Trans-Mongolian Railway

First, the capital of Mongoila is Ulan Bator, sometimes spelled Ulaan Baator or other variations of this and often referred to on this forum as UB.

1. Beijing to UB must be purchased through a travel agency and cannot be obtained at the train station. Try CITS or Richard Tian and his associates of Ocean Travel. Try searching this forum for emails. I would provide them but I am not on my computer.

UB to Irkutsk has several options. There is a daily slow train which takes 40+ hours. Schedule is the same each day, depending upon when you plan to travel you should not have problems purchasing tickets for this train on arrival in UB. If for some reason, there are no berths available there is a daily bus from UB to Ulan Ude, Russia which actually takes less time and is cheaper.

There is also an express train which takes less time. It operates twice a week from UB to Moscow, stopping in Irkutsk and once a week from Beijing passing through UB and heading to Moscow. It takes less time and thus is more likely to be booked.

1. Homestay in Mongolia? In UB most people stay in guesthouses or hostels which cost 5-10 USD per night. If you mean to stay in a ger then try gertoger.com

2. Carry US dollars or euros. You can change yuan easily at the border crossings if necessary.

Ruth

Many thanks. What about from Irkutsk to Moscow? Can I easily re-join ie buy another train ticket in Irkutsk for Irkutsk to Moscow ?

Thanks.

No problem to purchase ticket to Moscow,but I would stop at various places along the way.Decide what city you will stop only buy ticket to there.Soon as you arrive purchase ticket for next destination for several days later.We travelled all across Russia this way,usually two days each stop.This way don,t have to register.Often slept at train stations upstairs which was fine and clean.Also travelled platskarty,was great,no problems what so ever.We don,t speak any Russian.Again don,t hesitate to get off the train,majority of travellers we met went straight through.

Irkutsk to Moscow is a looong trip. There is at least one train per day that goes this route that isn't a passenger train taking forever. Some days there are more than one train.

Learn to use poezda.net which has pages in English to see schedules or rzd.ru which has ticket availabilty and prices but is only in Russian.

Ruth

Hi

Many thanks for your replies.

One of my main interest is to stay and camp with a nomad family in Mongolia in the plains.

Do you know if and how I can arrange this from Ullanbata or elsewhere in Mongolia or online?

Regards
Selina

Sorry, also am trying to organize the letter of invitation to apply for the Russian visa. Short of booking a hotel, does anyone know what is the best, cheapest and easiest way to get this letter of invitation? Way to Russia is mentioned to me. Is it reliable? Many thanks.

1. Re: Russian visa - way to russia is an information service. They link to visatorussia.com which is very reliable. visatorussia.com will tell you whether their invitation will be acceptable with yuor passport in the location at which you intend to apply. If you provide your passoprt and information regarding where you intend to apply, I can provide more useful information about the process.

Two other reliable companies are realrussia.co.uk and nevsky88.com

1. For Mongolia for homestay in ger with nomads, try gertoger.com. Contact them now rather than waiting until you arrive.

Ruth

Ruth, thanks so much for ALL the info! You are fantastic.

Yes I have contacted visa to russia. I am Australian citizen but I have been travelling for over a year and have not been home. I am also a permanent resident in Hong Kong and am in Hong Kong now to organize visas. I have looked at the website of the Russian Consulate General in HK. It doesn't look too onerous, the main thing is that I need the letter of invitation.

Oh I tried gertoger.com but nothing comes up. Maybe they changed the website address or name? Do you know?

Many thanks again
Selina

oops. gertoger.org

Ruth