Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
GETTING TO/FROM CHINA
Jeeps, trains and buses all trundle to and from the Chinese border town of Èrlián
(Ereen). If you are on a Trans-Mongolian train, or the service between Ulaanbaatar
and Hohhot or Èrlián (both in China), you will stop at Zamyn-Üüd for an hour or so
while Mongolian customs and immigration officials do their stuff - usually in the
middle of the night (
Click here
)
.
If you're on a train that only goes as far as the border, then you'll need to find a
vehicle in which to cross the border (you can't walk or cycle across), before catch-
ing onward transport from the other side. It's best to catch the public bus (from
Mongolia T8000 per person, from China ¥50 per person). This shuttles between
the car park outside Zamyn-Üüd train station and the main bus station in Èrlián, via
the border post. Shared jeeps/minivans offer the same service, usually for the
same price, although you may need to negotiate.
Heading into Mongolia, the bus leaves Èrlián bus station at 1.30pm and 3pm. If
you catch the 1.30pm bus across the border, you should have plenty of time to get
a ticket for the 5.30pm train from Zamyn-Üüd to Ulaanbaatar (apart from around
Nadaam season in July, when things get very busy). In Zamyn-Üüd, the public bus
to Èrlián is usually there to meet passengers as they get off trains from Ulaan-
baatar.
You'll need to pay a ¥5 departure tax in either direction, unless you're crossing
the border on a train.
Once in Èrlián, it's almost always easiest to catch a long-distance bus to your
next destination in China as trains are usually fully booked days in advance.
For details on your onward travel, head to
shop.lonelyplanet.com
to purchase a
downloadable PDF of Lonely Planet's Chinaguide.
Getting There & Away
Zamyn-Üüd to UB
Train 275; departs 5.35pm daily; arrives 9.25am; seat/hard-sleeper/
soft-sleeper seat to UB T9600/16,300/27,300; to Sainshand T4500/9300/14,300.
Èrlián to UB
Train 21 departs Zamyn-Üüd 9.25pm Monday and Friday; arrives UB
10.35am; hard-/soft-sleeper to UB T22,100/39,200; to Sainshand T13,500/18,800.
For departures from Ulaanbaatar,
Click here
.
There's also a Sunday 'express' train (No
43), which leaves Zamyn-Üüd for UB at 9.25pm, and a train (No 33) which originates in
China's Hohhot and leaves Zamyn-Üüd for Ulaanbaatar at the same time on Tuesdays
and Saturdays.
