggle on board, especially for the Beijing - Moscow trains, which only stop in Ulaanbaatar for about 30 minutes.
   
• Classes. With a few exceptions, all international trains have two or three classes. The names and standards of the classes depend on whether it is a Mongolian, Russian or Chinese train.
  On the Russian (and Mongolian) trains, most travellers travel in 2nd class - printed on tickets and timetables as '1/4' and known as 'hard-sleeper', 'coupe' or kupeynyy in Russian. These are small, but perfectly comfortable, four-person compartments with four bunk-style beds and a fold-down table.
  First class (printed as '2/4') is sometimes called a 'soft-sleeper', or myagkiy in Russian. It has softer beds but hardly any more space than a Russian 2nd class seat and is not worth the considerably higher fare charged. On Chinese trains it is nonsmoking which can be a godsend.
  The real luxury (and expense) comes with Chinese deluxe class (printed as '1/2'): roomy, wood-paneled two-berth compartments with a sofa, and a shower cubicle shared with the adjacent compartment. The deluxe class on Russian trains, which is slightly cheaper than the Chinese deluxe, has two bunks but is not much different in size than the 2nd class and has no showers.
   
• Customs & Immigration. There are major delays of three to six hours at both, the China-Mongolia and Russia-Mongolia borders. Often the trains cross the border during the middle of the night, when the alert Mongolian and Russian officials maintain the upper hand. The whole process is not difficult or a hassle - just annoying because they keep interrupting your sleep. Your passport will be taken for inspection and stamping.
  During these stops, you can alight and wander around the station, which is just as well since the toilets on the train are locked during the whole inspection procedure.

PAGES OF THE PICTURE ALBUM

The Trans-Mongolian Railway. Trains . Tickets. Schedules.

The Trans-Mongolian Railway. Trains . Tickets. Schedules.

The Trans-Mongolian Railway. Trains . Tickets. Schedules.

The Trans-Mongolian Railway. Trains . Tickets. Schedules.