Beijing to Ulaanbaator cheap way (include crossing border)

As you may have realized, i’m not the type of traveller that pays extra for something that you can do by your own. It’s rewarding in terms of money and also the experiences you live. I decided that I wouldn’t take the direct train from Beijing to Ulan Bator that leaves every tuesday morning and arrives wednesday afternoon. I saved a lot of money, decided the day I wanted to leave and got to experience great stories on the way.

Tips and Considerations

Train tickets inside China can be bought directly in the train stations or on a website and withdraw them on the station showing your passport. In the case of Beijing Trail Station there is a ticket office that speaks english. Before buying the tickets in the station you should check on chinahighlights.com the timetables to know what train number and type of seat you are looking for. Not all tickets are available in every station. In my case, I had to buy the ticket from Jiningnan to Erlian by internet because they didn’t sell it at the Beijing Rail Station. Buying tickets online will include a fee (ctrip.com has the lower fee) so you have it on mind.

Toilets inside the trains are closed when arriving or stopped at a station. Don’t be surprised if you try to use them and they are closed. It’s just for hygienic reasons because they dump everything directly to the tracks.

Beijing (China) – Jiningnan or Jining South (China)

Ticket: Hard Sleeper

Price: $104.000 – $107.000 Yuan (lower and medium berth in a 6 berth open cabin)

Schedule: 23:45 – 06:30 +1

Where to buy tickets: Beijing Railway Station

Timetable: Every day in multiple schedules

Information and schedules: www.chinahighlights.com

Opinion: Modern and nice. Includes sheets and blankets.

Tips: To buy this ticket on the station you have to go to the right side of the building. It’s indicated with letters on top. The middle building it’s to take your train once you already have your ticket. Be aware that depending on the train and schedule it could depart from other rail stations in Beijing as South or North but they are not that far away. To know from which gate does your train depart, show your ticket to someone that works there and if you are lucky they will point the gate where you have to walk towards the train. Gates open 30 min in advance. You can check in a screen the train number and schedule to be sure it’s your train.

Jiningnan o Jining South (China) – Erlian (China)

Ticket: Hard Seat Standing

Price: $38.000 + 20.000 (Fee for buying on ctrip.com) Yuan

Schedule: 12:00 – 18:30

Where to buy tickets: www.ctrip.com

Timetable: Every day in two schedules

Information and schedules: www.chinahighlights.com

Opinion: Old train. Seats are not given so you have to fight for your place. Not a nice experience because locals are not very nice or polite. There are sections of 3 and 2 seats per side facing each other so everyone wants to keep the whole 5 seat section for themselves. Like it’s a day trip it’s not that bad. The good part is that people start getting off as you get closer to Jiningnan so you can use a whole section for yourself.

Tips: You can withdraw the ticket bought online on the ticket office. You just have to show your ticket withdraw code that they email you and your passport. Good idea to take something to read/eat/play since you are spending 6 hours on the train. There is hot water on every coach to cook noodles or make some coffee.

Erlian (China) – Zamiin Uud (Mongolia)

Dinosaur Square (place to find jeeps to cross border)

Ticket: Cross the border in a jeep or van

Price: $80.000 Yuan

Schedule: 09:00 – 11:30

Where to buy tickets: Hotel or Dinasour Square

Timetable: Every day (Border is open: 08:30 – 18:00)

Information and schedules: Hotels and Dinosaur Square

Opinion: It’ hard to communicate because no one speaks english so you jaut have to trust everything is going to turn up allright. The guys that drive are not very nice and they don’t care much about you. If you are alone you might feel unsafe because no one will give you any explanation or will try to help you but it’s your only option to cross.

Tips: It’s an obligation to cross by car. Cross walking it’s forbidden. On dinasour square  it’s full of jeeps that will cross you for $100.000 Yuan to Zamiin Uud. You must consider that jeeps departure only when they are full which can mean getting 8 people inside and waiting for hours. Some drivers will try to charge you $5.000 Yuan for the paper you must fill to keave China and another $5.000 for the paper you must fill to enter Mongolia. That’s a scam because those paper are obviously free. The best and cheaper way to cross it’s to fix it with the place you are staying. We payed $80.000 Yuan and we didn’t had to wait to fill the van. We just picked up other passengers. At Erlian we stayed at a hotel close to the station. As you get out of the station you cross to the left and turn right in the first street. You walk 100 mts and on your right side you will find this place that has it’s name written in Chinese but with the word “Wifi” next to it. It cost us $80.000 a double room with bathroom and tv. Really good and modern.

Zamiin Uud (Mongolia) – Ulaanbaator (Mongolia)

Ticket: Soft Sleeper

Price: $34.750 Mongolian Tugrik

Schedule: 18:15 – 09:00 +1

Where to buy tickets: Zamiin Uud train station (dark blue window building)

Timetable: Everyday in one schedule

Information and schedules: Zamiin Uud train station

Opinion: Old but nice cozy train. You start feeling the real transsiberian experience. 4 berth cabin. Train attendants don’t speak english but in general really nice. Icludes coffee, sheets, blankets and pillows

Tips: On Zamiin Uud train station you can wait without any problem. You got Wifi and they sell food