Transportation

Ulaanbaatar's new Chinggis Khaan International Airport (UBN) is well outside the city, so allow plenty of time for the transfer. An airport bus runs to the centre, and taxis are available; agree a flat fare in advance rather than trusting the meter, or arrange a hotel pickup.

Ulaanbaatar's public transport is a network of city buses; there is no metro or tram. Buses can be crowded and signage is mostly in Mongolian, so a maps app helps. Pay with the U-money transit card, which you tap on boarding.

U-money is the transit card for Ulaanbaatar's city buses. Buy and top up the card at kiosks and shops, then tap it on the reader when you board. It is the simplest way to pay bus fares in the capital; the card is not used in the countryside.

The Trans-Mongolian Railway, which links Ulaanbaatar with Beijing and Moscow, also carries domestic trains on the corridor from Ulaanbaatar via Darkhan to Erdenet. Long-distance buses connect the main towns. For the wider countryside, where there are no rail or bus routes, a chartered 4x4 is the usual choice.

Mongolia is vast and roads are slow, so domestic flights are practical for reaching far regions. MIAT Mongolian Airlines and Hunnu Air fly from Ulaanbaatar to towns like Mörön, Khovd and Dalanzadgad (for the Gobi). Flights save days over driving, though schedules can be limited and change seasonally, so book early.

Distances in Mongolia are huge and much of the country is roadless steppe, so plan generous travel times and build in buffer days. For the Gobi, the steppe and ger stays, a chartered 4x4 with a driver (often with a guide) is the standard way to travel. Carry cash for the countryside, expect long stretches with no phone signal, and confirm domestic flight schedules in advance.