Are you in Russia and perhaps wondering how you can get to Mongolia cheaply? There are a few methods, but I would suggest you pick the one you feel the most comfortable with.
However, before that please consult with your embassy on whether you need a visa to visit Mongolia, otherwise, you will be denied entry if you don’t have the proper documents.
Flying from Moscow to Ulaanbaatar
Flying from Moscow to Ulaanbaatar is simply the fastest and easiest way to get there. Depending on the season, it might actually cost you less to fly to Mongolia rather than going via Trans Siberian Train.
You can look up tickets on aeroflot.ru and miat.com for tickets. Usually, tickets are around $300-$700 for one way depending on which season you travel.
Getting from Russia to Mongolia through land
For backpackers and travelers, taking the land route is much more interesting and exciting. It is an opportunity for you to sightsee various parts of Russia and the Mongolian countryside. So I advise you to take it slow and enjoy the journey if you plan on taking the land method.
Taking The Trans Siberian Railway
Usually, the Trans Siberian Railway is the cheapest and the most convenient way to travel to Mongolia if you don’t like flying. If you will be traveling from Moscow to Ulaanbaatar, do know that you have a LONG journey ahead of you.
You can look up tickets on:
https://www.rzd.ru/
https://eticket.ubtz.mn
If you are visiting during the winter months, you better get your tickets early because they don’t run as many trains compared to the summer. If you find a good deal, for $150 or so you can get to Ulaanbaatar and during busier in-demand tickets ~$300 one way.
However, these are one-way tickets that are 4-5 days long. So unless you want to live on the train for 4-5 days (which I don’t recommend), then you are better off flying from Moscow to Mongolia because it will almost be the same price because the hotel, food, etc all add up to about the same price.
Booking a bus from Ulan-Ude to Ulaanbaatar
If you don’t want to take the train to cross the Mongolian border, you could take the bus for a little cheaper. You just simply book a ticket to Ulan-Ude from whichever Russian city you will be traveling from and book a night or two in a hostel. Hostels will be able to book you a bus ticket from Ulan-Ude to Ulaanbaatar.
However, the process is more annoying and better suited for people who don’t have much luggage, since you will have to get in and out of the bus a few times with your belongings at border control.
The ride will take you about 7-8 hours in total, but be ready for some bumpy roads. A one-way ticket is about ~$30 or so dollars.