We’re guessing you’re here because you have already seen our post convincing you to go to Mongolia. Or maybe it has been on your bucket list for a while and you’re now ready to take the plunge and venture out into the wilderness of this wonderful country. Flights into Mongolia are not exactly “budget backpacker-friendly,” so why not take the overland route from China to Mongolia. Whilst you’re at it, journey along the famous Trans-Mongolian rail. Here is our step by step guide on how to make the overland journey; the CHEAPEST and MOST EXCITING way.
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How to get to Mongolia overland step-by-step
After traversing China for 30 days, it’s time to move on to the next destination. Getting from Beijing to Mongolia is as easy as 1,2,3. Just follow this step-by-step guide and you will be ready to head into Mongolia’s wilderness in no time.
How to get to Muxiyuan Bus Station in Beijing
After getting your passport stamped with a Mongolian visa in Beijing, make your way to Muxiyuan Bus station. To get to the Muxiyuan bus station take subway line 10 (blue line) and get off at Dahongmen. When you exit the subway station, you will need to make your way north up Nanyuan Road (on the right-hand side). The walk is about 1 km from the bus station.
Beijing to Mongolia bus that stops in Erlian
The station isn’t exactly a station; it’s more like a big car park full of buses. Ask around for a bus going to Erlian. You shouldn’t need to book in advance unless it is a public holiday, or if it’s approaching Mongolian summertime; when many Mongolian ex-pats living in Beijing make their way to their motherland for the summer holiday and the annual Naadam Festival.
Unfortunately for us, the buses were fully booked – GREAT! Just one more thing to add to our disastrous time in China. Just as we were losing the will to live, a man at the bus station said he had space for us on his bus. He insisted that we follow him to a separate parking lot behind the official bus station. As sketchy as this sounds, we took our chances anyway. With our Chinese visa due to expire and a wasted 5 days in Beijing already, we were more than ready to wave goodbye to China. Luckily, everything turned out just fine. We paid 200 Yuan ($30) for a sleeper bus to Eralin. The bus was due to leave at 5 pm, but it ended up leaving two and a half hours later, at 7:30 pm.
Arrive in Erlian in the morning
The bus took 11 hours to reach the border town, with a few stops in between. We stopped once around midnight at a service station, to use the loo and to grab a bite to eat, and once in the middle of the night for a few hours, before continuing to the border town at sunrise. When you arrive, you will exit out of a bus terminal where many taxi/ tuk-tuk drivers will greet you. Hop into a taxi and request the driver to drive you to Dinosaur Square, which is a 10-minute drive away. The taxi costs 20 Yuan ($3).
Take a mini-van across the border to Zamiin Uud
When you arrive at Dinosaur Square, you will find many jeeps/ minivans that will take you across the border. The driver will wait for you whilst you stamp out of China, drive you to the Mongolian checkpoint, wait for you again, and then finally take you to the square where the train station is located. The whole process is very simple and takes around 1.5 hours. We paid 50 Yuan ($7.50) each, for a seat in a shared van with other people; albeit more people than there were seats. After a squished-up journey across the border, whilst making small talk with Mongolian locals, and trying to get to grips with basic Mongolian words, we had officially made it into Mongolia. Finally, halfway there!
Buy tickets for the remaining part of the Beijing to Ulaanbaatar train
When you reach Zamiin Uud (the border town in Mongolia), exchange your left-over Yuan for Mongolian Tugrik, and then head straight to the train station to book an overnight sleeper train to Ulaanbaatar. Are you ready for the cool part? The train you’re about to get on is actually part of the Trans-Mongolian Rail, and it’s shockingly cheap; compared to the cost of going straight through from Beijing to Ulaanbaatar. DRUM ROLL PLEASE! The price….35,500 Tugrik ($15).
After booking your sleeper cart, there are plenty of places around the square to have a bite to eat. If like us, you’re feeling grubby and in desperate need of a cool shower, you can book a hotel room for a couple of hours. We found fellow travellers whilst crossing the border, and we all decided to chip in for a cheap hotel room. Between the 4 of us, we paid $2.50 each, for the privilege of taking a shower and charging our phones.
Board the train and journey along the beautiful landscape
It’s finally time to relax and enjoy the last leg of your overland journey from China to Mongolia. The train leaves around 5.30 pm, and this is when you will get your first glimpse into the beautiful Mongolian countryside. Make your bed, get cosy, drink tea, play card games, and enjoy chugging along through ever-rolling green fields. Eventually, you will doze off, and before you know it, you will arrive in Ulaanbaatar at around 9 am, ready to start your Mongolia backpacking trip!
Where to stay in Ulaanbaatar
Feeling luxurious: Novotel Ulaanbaatar – This property boasts a stunning indoor swimming pool and cloud-comfy beds. This place would be the perfect hotel to pamper yourself before heading out into the open lands to camp or replenish once you have finished your trip.
Budget private room: Town Yard Hostel – Plenty of private rooms that are perfect for couples on a budget. Whilst the rooms are fairly basic, the decor is traditional Mongolian, making for a super cosy feel.
Dorm life: Golden Gobi Guesthouse – Super clean! This hostel is the hub of ‘backpacker life’. If you’re looking for people to join a tour with, this is certainly the place to be.
For more property prices and deals in Ulaanbaatar, click HERE.
There you have it! The cheapest way from China to Mongolia. The journey cost a total of $55.50 per person. Much cheaper than flying or taking the Trans-Mongolian Rail all the way from Beijing to Ulaanbaatar. If you’re looking to go from Ulaanbaatar to Beijing, you can easily do this trip in reverse too. We hope you enjoy your trip to Mongolia, and if you still haven’t booked a tour, find out how to get one here.
Essential resources for travelling in Mongolia
Travel Insurance – No matter where you’re travelling to, it’s a good idea to make sure you’re covered for any accidents or losses. We spent days and weeks searching for insurance, but most insurers would not allow us to take out a policy as we were already abroad. Our personal choice is Safteywing. You can opt for automatic monthly payments, just like a subscription. More importantly, it is available in 180 countries and can be purchased whilst already travelling. There is no cap on the duration of travel.
Visa – Before you travel to any country, make sure to check if you need a visa. iVisa is a fantastic website that is super easy and quick to use. Just type in where you are from. and where you are going. to check if you need a visa. If you do, you can quickly make an application online.
Accommodation – Booking.com is our go-to when looking to pre-book accommodation online. Booking.com tend to almost always have the best rates and a FREE cancellation policy for most properties.
Tours & Activities – If you want to book tours and activities online, make sure to check out Get Your Guide. Get Your Guide takes the stress out of booking activities abroad. You will also find a range of benefits, such as skip-the-line passes, lunch included in your tours, and so much more.
Travel tips ebook -Before you head off on your adventure, make sure to download our free ebook. It has a whopping 109 budget travel tips to help you make your hard-earned cash go further. Click here to download your FREE ebook.
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