VISA - GO THERE

ABOUT MONGOLIA: situated between China and Russia, Mongolia is well-known for its biggest steppes. 1 565 000 km2 for 3 000,000 inhabitants, lowest population density in the world: about one person per km2. Before it was totally nomadic now about 60% of the population lives in towns. Mongolian practice a mixture of Buddhism and shamanism.
From a health point of view the country is very healthy.

FORMALITIES: As formalities change often, we recommend that you ask for the most current information at the nearest embassy.
EXTEND VISA IN UB AND OLGY: only one time for 30 days more on UB and Olgy: go to the Immigration office with 3 photos to write a motivation letter, 4 days delivery and if hurry you will pay extra for service fee . it’s the best choice for a visa less or until of 60 days (apply a 30 days visa in your country and ask in UB until 30 days more)For stays longer than 60 days, the procedure is different: see formalities with the consulate.
INVITATION LETTER: contact in English: mejet69@yahoo.com
VISA LONG STAY: contact your nearest consulate or visa on line agencies

VISA FOR MONGOLIA POSSIBLE:

• Moscou, Irkhoust, Ulan Udé (5 working days)
• Beijing (Mon-Fri 8.30-11.00, go early)
• Astana (Khazastan) easy, <60euro,photo,48 hours, and apply for Mongolia visa after obtaining the Russian transit visa!

HOW TO GET THE RUSSIAN VISA OUTSIDE SCHENGEN AREA: (2020) According to the new rules in force it is not possible to have a visa for Russia established directly in Mongolia. https://www.visahouse.com/fr/information/russian-tourist-visa/
Get an insurance attestation if you hold a visa premier card you can get insurance ( please control) or ask www.chapkadirect.com
Invitation letter : different agency on line will provide ! www.russieautrement.com/

CHINESE VISA APPLY IN UB(2020): passport, photocopied of your passport, identity photos, hotel booking in China (you can cancel later) insurance certificate for your journey in China, solvency certificate or bank account extract (have $ 100 per day of credit in China on your account) entry and exit air plane or train tickets and apply form to download on Chinese consulate.
Air Market agency can make you false air tickets! (2017)
Go to the consulate REALLY EARLY! 2 hours before opening! Sometimes impossible to go inside, sometimes they give waiting tickets! 2 lines: one for Mongolian who is quickly and one for tourists…slow!
3 rates: 7 days (30$) 4 days (45$) same day(60$) (2018)

Obtaining visas often changes as well inquire before you go!

HOW TO GO TO MONGOLIA?:

BY PLANE
Aeroflot, Turkhish airlines, Korean airlines… idea: plane for Moscow-Irkoust and train Irkoust-UB
Taxi will wait outside for downtown, negotiate the price 20-60 euro!
Also BUS ask on airport for information

BY TRAIN AND BUS

FROM RUSSIA

with the TRANSIBERIAN: Moscow - U. B = 5days. You need a visa for Russia and the train ticket costs less if you buy it on Russian train website http://eng.rzd.ru/. If you buy your Tran Siberian ticket through agencies, please compare as different prices! Not daily and timetable change in summer and winter.
Time table, information and buy ticket: http://eng.rzd.ru/ , http://www.poezda.net , http://www.seat61.com/Trans-Siberian-timetable.htm

Yaroslavski railway station in Moscow for : Irkutsk and Trans-Siberian

TRANSIBERIAN: advice and Transiberian map (advice only in French)

Advice to buy a train ticket in Russia
If you want to stop often on the way Moscow-UB it’s possible to buy train tickets from town to town according your need. If you buy a direct train ticket Moscow-UB you can’t stop without losing your ticket.
Timetable: all times are express in Moscow time (different time between Russian towns) If you buy a train ticket leaving at 10AM it will be 10Am Moscow time, so you must calculate your local time in the town you are. All clocks in all railway stations in Russia are with Moscow time!
Train tickets: all tickets will have your name, so you can’t sell it or leave another day than the one mentioned on your own ticket. You will have to show your passport when leaving. On main railways stations you can find international tickets lines where someone can speak English.
On summer recommend to book 45 days preview departure.
Tran Siberian to much expensive? No seat available? You might use the local solution! You will need an average of 2-3 days more than Tran Siberian (4-5 days according way).
In Moscow buy a train ticket for Perm or Yekaterinburg ,Omsk, Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk, Irkoust, Ulan De; according timetable in that way you will reach Mongolia. Better to know some Russian to buy tickets in railway stations, if not buy a vocabulary and ask for translate some sentences in Russian to can buy tickets easy in the railway stations (same for UB- Moscow)
If your dates aren’t fixed you can find easier some solution.
Railway station in Russia: all booking-offices open and close on different time each other’s!

Sometimes in the big towns you can buy tickets in some special booking offices and also outside the railway station in some travel agencies.

BUS:
• Irkoust – Ulan UDe - UB in each town go to travel agencies or bus station to get tickets and information.
• Irkoust – Ulan UDe - Irkoust: each 2 hours from 7.30AM to 9.00PM with mini bus of 15 seats
• Ulan UDe- UB- Ulan Ude: 12 hours per way, custom time: 2 hours
• Ulan Ude - Suhbatar
• Ulan Udé -Darkhan
• Ulan Udé - Altan Bulag
• Kyakta - UB
• Guzinoozersk - UB

OPTION BUS AND TRAIN: according train and class from 150$ to 400$ (2012) 36hours (2 nights) trip, 6 hours waiting for customs. From Irkoust train arrives at 6.00AM in Ulan De and you might take at 7.30AM the bus to UB from the bus station at 15 minutes walking from train station. Customs take 4 hours by train trip and only 2 hours by bus trip.
IRKOUTSK : information

Baikal lake on May is still icy only from June you can go to Olkhon island.

FROM KAZASTHAN

The less expensive and easier is by bus (Astana-Olgy) for 30euro (2018) the bus station is in front of the railway station.
You can apply in Astana for Mongolian visa and Russian (obligatory).
The Russian consulate in Astana open Tuesday and Thursday 15.30/17.30 (2018) The transit visa cost 35 euro (price NOT urgent) and you get it in 7 days and it's valid 3 days after it issue.
Mongolian consulate in Astana: need a photo, 60$ and 48 hours to get it! (2018)

FROM CHINA

Beijing-U.B. with TRANSMOGOLIAN: 2/3 times /week according to the season.
On Beijing trans Mongolian train lives from the railway station called “Central Station” Sometimes on guide books called as railway station of Beijing. This means nothing as many railway stations in Beijing! The one who interest us is near BEIJING ZHAN SUBWAY (LINE 2) and also called “Beijing Railway station” (situated SE of the Forbidden City) check!!!!

If you can’t get tickets, you can choose this solution from Beijing:
BUDGET OPTION: BEIIJING – UB - BEIJING
- Budget option, costs about 60€ instead of €200-350 (price 2018)
-from airport you have bus and subway or taxi for central railway station and can catch a train for UB (trans Mongolian)
Go to MUXIYUAN statio with the subway and go out at LUJIAYAO (line 5) then walk 4km or take taxi until Muxiyuan station
- Take the bus departure 5PM (please control) price > 200 yuan (2018) to Erlian (Ereen, Erenhot), a border city on the China/Mongolia border . Another bus station, 2km South of LuiliQiao join each day Erlian for same price and departure 5PM (control price and time departure)
Attention full early so book ahead as soon as possible!
- The ride takes about 12 hours, you will arrive early in morning in Erlian. You will find easier and hotel to finish the night and also jeeps wait to help you to across the border, as to accross the border you must be in a car (no walking, no bicycle) cost was on 2018: 50-100 yuan per head + luggage, bike... Possible to bargain in downtown but not at border.
-need 3 hours to pass custom control
- ask the driver to drop you at the railway station
- opening border at 9.30AM
- there are 2 trains daily (5PM and 9PM) arrive on same time, the 21PM train is a little more expensive
- You arrive at 10.30 in UB
- Same on the way UB-Beijing (UB- Zamyn Uud daily train 4PM and Sun/Thu direct UB- Erlian, 12/15h trip)
Other solution: BEIJING- KHOKH KHOT - UB and way back change in Jinning 2/week (UB-KHOKH KHOT : Mon/Fri) check for time table!
information train China , china train ticket

PS: Some difficulties to buy on UB train tickets for Moscow and Beijing for Tran Siberian and Trans Mongolian, be careful if you don’t have time to wait because it isn’t possible to book seat for all trains. Be careful also at the beginning of university as students will book seats so long time before as they return in China or Russia to study.
PS: Don't rush out of the train, it is then that the pickpockets operate! Some board the train to rob the unaware. Look after your luggage, and DO NOT use porters!

Click on Transiberian map to have more advice (onlyin French)!