.
.
The secretes of Mongolian public transport
Some tourist travel with an organised tour, some share the cost of a hired jeep, and few use public transport. It is true that there are no western style bus terminals (see photo on the left), there are no signs in English, and the time tables are somewhat flexible. Once you adapt to the Mongolian style of public transport you will find it rewarding. The people are friendly, and it is the cheapest way to travel.
Transportation to the country side
Buses go from Ulaanbaatar to all Aimag (province) centers. From the Aimag center you wait with others for a van to fill up going to a Sum (district) center. If you attempt to go to a tourist attraction that is not on the public transport routs, you will find jeeps or vans ready to be hired to take you to a specific location. Any private car can act as a taxi.
Public Transport Main Rout Map
To see detail (you can actually see the buses lined up at the stations)
zoom in (click +) and change to "Sat" (Satellite mode).
Click on blue lines for details (cost, timetable, distance)
View Public transportation in a larger map
Destinations in Cyrillic
To identify the proper van have the destination name in Cyrillic letters with you. The vans display a board with the destination on the windshield.
Example: for a van going to "Terelj" look for a sign saying Тэрэлж
Vehicle
Public transportation vehicles include buses, minibuses, vans and cars.
Buses leave at a set time, minibuses and vans leave when they are full.
Bus Stations
There are four main departure stations in Ulaanbaatar (Ulan Bator).
Zoom in to the maximum on the map to see the exact locations.
Tickets
For long distance buses you have to purchase the ticket the night before departure.
Cost
The fare to Olgii is 63,000 Togrog which is 1,700 km to the west.
For comparison - locals pay at least 400 Tugrug per Km to hire a jeep and driver, not including petrol cost. To hire a jeep to Olgii would cost 680,000 Tugrug. This is more than 10 times the cost of a bus ticket.
Travel time
It takes a 18 hours to get to the Gobi town Dalanzadgad, and 34 hours to get to Khoved in the west. The roads to most location are unpaved bumpy dirt roads.
River crossing on some locations are on a wooden barges.
The vehicles go non stop, with short breaks on the way.
Bus Atmosphere
Vehicles are packed full, with boxes of merchandise in between.
Featured Destinations
There are many routs, here is a sample of a few.
To Ulan-Ude in Russia
A popular bus route, is the bus going across the border to Russia
to the city Ulan-Ude.
Cost: 65,000 Tugrik
Departure station: Dragon (since 2015, used to be near the train station)
Departure days: Every day
Departure time: 7:30am
Arrival at Ulan-Ude: about 18:30
North (Khovsgol lake)
To go to Khovsgol lake take the bus to Moron.
Distance: 684 Km.
Cost: 32,000Tugrug.
Departure Station: Dragon.
Departure Days: every day.
Departure Time: 14:00 and 17:00
Travel Duration: 20h to Moron + 3h Moron to Khatgal
In Moron you wait with others for a van to fill up-
going to Khatgal, the village on the southern shore of Khovsgol lake.
South (Gobi desert)
To go to the Gobi take the bus to Dalanzadgad
Distance: 575 Km.
Cost: 36,000 Tugrug.
Departure Days: everyday.
Departure Time: 8:00AM.
Tickets purchase: the evening before departure.
Travel Duration: 10h to Dalanzadgad
From Dalanzadgad hire a jeep to take you to the popular destinations.
Try and go with partners on the bus to share the cost of the jeep.
A good local driver living in Dalanzadgad - Demberel Tel: 976-95539304
West (Altai Mountains)
To go to the west take the minibus to Olgii
Departure Days: Everyday
Departure Time: 15:00-20:00 leaves when full
Distance: 1,709 Km
Cost: 80,000 Tugrug
Departure Station: Dragon
Travel Duration: 45h-55h to Olgii
Some tourist travel with an organised tour, some share the cost of a hired jeep, and few use public transport. It is true that there are no western style bus terminals (see photo on the left), there are no signs in English, and the time tables are somewhat flexible. Once you adapt to the Mongolian style of public transport you will find it rewarding. The people are friendly, and it is the cheapest way to travel.Transportation to the country side
Buses go from Ulaanbaatar to all Aimag (province) centers. From the Aimag center you wait with others for a van to fill up going to a Sum (district) center. If you attempt to go to a tourist attraction that is not on the public transport routs, you will find jeeps or vans ready to be hired to take you to a specific location. Any private car can act as a taxi.Public Transport Main Rout Map
To see detail (you can actually see the buses lined up at the stations)
zoom in (click +) and change to "Sat" (Satellite mode).
Click on blue lines for details (cost, timetable, distance)
View Public transportation in a larger map
Destinations in Cyrillic
To identify the proper van have the destination name in Cyrillic letters with you. The vans display a board with the destination on the windshield.
Example: for a van going to "Terelj" look for a sign saying Тэрэлж
Vehicle
Public transportation vehicles include buses, minibuses, vans and cars.
Buses leave at a set time, minibuses and vans leave when they are full.
Bus Stations
There are four main departure stations in Ulaanbaatar (Ulan Bator).
Zoom in to the maximum on the map to see the exact locations.
- Dragon (Songino Khairkhan)- buses going north and west.
- Teevriin Tovchoo (near Idre's guest house)- vans going north.
- Bayanzurkh- buses going south and east.
- Narantuul (Black Market) - vans going west and north.
Tickets
For long distance buses you have to purchase the ticket the night before departure.
Cost
The fare to Olgii is 63,000 Togrog which is 1,700 km to the west.
For comparison - locals pay at least 400 Tugrug per Km to hire a jeep and driver, not including petrol cost. To hire a jeep to Olgii would cost 680,000 Tugrug. This is more than 10 times the cost of a bus ticket.
Travel time
It takes a 18 hours to get to the Gobi town Dalanzadgad, and 34 hours to get to Khoved in the west. The roads to most location are unpaved bumpy dirt roads.River crossing on some locations are on a wooden barges.
The vehicles go non stop, with short breaks on the way.
Bus Atmosphere
Vehicles are packed full, with boxes of merchandise in between.
Featured Destinations
There are many routs, here is a sample of a few.
To Ulan-Ude in Russia
A popular bus route, is the bus going across the border to Russia
to the city Ulan-Ude.
Cost: 65,000 Tugrik
Departure station: Dragon (since 2015, used to be near the train station)
Departure days: Every day
Departure time: 7:30am
Arrival at Ulan-Ude: about 18:30
North (Khovsgol lake)
To go to Khovsgol lake take the bus to Moron.
Distance: 684 Km.
Cost: 32,000Tugrug.
Departure Station: Dragon.
Departure Days: every day.
Departure Time: 14:00 and 17:00
Travel Duration: 20h to Moron + 3h Moron to Khatgal
In Moron you wait with others for a van to fill up-
going to Khatgal, the village on the southern shore of Khovsgol lake.
South (Gobi desert)
To go to the Gobi take the bus to Dalanzadgad
Distance: 575 Km.
Cost: 36,000 Tugrug.
Departure Days: everyday.
Departure Time: 8:00AM.
Tickets purchase: the evening before departure.
Travel Duration: 10h to Dalanzadgad
From Dalanzadgad hire a jeep to take you to the popular destinations.
Try and go with partners on the bus to share the cost of the jeep.
A good local driver living in Dalanzadgad - Demberel Tel: 976-95539304
West (Altai Mountains)
To go to the west take the minibus to Olgii
Departure Days: Everyday
Departure Time: 15:00-20:00 leaves when full
Distance: 1,709 Km
Cost: 80,000 Tugrug
Departure Station: Dragon
Travel Duration: 45h-55h to Olgii
East (the steppe)
To go to the east take the bus to Choibalsan
Departure Days: every day
Time for bus: 8:00
Time for Minibus or Van: 9:00-10:00 leaves when full
Distance: 661 Km
Cost: 28,000 Tugrug
From Station: Bayanzurkh
Travel Duration: 12h
Center (Erdene Zuu)
To go to the center take the bus to Kharkhorin
Departure Days: every day
Time for bus: 11:00am
Time for Minibus or Van: 15:00-18:00 leaves when full
Distance: 370 Km
Cost: 17,000 Tugrug
From Station: Dragon
Travel Duration: 6h
114 comments:
How long to the trips take? The range of times and typical duration would be good.
Although many services are daily I imagine that they are often cancelled if there are not enough passengers?
Thanks for your comment,
I have added travel durations.
Buses are not canceled, vans and cars leave only when full.
It rarely happens that no car leaves, passengers will wait for the next day.
In cases of severe weather trips might be postponed.
Vielen Dank für den guten Sachen
Is there a bus connection from Ulaanbaatar to Tosontsengel, Zavkhan?
Thanks
To get to Tosontsengel in Zavkhan, take the bus from the Dragon bus station in UB, going to Uliastai. Uliastai is Zavkhan's capital and located 1100km away from Ulaanbaatar. At the Uliastai market look for a van going to Tosontsengel which is 180km away on a good road.
Is there a bus connection from Erdenet, Orkhon to Moron, Khövsgöl?
And from Moron to Bayanzurkh, Khövsgöl?
Many thanks.
Hi
The public transport in Mongolia is a star system. All transportation goes from the center of the country UB to Aimag/province centers and from province centers to sum/district centers. In the small towns look for vans near the market.
Хех, сколько коментариев-то :) Ну отставать не буду-не сочтите за спам-но сайт понравился. Удачи в развитии.
Question: is it easy to transport your bicycle on the bus ??
Hi
Merchants load crates on the bus. So try and pack your bicycle in a box, similar to the way you would for a flight. Take off the wheels, dismantle the paddles, turn the handle bar sideways. This will enable you to make the package as small as possible, and minimum damage to your bikes.
Dan
Hello, I was wondering: is it possible to take a bus from Khovsgol area to Altai?
Thanks
Not directly.
You should return to UB, and take the bus from UB.
Mongolia, thanks so much your updated detail on this blog.
I'll visit UB this May and would like to ask you about transport.
I'll take a bus from UB to UU.
1. Which bus station I should go?
2. Where I can buy the bus ticket?
(I've followed your post in lonely planet of exact location) However, I worry I can't find it out. Could you please tell the address in Mongolian? (In case I get lost, I still can point to stranger ask a help ^^")
Thanks a lot!!!
Hi
The location of the bus station in UB going to Ulan-Ude in Russia changed.
It is now near the train station.
To buy the tickets go inside the train station booking hall, go upstairs, go to the small window to the left of Tenger Travel, which is opposite the train ticket booking windows. Bus ticket cost is about 45,000 togrog. Bus leaves at 7:30am from the train station.
Have a nice ride
Dan
Hi, Dan
Thanks your info on the bus location!
I feel more secure to the transport arrangement!^^
Have a nice weekend!
cs said..
Hi Mongolia, my friends and I will be in Mongolia during early July, we intend to travel to Khovsgol Lake.
Is the travel time mentioned in the blog still valid as is?
Appreciate your help.
Hi
Yes about 20h to Hovsgol.
Dan
Hello!
I'm Ena from Estonia. I'm trying to find out prices and possibilities for a group of people (maybe 8-10 people) to hire a van with the driver who also knows the ways to make a trip.
- 1 day: Going from Dalandzadgad to visit Yolin Am, stay the night at ger camp;
- 2nd day: Khongoriin els, singing sands, stay the night at ger camp.
- 3rd day drive to Bayanhongor.
Can you help me with the answers? Or do you know anyone who can? What would be the price for hiring a van for such a trip? Is it calculated per day? If there are 8-10 people, is 1 van enough? Can the van drive from the Gobi directly to Bayanhongor? Or does it need to go to UB road first? I found a person to answer me, but then he never again wrote me back, so I don't know where to find help.
I would appreciate a lot your help!
With warm greetings,
Ena
Hi
To arrange vans in advance you will need to contact a tour operator. Unfortunately there are no tour operators in Dalanzadgad. You will have to contact a tour operator in Ulaanbaatar. To drive comfortable vans take 4-6 people. The cost would be $50-$100 per person. Yes you can drive directly to Bayankhongor without having to go through Ulaanbaatar.
Have a nice trip.
Dan
Can you take a bus only at the bus station where it leaves, or could you take that bus if you're in a little town/city on its way? Thank you very much!!
This is a very specific question to the route and the town on this route.
Once you get to a town on the way ask what is the best way to get to the next one.
For example buses going from UB to Khovd are fully packed and the chances of you getting on this bus from a town close to UB are low. The further you go, there is a better chance you find a seat.
Hello, we are 3 students and we would like to visit the Orkhon valley and the Terkhiin Tsagaan lake. What would be the best way to combine both? Is it possible to hitchhike from the Orkhon valley to the lake and back (because we saw there is no bus to the Terkhiin Tsagaan lake)?
Is there a way (bus, hitchhinking, jeep,...) of going from Olgii to Murun without passing by Ulaanbaatar and within 1 or 2 days? Thanks!!
Olgi to Moron - the cheapest way is by public transport through UB.
You can hire a Jeep in Olgi and go to moron by the north route.
Terkhiin Tsagaan lake - only by hiring a local jeep. Ask around, any car and driver are ok.
Are the people (those who have a jeep or a car) likely to conduct you where ever you want for some remuneration? If yes, how much is the normal fee an hour? Thanks!!
You pay for distance.
Each Km between $0.50 to $1
Locals pay less.
Time is not an issue.
Is it easy to hitchhike/atuostop from Khogno Tarna to Kharkhorin? Do you have any idea of the frequency of motorized vehicles? Thanks!!
Low volume of cars.
It is off the main routes.
Tourists vehicles going to Kharkhorin are packed.
To the blogger, thank you for the detailed bus line information. I live in UB but I do not go around much because I do not speak the language, I depend so much on my husband. Though I can read a bit so I can go around abit!
Hi Anonymous,
We did a trip last year to Khuvsgul and we pass via kharkhorin to the tsagaan lake (stay for some nights) then move up to khuvsgul. we did several stops like in orkhon valley, kharkhorin d temple there, chuluut n other stops. I notice some foreigner from tsagaan lake to moron mountainous road trying to hitchike but (like us we did not stop) SO it would be best if you will hire your vehicle from UB, plan your itinerary and you may go wherever you wish to go. Vehicle rental per day with driver and you cover the fuel.
hi,
i would go from UB to Lake Khovsgol in winter (february...) is it any problem? bus is one solution there some other solutions?
Bus is a good option in winter.
Not too many tourists in winter to share the cost of a hired jeep.
Hello, I'm planning to go to Mongolia in June. Probably I will visit lake Khovsgol but would like to go there by public transport instead of local tour. Is the bus from UB to Moron still available? Is it possible find local transport to lake Khovsgol in Moron? As I will go to Russia too, any transport go from lake Khovsgol to Russia, like Ulan Ude? Or I must go back to UB to take bus/train?
Thanks in advance :)
Hi
The bus from Ulaanbaatar to Moron leaves every day.
When the bus gets to Moron you will see the people going over to the vans and jeeps nearby for a shared ride to further destinations, including Khatgal which is the village on the south part of lake Khovsgol.
Going to Russia, the easy way is going back to UB. But you can try and hitch hike or use shared vans from Moron to Erdenet than to Darkhan and to Sukhbaatar. This might take longer, though shorter in Km.
Dan
Hello, Thanks for the great info. Do you have info on how much it will cost per person to go on the shared van from Moron to Hovsgol?
Hello Dan,
Do you know whether it is easy to find a guesthouse near Khatgal bus station? And where can I buy the ticket from Murun to UB? Thank you.
Hi
There are several guest houses where the vans from Mororn to Khatgal drop you off.
To buy a bus ticket from Moron to UB, simply go to bus station.
Hi,
First, thank you very much for your very, very useful blog.....thanks a lot!
On september, I am going to travel by bicycle Mongolia (...well, a small "piece" of mongolia...).
The first idea is to take a bus from ulaan baator to erdenesant (packing the bike). In http://www.infomongolia.com/ct/ci/1083 it says the bus departures from Narantuul Market.
I could not find more information about it... I have some doubts because most buses departures from Dragon Station....
Is that web site ok? Do you recommend me something different?
Do you Know If I have to book in advance (the day before) the ticket.
Thank you very much
Hi
Erdenesant is about two hours drive west of UB.
Micro-bus to Erdenesant (in Tuv aimag) leave from Narantuul.
Dragon station is for buses going North and far west.
You can take the bus to Kharkhorin leaving from Dragon station and get off half way.
Is it true that a new highway has opened up between UB and Dalanzadgad? If so, do you know how long it takes to get from UB to Dalanzadgad now?
The road between Ulaanbaatar and Dalanzadgad is now completely paved.
By bus it takes about 10 hours, by car even less.
a wonderful country!
Hi!
Thanks for the nice blog! A lot of useful information.
I am organizing my trip in Mongolia and I am looking for transfer from village Orkhon (near Bulgan, on the road to UB) to UB. Can I catch the bus from Bulgan (I mean is it real)? Could you also answer how much could be to rent a car with driver (the distance is 343 km)? It is written above 0.5-1$ per km, does this price include expenses for petrol?
There is a bus, minivans, and private cars going from Bulgan through Orkhon to UB, every day.
If they have space they will stop for you.
If you want to be sure to get on the bus hitch a ride to Bulgan.
The bus and minivans are much cheaper than renting.
Price for renting includes petrol.
Thanks! One more question. Might be I will go alone (solo). Time from time I am planning to leave
my camp in order to make a small hiking around (few hours). How could you estimate the risk that
the camp could be robbed during this time?
Hi
In the countryside there is no problem. You can leave your tent and go hiking.
In any case do not leave valuables like money passport or expensive camera unattended.
Enjoy your hikes.
please I want to know if :
karakhorum to bat olzzi (to go orkhon khürkhree)
bus ?? or other if no
karakhorum to uyanaga (to go to Naîman nuur and to begin a trek to tsetserleg)
bus or other transport ???
thanks for your answer et congratulations
You need to hire a local jeep for both. Find a driver near the market
Hello ToMongolia!
Thank You for the lots of useful information here. I have a question We would like to travel fom Olgii to Moron in this March. How we can manage that with the public transport?
Thank you for your help!
Laszlo
From Olgii take a bus to Ulaanbaatar.
From UlaanBaatar take a van or bus to Moron.
If you fined more tourists in March in Olgii, you can jointly hire a van to go directly from Olgii to Moron.
can i take the bus from kharkhorin to khovd？
can i take the bus from arvaikheer to khovd？ thank you
Hi
There is no direct bus from Kharkhorin to Khovd.
Best chance would be to take a bus back to UB, than take a bus from UB to Khovd.
Arvaikheer is on the main road going from UB to Khovd, so you will be able to get on the bus going through if people get off at Arvaikheer. Time table is flexible.
Saying that, always check at the markets to see if there is a van waiting to fill up to your destinations.
Enjoy Mongolia
Dan
Hi Dan,
thanks for many useful comments!
During my trip in Mongolia I am planning to catch the bus from Bulgan to UB. I expect that the bus Moron-Bulgan-UB operates every day but I cannot find any information about its time schedule. I hope that there must exist at least some approximate time for arrival in/departure from Bulgan for this bus. Could you give any hint about this? Thanks!
Hi
Bulgan city is the capital of Bulgan aimag.
There is a direct bus that leaves at 8:00am every other day.
During summer you can rely on minivans that leave when full almost every day.
You can also take a bus to Erdenet, and take the night train to UB.
I would not count on buses that go through Bulgan as they tend to be fully packed.
The bus from Moron to UB leaves 3 times every day, at 8:00 at 13:00 and at 17:00
The distance between Moron and Bulgan is about 300km, you may try and guess when it will arrive in Bulgan.
Have a nice ride
Dan
Hi Dan,
thanks for the reply, I didn't know about the bus from Bulgan. I am going to be there around September 13th, can I still rely on minivans at this time?
Yes
Minivans will operate as long as there is demand.
In September, maybe not every day, my guess is that on days when there is no bus, a van will fill up.
Dan
Maybe there's something about navigating this map that I'm not getting, but it seems it only shows how to get out of Ulaanbaatar, not get back to it. In particular, getting from the Gobi region back to the capital in time to make a flight. I am travelling with a group of people and we are renting a car, but I will have to leave before the others, so I need to find some way to get back on my own.
Hi Derek
From the Gobi, get to Dalanzadgad. The bus to UB leaves from Dalanzadgad.
There are also shared vans that leave when full.
Give yourself an extra day or two, as public transport in Mongolia is not as reliable as you might expect in western countries.
Good luck
Dan
Thanks Dan,
I guess there's no website or any place I could find a schedule? Is it once per day at a regular time (even if approximate)? Or where exactly they leave from? It seems there is a lot of details about the buses leaving the capital, but not much about in other places. Do the buses and vans all leave from the same place?
Hi Derek
During summer there is a bus in the morning, and a bus in the afternoon every day.
In addition there are minivans that leave after the bus leaves, but only when they are full.
Transportation leave from about midtown close to the main street, near the shops.
Have a nice ride.
Dan
Hi Dan,
Glad I stumbled upon your forum here after a bit of googling!
Can you give me some advice on getting to Russia from UB? I have a few queries..
namely I have been in UB over a week enjoying Nadaam and also waiting for the Russian embassy to open to apply for a visa.
All has gone smoothly except that the day I pick up my passport on the 5th of August ,will be the day before my Mongolian visa expires on the 6th.
I was wanting to catch the bus to Ulan Ude as its quicker and apparently gets me to Russia on the 6th where I need to be! Do you think this is too risky or should it be fine provided I buy the ticket the day before on the 5th? Also do I need my passport to buy the ticket? I have read in a few places that this is the case.
Also I am now waiting for 2 weeks and would love to see the Tsaatan community, do you think I can just get on a bus to Muren and book a trip from up there?
lots of places only do 14+ day tours that are really expensive so I was hoping I could find a shorter one at better prices at some guesthouses up north.
Before UB I already made a trip to the gobi and did a homestay but I wonder if going North while I wait will leave me short on time.. The other thing I am not sure about is that I have read in places you need your passport to get a permit for the trip.. would this be an issue?
If you have any answers for me I would be thank full!
Cheers Maia
Dear Maia
Some of your questions assume the Russian consulate holds your passport for a few days.
Check with the Russian consulate if you have to leave your passport with them.
In case you do, make a photocopy of the main page of your passport.
You can try and apply for a same day visa.
Q: do I need my passport to buy the ticket?
A: They want to make sure you have a visa to Russia.
Q: Mongolian visa expires on the 6th...Do you think this is too risky
A: If you leave on the 6th it is ok. You can also decide to extend your visa. The office is near the airport.
Q: get on a bus to Muren and book a trip from up there?
A: You can try in Moron or at Khatgal the village on Khovsgol lake.
Q: find a shorter one [tour] at better prices at some guesthouses up north.
A: Yes yo can.
Q: you need your passport to get a permit?
A: Yes yo need your passport at all times, and definitely when you apply for the northern permits in Moron.
Enjoy your tour
Dan
My group's schedule has changed. They will now be in Khustain National Park on the 5th, and that's only about an hour away from Ulaanbaatar. My flight's on the morning of the 6th. Is there any way I could get transported that short distance? Maybe the best way would be to pay our driver to taxi me into town while the rest of the group is at the park.
Hi Derek
Mongolia is not a country to plan a tight schedule.
From Khustain Nuruu park there is no easy transportation to UB.
I would not suggest to leave the group without the van, even for a short time.
May I suggest you get off the van before you get to Khustain, at a larger town, best would be a town that is a capital of a province.
There you will sure find a van, bus, or private car to take you to UB.
Better to plan on 2 nights in UB to be on the safe side.
After travailing across Mongolia, there is nothing you will miss in Khustain.
Have a safe trip home.
Dan
Dearest Dan,
Thank you Lord i stumbled upon your blog! May i ask if it is possible to take a public transport from Amarbayasgalant Monastery to the Orkhon Valley. We are a group of 3 travelling on October 1, 2016 by public transport if possible. How many hours is the travel time from the Monastery to the Orkhon Valley. Please send me a message also at my email mrdantic@gmail.com. I might contact you also in the future because we really needed help from somebody very reliable traveller of Mongolia. Thank you so much for your biggest help. Im praying for you always!
Hi
There is No public transport from Amarbayasgalant.
You should arrange a driver in advance, best to try from Darkhan, if you go through that town.
My email is tomongolia@gmail.com
Dan
Hi,
From Dalanzadgad which is the cheapest of covering YolinAm, Khongor Sanddunes and Bayanzag and return to Kharakorin? I am a solo traveller dependent on Public transport and have lot of time to explore. Any help for this will be appreciated.
Hi
There is no public transport from Dalanzadgad to all these tourist locations.
The only option is to hire a jeep.
Dan
Thank you. Is there any way I can reach Kharakorin from Dalanzadgad instead of going to UB and then reaching the same?
Hi
The public transport goes from UB to all Aimag (Province) centers. From there you will find transport to all Sum (neighborhood) centers of that same province.
Because Dalanzadgad is in Omnogovi province, and Kharkhorin is in Ovorkhangai province, there is no direct transport between them. You may want to find a few more tourists going the same route and share the costs for a hired jeep.
All the best
Dan
Hiya,
we are a family of four and about to visit Mongolia within a couple of months. Unfortunately we still have some question marks on our list regarding travelling in Mongolia and I do hope you can answer me some questions.
I have read there is a bus from Ulaan Bator(Mongolia) to Ulan Ude (Russia). As we are coming from Ulan Ude I was wondering if the bus is also doing the route Ulan Ude- Ulaan Bator daily?
Secondly our plan is to travel to Moorun.
As I mentioned before we are going to travel with our children (3&5 years old). Do you have any recommendations for us regarding this trip? We were thinking about having one or two overnight stays along the route and take the next bus the other day. Is that possible?
Thank you very much in advance!!
Your blog and your personal help is very much appreciated!
Regards,
Doreen
Hi Doreen
Q: Is also doing the route Ulan Ude to Ulaan Bator daily?
A: Yes
Q: one or two overnight stays along the route and take the next bus
A: not a real option. The bus system in Mongolia takes you from A to B there is no guarantee the next bus will stop or even have vacant seats some where in between A and B.
Q: with our children 3&5 years old
A: Great to travel with children. Mongolia is a large, UU to UB takes 12 hours.
from UB to Moron 10 hours. The buses tend to be crowded, not a real joy with small kids for so many hours.
I would recommend you hire a van with driver to take you, you can stop on the way as much as you want. I would reduce travel distances, and spend a few days at each location.
I would recommend you hire a van with driver to take you, you can stop on the way as much as you want. I would reduce travel distances, and spend a few days at each location.
Dear Dan,
thank you very much for your fast reply.
Can you give me a rough idea how much it would cost to hire a van with driver?
Would this also be an option to travel from UU to UB?
Thank you very much in advance!
Have a great weekend :)
Cheers, Doreen
Hi Doreen
Driver 30-50USD per day not including fuel.
Fuel example UB to Moron about 200USD
You can hire a driver UU to UB.
To compare options: the cost of a hired van, to the cost of public transport for 4. The difference is the cost of "added value of comfort" for you and the kids.
You can take a train UU to UB.
Another cheaper option, a van UU to the border, than taxi to the train station in Mongolia and a local train to UB.
All these options can be checked locally when you get there.
Dan tomongolia@gmail.com
Hello,
I am looking for the up-to-date bus schedule for the following routes:
1) Ulan-Bator to Dalanzadgad?
2) Dalanzadgad to Ulan-Bator?
3) The current price for each trip
This would be for travel in June 2017.
Thank you.
Raymond
hi,
Thanks for all this information! It's difficult to find info on Mongolia so this is great! I'm planning a trip in July - and like the message above from Raymone, I'm also wondering whether the schedules are up to date for -
Ulaanbaatar to Dalanzadgad
And is it possible to buy the bus ticket at the bus station itself on the day of departure?
Thanks!
Tammy
Hi
It is better to purchase the ticket the evening before.
In most cases the bus gets full the evening before.
After the bus leaves the vans fill up, when ever a van is full it leaves.
I do not have updated schedule and cost, but it does not change much.
When you return you are invited to update the information.
Dan
Hi Dan,
We will be traveling by public transport (or private minivans if necessary) coming from Russia to Olgii. The route over Khovd and Altai to UB seems okee. However the route over Ulaangom and Mörön looks more attractive to us. Is this a possible way to reach UB?
Thanks
Hans
The northern route is interesting, but remote. there is no public transport. You can hire a van from olgii.
Dan
Hi Guys,
Here is a website you can find approximate timetable of bus between cities. It seems you can even book a ticket from this website using VISA or some other credit card, but I did not try.
http://eticket.transdep.mn/
--
It is for your reference, but unfortunately it has only Mongolian version and no English version. You may have to use Google Translate to translate the website. But after translation, some cities' names will become very strange and you have no idea what is that. The solution is to search the English city name in Google Map and find its Mongolian name, then compare with the Mongolian city name in this website.
Hopefully it is helpful. :-)
Hello!
Can you please tell me the schedules of the bus from Kharkhorin to UB? Does it runs every day? On July (specifically, on the 13th), is there a bus on the afternoon/end of the day?
Thank you for all the usefull information! :)
Carla
The bus from Kharkhorin to UB leaves twice every day.
At 11:00 and at 14:00 including on July 13th
In the summer, after the bus leaves, when there are more people than the bus can take
you will find shared vans that leave to UB but only when they are full.
Have a nice visit
Dan
Hello,
I would like to know the cheaper way to visit eagle hunter from Olgii in Nov, rent minibus or tour? and cost?
there is no public transport. You hire a driver with a jeep. Best to share costs with other tourists you might meet in Olgii. There is no fixed price, negotiate with driver. Temperatures are below zero C in November, so not sure you will meet any tourists.
Enjoy your visit.
Dan
Thanks!
But may i know the estimate rate for 1 person cost ? just wondering is under my budget if can't find others to share.
One more question, how many days i need travel from Beijing to Olgii by public bus?
From Beijing to Olgii about a week.
Jeep hire about 100-200usd.
Thanks for the info, seems like not enough time for me travel to Olgii.
Any suggestion other interesting places in Mongolia which is near?
Hi,
I was wondering if you can help me. I'm trying to find is there a public transport from UB to Manzushir Monastery?
I'm planing to go hikking on Bogd khan mountain in June.
From where does the bus leaves in UB and at what times?
And when does it goes back?
Thank you!
Hi
Make sure you have place names written in Mongolian on paper with you
most drivers do not speak English.
Зуунмод = Zuunmod
Манзуширын хийд = Manzushir monastery
Options:
option1: Take a bus along peace road to Dragon station which is on the west side of UB.
at Dragon take a bus to Zuunmod which is the last stop.
At Zuunmod take a taxi to the monastery, or walk the last 5km.
There are buses running all day,
option2: At dragon or from any other place in UB take a direct taxi to the monastery. It is not a long ride.
The way back use same options, the buses stop running at about 8PM.
Enjoy the hike.
Dan
Thank you so much Dan! You've been VERY helpfull :)
Dan Thank you very much! The information is very useful! Coming to UB in June. Want to do independent trekking in the western Mongolia region. Is it possible to reach other areas (except Khovd and Olgii) in the west by buses?
Hi
Yes it is possible to get other district centers (sum in Mongolian) in the west.
There is no public transport to trekking regions.
First you have to determine if the other sum is in Olgii or Khoved Aimag (province).
From Olgii or Khoved there are vans going to all villages (sum's) that belong to that same province.
Dan
Hi dan,
How can i get from moron/kavat to olgi? (Or from olgi to moron/kavat? Thank you very much
Ron
Hi Ron
Fastest is to arrange a few more tourists and share the cost of a van.
Cheapest is to return to UB and take a bus.
Dan
Do you know how many pp I need for a van? And how much is it cost?
I have a question: is it right, that there are a lot of buses between Nalayh and Ulanbaatar?
We want to stay in Terelj NP with only onenight between - think take a taxi for the way to the Camp - and now wondering about the best (latest and cheapest) way to travel back.
Hi! How are you? Do you know how to get orkhon waterfall from khaKharkho?
Thank you!
Hi
There is no public transportation to the waterfall.
You need to hire a local jeep.
Enjoy
Dan
Thanks for sharing this information Looking for the best
mongolian best travel company
Hi,
dos anyone knows how long is the trip Uulaanbatar-Moron? (in hours), and how much it cost?
Would anyone know how to get from Sainshand to Dalanzadgad, by public transport?
No direct public transport. The only option is through UB
Dan
Thanks Dan,
SO UB to Dalanzadgad public bus, then find a jeep to show me around Yolyn Am, Sand dunes and fire cliffs. How many days would that take and what would the cost run?
Thank you! I'm trying to make my trip to Mongolia as budget as possible.
-Tate
Hi
A day trip do Dalanzadgad. Spend the night in Dalanzadgad.
Two days in the Gobi, or more if you like it.
One more day for travel back to UB
Cost all inclusive about 40-60 USD a day
Enjoy
Dan
Hey Dan,
One last follow up, in Dalanzadgad is it difficult to find a jeep to take me around the gobi? Do you have a reccomdation?
I emailed the Golden Gobi hostel and they quoted me for 4 days @$390usd. Which is way out of my price point.
Thank you in advance!
Tate
Hi
Most tourist share a van to reduce cost.
It is possible to find a Jeep in Dalanzadgad
The jeeps are along the main street behind the shops.
Try to meet up with other tourists to share the cost.
Enjoy the Gobi
Dan
Hi. I'm solo traveler and using public transport as much as possible. Unfortunately in some places I will need a van. Does anyone knows how can I get more people for a van trip to share the price with them.
Thank you.
Hi Dan, really THANKS to run a great web site for Mongolia traveling!
Hi,
Thank you for your blog post! I'm in the early stages of planning a trip to Mongolia which is going to include some independent trekking near the Terkhiin Tsagaan Lake. I plan to hire a driver to get to my start point but given that my end point in Khorgo is slightly more populated, and the lake is kind of touristy, I was hoping that there would be some public transportation options from there back to Ulaanbaatar. Some of the reviews for the guest house say that the owner is good at setting up transport but I don't know if they mean private transport. I'm pretty broke so trying to save as much money as possible. I tried clicking on some of the bus lines on your map and google is coming up blank on bus schedules for them, is this just a lack of internet presence or have some of those lines stopped operating?
Thank you,
-Alex
Hi Alex
From the lake you do need a driver out.
The guest house will assist.
You may try and hitch a ride.
No use in trying to figure out bus time tables at this time
With Covid19 and other limitations, figure out details when you get there.
Dan
I would like to go to Dadal (Chinggis Khan birthplace) for two or three days from Ulaanbaatar. Can you make a recommendation for getting there and back? Thanks so much.
Take the bus from UB Bayanzurkh bus station to Chinggis city the capital of Khentii province. It is a full day ride. The next morning take a van to Dadal about 5 hours ride. Same on the way back
Thank you very much!
Hello. I am trying to find out the bus schedule from Dalanzadgad to UB but can not find it. In reverse I found it though.
Post a Comment