Planes, trains and automobiles: options for travel to Mongolia

Almost all visitors travel to Mongolia by taking a plane or train to the capital, Ulan Bator. Business travelers, or those with more money than time on their trip, typically fly. But, for those with the time, the best way to travel to Mongolia is on one of the world's great train journeys..

I usually fly into Beijing and spend a day or two there before packing a good book and jumping on the overnight train to Mongolia.

Flights to Mongolia

The cheapest international flights to Mongolia depart from the hub cities of Beijing, Seoul, and Moscow. See my flights to Mongolia page for details on international airlines, cheap tickets, costs and bookings.

Also see my page on domestic flights for details on domestic airlines, and my page detailing the various domestic airports in Mongolia.

The Trans-Siberian train

For those with the time, or without the money, to travel to Mongolia by train is to experience one of the world's great train journeys! The Trans-Siberian railway is actually a network of different lines across Russia that start in Moscow and end up in either Beijing or Vladivostok.

See my Trans-Siberian train page for the low-down on what it's like, cabins, costs, ticketing, schedules, etc.

Overland

For those without their own car or motorbike, there is little reason not to get to Mongolia by train or plane. Those taking their own vehicle will need to do a lot of planning. Start by reading my page on traveling overland to Mongolia.

Cruise ship

Perplexingly, rarely do foreign ships head to Mongolia. It's unfortunate that the world's cruise shipping companies don't see Mongolia's manifold attractions to be worth a visit. An explanation may be that Mongolia offers none of the resorts, nightclubs, or coastlines common in more 'cruise-friendly' regions such as the Carribean or Mediterranean. Let us hope that, as Mongolia's economy develops and its tourism infrastructure improves, large ocean liners will become a common sight in Mongolia!


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