The Bulgan Border Crossing

News for tourists - (originally posted on May 2011)

The Bulgan/Takashiken border crossing  in West Mongolia/China is now open for all passport holders and operates all year round. New options are now available for tourists to combine tours in west China and west Mongolia.

Takashiken/China border crossing administration building

According to Erdenechimeg, International Cooperation officer, at the Office of Customs General Administration of Mongolia -
"The border between Mongolia/Bulgan/ and China/Takashiken/ is an international port open for third party. It operates all year round, and open Monday to Friday 9 am to 6 pm."

Location and distances
Takashiken (China) is located in the western part of China in the Qinghe County in Xinjiang province. The province capital Urumqi,  is 510km from the border.
Bulgan (Mongolia) is located in the western part of Mongolia in the Khovd province. The province capital Khovd, is 265km  from the border.

Getting there
If you are limited with time, hire a jeep. For budget travelers with plenty of time you can use a non-scheduled public transportation.   
There are mini buses from Olgii to Khuvd. From Khuved find vans to Bulgan or even to the border. They do not have a scheduled time table. They fill up and go, it might take a day or two to fill up.
A shared jeep from Bulgan to the border is 10,000-15,000 per person. 
There is a bus crossing the border when there are people going through. On the Chinese side there are buses between Urumqi and Takashiken. They do not operate all year.
In China the bus from Urumqi to Takashiken is a 12 hour ride and costs about 250 Yuan. 

Map

View Qinghe (China) / Bulgan (Mongolia) Border Crossing in a larger map

Mongolia to China - Regulations
From Mongolia to China - The Mongolians will make sure one has a valid Chinese visa.
Walking Through or cycling is possible. A bus at Takashiken is available for going to Urumqi.   
If you cross with your own vehicle in accordance with the Chinese regulation one should show evidence of a registered Chinese guide waiting on the Chinese side,  this rule is only enforced on tourists crossing into China with their own vehicle.


China to Mongolia - Regulations
From China to Mongolia - to get to the Chinese side of the border you can get by bus from Urumqi. If you hitch-hiking you should attain a Chinese border region permit.(see the road sign below).
You will have to show a valid Mongolian visa.
If your passport demands a visa, there is no way of obtaining a visa at the border.

  

A Chinese road sign on the way to the Takashiken border

 
Transportation across the border
You can walk through or use the shared vehicle.


Driving your own vehicle or riding your bike across the border is permitted, and recently tourists have walked across with no problem.
If you have limited time it is advised to pre-arrange a pickup on each side of the border.

 

Operating Hours
The main purpose of this border crossing is for commercial and mining trucks use. Therefore it operates during work days - open from Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 18:00.  Note that the border is closed on Saturday, Sunday and national holidays.

Chinese tour operators
To cross from Mongolia to China you may want to make arrangements with a Chinese tour operator. Following are a few which operate in west China.
Qinghe Kanas International Travel Service Ltd.
Xinjiang Overseas International Travel Service.
Spring from Desert Roses desert_roses@sina.com  +86 135 7981 0241

History of the Bulgan/Takashiken border
Historically the Bulgan/Takashiken border crossing served traders transporting goods between west China and west Mongolia.

During the Yuan dynasty founded by Kublai Khan the grandson of Genghis Khan   (13th century AD) this route became an important link to the famous silk road. Trade caravans of silk, tea and other merchandise crossed between East and West on the way to Europe. Up to the 1960's traders exchanged livestock and  agricultural commodities across this border. 

The trade between China and Mongolia deteriorated under the Soviet influence over Mongolia. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Mongolia became independent from the Soviet (Russian) influence. In July 1989 the border opened  occasionally. Following negotiations between China and Mongolia the border opened for longer periods to facilitate increasing trade and family visits of Kazakhs living on both sides of the border.

Because of its undeveloped infrastructure and remoteness, the border was opened only for two weeks during each of the Summer months. Aside from a few exceptions, the border served only Mongolian and Chinese citizens.

Mongolia is rich in iron and coal ores which are in high demand in China. In 2008 , Mongolia Energy Co., Ltd. decided to invest 20 billion yuan to pave the 360km international road crossings, across the Bulgan/Takashiken border.

In 2009,  Xinjiang Kai Yu Mining Co., Ltd. invested in building a large logistics center in Takashiken including a new minerals customs warehouse, and purchased large trucks to transport coal and iron to China.

With the increase volume of trade and in anticipation of increased tourism the border facilities were upgraded recently to international standards on both sides of the border. Following a mutual resolution signed on October 14, 2010, the border is now (2011) an international border serving all passport holders, and open all year round.
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Satellite image of the border crossing

View Qinghe (China) / Bulgan (Mongolia) Border Crossing in a larger map

source: http://www.hudong.com/wiki/%E5%A1%94%E5%85%8B%E4%BB%80%E8%82%AF%E5%8F%A3%E5%B2%B8 
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