I've seen a lot of boundaries, a hell of a lot. Somewhere everything happens quickly and clearly, as in Europe and the USA, somewhere it is traumatic for the psyche and the contents of your wallet, as in the Gambia. But I’ve never crossed such a cool border as the one between China and Mongolia. As you remember, because of the situation in southern China, I was stuck at the airport in Changsha for a long 8 hours, I arrived in Beijing with a huge delay and the Beijing-Ulaanbaatar train left safely without me. It's a shame? Still would. But he did not lose heart and chased after the departing train by plane, flying from Beijing to Erenhot, bordering Mongolia, where all trains going to Ulaanbaatar and Moscow make a stop. And I caught my train, but experienced a second bummer - I was thrown into it at this border station. But this time I did not lose endless optimism and decided to cross the border into Mongolia on my own and from the first Mongolian border station, Zamun-Uud, take a local train to Ulaanbaatar.
But I didn’t even imagine that crossing the border would turn into a crazy race of hundreds of old UAZs through the Gobi Desert, with 7-10 people in each car, and all these riders would have trunks with things on their heads and knees. A real cross-border rally, but not Paris-Dakar, but rather Erenhot - Zamun-Uud. It was amazing -
I talked about Chinese in a separate article, it’s very interesting. To put it very briefly, both towns live on an exclusive border. The vast majority of trade and passenger traffic between China and Mongolia travels along this transport route. In just 10 years, the godforsaken village of Erenhot has become quite large modern city with 15-storey buildings, shopping centers, hotels and even the airport. Mongolia may have a small population, but all the shopping is done in Erenhot. Just as Khabarovsk residents go to Fuyuan, and Vladivostok residents go to Suifenhe, so the Mongols have mastered the Chinese border area.
If Erenhot can be easily reached by five daily trains, a dozen buses from Beijing and other cities, or by plane, then as for the Mongolian Zamun Uud, everything is more complicated there. The Mongols do not have the enormous resources that China has. Ten years ago, both towns were natural villages, but now only the Mongolian twin brother remains an village. One daily train connects Zamun Uud with Ulaanbaatar. There are two more passing, one “Beijing - Ulaanbaatar” (who left without me) and “Beijing - Moscow”. But they only pass by the town, there is no landing. There is another train coming from China and making a stop here, this is “Erenhot - Ulaanbaatar”, but the Mongols do not like it. Dear, they say, a dog. This is true. Since it is considered international and branded, it costs exactly twice as much as usual. It is on it that I am currently driving, sitting in the compartment under the light of a night light and writing these lines. I still can’t sleep, the carriage is shaking too much and everything is creaking terribly. Well, by our standards, even a very expensive Mongolian train is quite cheap. Do the math for yourself: a compartment car, 750 kilometers of travel, costs 32 thousand tugriks, which corresponds to exactly 700 rubles. Is it expensive? But that first train is half the price.
So, all the small businessmen of almost two million Ulaanbaatar travel by train to Erenhot to buy goods and then take the goods back to the capital by the same train. So there is always a problem with places, on any day, in any season. At the same time, in Mongolia it is still impossible to buy a ticket for a passing train in advance. Remember how it used to be in the USSR? When people were on duty near the station ticket office, in the hope that there would be seats on the passing train. The same thing happens in Mongolia. Since the second train from Erenhot (the more expensive one) is a passing train, tickets for it are not sold until it departs from Erenhot in China. Of course, businessmen do not like this situation. Not only is it expensive, but it is also unclear until the very end whether there will be tickets or not. Accordingly, everyone is trying to get on a cheap train, for which they can buy tickets in advance. On the other hand, people who go to pick up goods do not always know how long the work will take. This brings you to the fact that a considerable part of the Mongols returning from China with goods strive to quickly cross the border, run to the station in Zamuun-Uud and have time to buy tickets. The attentive reader will notice that if the second train comes from Erenhot, then why not immediately board it? Why drive across the border and try to intercept tickets for another train? Is it really to save $15? I answer: out of savings, yes, but not 15 dollars, but 100 dollars. The situation is as follows: Erenhot and Zamun-Uud are separated by only 7 kilometers and the border, but a ticket from Erenhot to Udan Bator is considered international and costs more than a hundred dollars, and a ticket for the same train from Zamun-Uud costs 20 dollars. Feel the difference.
Races of hundreds of old UAZs
The sooner you cross the border and end up at the station, the greater the chance that you will leave by cheap train. And even if you are unlucky and there are no tickets, you will probably leave second, more expensive. The border opens at 8:30 a.m., and entry starts at nine. The cheap train leaves for Ulaanbaatar at 17:35 Mongolian time.
I don’t know how this is explained, but you can only cross the border in a Mongolian car, and 95% of these cars are UAZ-469. There are also passing buses from Beijing and a couple of other cities to Ulaanbaatar, but we are not discussing them, since they run twice a day, are almost always full, and the chance of catching such a bus at the border is small. I saw two of these buses today, both full to capacity. Plus, buses are not profitable for Mongolian merchants; you can’t load a lot of goods there. In theory, you can try your luck with a bus, especially if you are not in a hurry and are ready to stay another day at the border in case of failure. If so, then the bus will cost 50 yuan ($7.5). It’s just that the border closes at 17:30 and waiting too long for the bus is fraught with consequences. The Mongols say that they are about to launch direct buses from Erenhot to Zamun Uud, but when exactly is unclear.
Reade set Go!
Sasha would not be Sasha if he forced himself to get up at 7 in the morning and run to catch a passing UAZ to Mongolia. Therefore, I finished watching my dreams and left the hotel exactly at noon, not denying myself the pleasure of also having a snack along the way. UAZs hang out right in the center of Erenhot, next to kissing dinosaurs -
You can’t miss the UAZs, there are hundreds of them -
I'm not exaggerating; you rarely see so many old cars of one particular model anywhere. Everyone hastily loads up and leaves one after another for the border.
Optimization is maximum, 7-10 people are packed into each car, sitting on each other’s heads. This is where the goods are stuffed. The fare costs 100 yuan ($15), which is quite expensive for a seven-kilometer journey. Mafia! Drivers know that you have no choice; you cannot cross the border on foot. Bargaining is appropriate, but the final price will be exactly 100 yuan; initially they may ask for more - bargain.
The product is even shoved under the hood -
Have you packed your car? Then go ahead, your path lies to... customs. Look what a colorful lady our driver is -
Yes, strangely, the Chinese customs is located in the city center. The UAZs rush there, go through a check, they are “sealed” by covering them with adhesive tape, and then you go to the border. No, well, not straight to the border. On the way, you stop at a couple more shopping places, where the craftsmen carefully peel off the tape, put more goods into the car and glue the tape back -
On the remaining few kilometers of the arrow-straight road, races take place between ancient and ungodly overloaded UAZs. Good old cars rumble and squeak terribly with all their parts, but the Mongolian Schumachers firmly hold the steering wheel and steer their iron horses to the border -
Now passengers are running to get exit stamps, and their cars are waiting for them in the parking lot. Everyone is nervous, in a hurry, no one will wait for those who are late! The law of the jungle, there is also Mongolian customs ahead, time is short.
Before entering Mongolia there is a barrier and soldiers in NATO uniform - the Mongolian army several years ago began to gradually move away from the Soviet-style uniform and weapons. I don’t know about weapons, but the uniform has already been changed, just as M-16 rifles have been spotted, and not Kalashnikovs at all. It was not possible to take a photo of them; they waved their hands angrily, barely noticing the camera. Hundreds of UAZs stood there for an hour and a half -
Then they let everyone in. And all at once, which created a hellish chaos of hundreds of cars and businessmen running back and forth near the customs office -
Look where the cunning people attached the goods, are the customs officers too lazy to bend over -
The queue for passport control had several tails that connected in front of three working booths, where a showdown in the spirit of “you weren’t standing here” took place. True, the Mongols are calm people and after making a little noise they calmed down.
At this stage, I left the UAZ, because, unlike the Chinese, the Mongolian customs looked after my compatriots very carefully. It is logical: the Chinese are interested in their goods being exported abroad, but the Mongols see the dominance of Chinese goods as a threat to their own producers.
I went outside the border terminal on foot, caught a ride, and drove the remaining few kilometers with the breeze in another UAZ, where I would be without them.
Zamun Uud and train tickets
The first thing I did was buy train tickets. As one might expect, the cheap one was sold out, but the expensive one was full of empty seats, both in the compartment and in the reserved seat. Station building in Zamun-Uud -
With about 4 hours left before departure, is it time to take a walk around the town located in the heart of the Gobi Desert? But this will be discussed in the next article.
For those who love: Mongolian entry stamp and train ticket -
Today a person wrote to me on Facebook asking about crossing the Russia/Mongolia border. Precisely from the Altai side.
Well, this transition, as well as the subsequent unrest, must be described so that people can avoid some mistakes.
Briefly:
Tashanta is a land automobile border between Russia and Mongolia. You can only cross the border by car.
Open until 18:00 pm, closed on weekends and holidays.
The distance of the border zone between the two countries is 20 km.
Ukrainian passport holders can enter without a visa, but we necessary have an invitation.
Attempt No. 1
We reached the border crossing in Tashanta quite successfully, perhaps not as quickly as we wanted, but this is understandable: the roads were deserted.
In half an hour, only one car passed by, and if it reached a large one (relatively, of course) administrative center There were more cars in Kosh-Agach, but after Kosh-Agach the traffic decreased sharply.
It was pleasant to drive because this is the famous Chuysky tract: one of the most beautiful roads in the world.
Try to spot the camel in the photo :)
The border from Kosh-Agach is 40 km. Kosh-Agach itself is a village, both in appearance and in its few inhabitants.
From time to time, taxi drivers approached us and offered travel for 300-500 rubles ($5-8). We refused and continued to try to stop.
In front of us stood a woman from Moscow (about 50 years old), who decided to hike around Altai and see the border itself. Stopped alone.
About half an hour later she left and after another 10 minutes we were picked up by pensioners who were going to the village of Zhana-Aul.
It is 20 km from the border.
We were driven all the way to the border by the father of 8 children, who also fought in Afghanistan. His car was old, like all the previous ones that gave us a lift. He didn’t ask us about money, but we decided to give him our remaining 100 rubles.
We arrived at the border itself almost before closing. At 17:30.
We read that there are local taxi drivers there, and you can cross the border for little money, but we never found taxi drivers, and there were no cars that would go to Mongolia.
A strong wind was blowing and it was very cold. We didn’t want to spend the night in a tent, so we started asking locals where we could spend the night. We were offered a room for 500 rubles for two ($10). We were still haggling.
Room - 4 beds, window, table and chairs. Outdoor amenities. Of course, no hot water.
But there was protection from the wind + they brought us a kettle, and there was a stove, which we heated and cooked food for ourselves.
A couple of times they tried to move in Mongols who, like us, had to cross the border the next day. But the Mongols did not like our proximity and they changed the room.
True, not immediately, but after some time.
Even when we first met, Mongols turned out to be very noisy :)
They shouted over each other, argued about something, not paying attention to us. Well, they also tried to heat kumys in a kettle, which stank unbearably. It was fun.
The next morning, we went to look for a car that would take us to Mongolia.
At first we tried to fit in with the Mongols, but they didn’t want to take us, only one offered us for little money (something about $2).
By the way, there were at most 20 cars.
We went around them all. And luck overtook us almost at the gate :)
The Germans agreed to transport us, who were traveling in a huge house on wheels (not an ordinary house, but a bit of a paramilitary type. The approximate cost, according to them, is 500 thousand euros).
The inside was spacious and German-style clean. We were fed and we began to wait for the border to open.
The Germans said that they were traveling from Europe to Mongolia, and then, most likely, they would go back to Russia, only by a different route.
They looked to be over 50 years old, both active and had already traveled a lot around the world.
We crossed the Russian border in about 2 hours. The papers themselves and the passport check did not cause any delays, but the border guards spent a very long time checking the Germans’ car, unloading and scanning absolutely everything from it.
In the end, the Germans began to lose their nerve and we had to communicate with the border guards about when they would let us go.
We said goodbye to the asphalt on the Russian side and now the gates to Mongolia are in front of us. 🙂
The procedure is repeated, only now we have problems.
The border guard announces that yes, we are visa-free, but you need to present an invitation. We are hearing about the invitation for the first time, we specifically read forums, looked at Mongolian sites, etc.
Before us, our friends from Ukraine passed through the same border without an invitation, exactly 3 weeks ago.
Without an invitation, they don’t want to let us go anywhere and they don’t want to help us either. It is impossible to reach an agreement. You need an invitation and that's it. An invitation, according to the border guard, from any private individual or travel agency.
We begin to persuade the boss to write us such an invitation, but to no avail.
The Germans are trying to stand up for us and also come to an agreement. But everything is in vain, in frustrated feelings, we go to catch cars back to Russia.
We manage to sit down, but with different people. Andrey goes to the Russians, and I go to the Kazakhs.
We cross the border, this time again 1.5 hours of waiting. A Kazakh car is inspected no worse than a German one: in detail and with taste.
An alarmed Andrei is already waiting for me near the gate, it’s getting dark, there’s a little time left before the border is closed, but I’m still not there. It turned out that the car with Russian license plates was allowed through very quickly.
We go again to the familiar room. We need to spend the night, calm down and eat.
Again we pay $10 for two.
In the morning we decide that she was there, she wasn’t - we’ll go to Kosh-Agach and make an invitation there. Just 40 km back.
A Russian border guard takes us to Kosh-Agach, who immediately recognizes us and is interested in the problem. He recommends making an invitation from a travel agency.
In Kosh-Agach, I write to the host and ask her to write an invitation, she does it and we have 1 invitation, although it doesn’t look very good: the words are hard to see, and it’s kind of undignified.
We are looking for a travel agency in Mongolia and find Legend Tour:
https://www.legendtour.ru
Which for $10 per person make invitations on company letterhead.
Everything happens very quickly: we send our data, route and the number of days we need.
We pay for the service, after 1.5 hours invitations arrive in the mail, which we print.
But the weekend is ahead, and the border checkpoint is closed on weekends.
Then we leave the small Kosh-Agach and set up a tent near the local small pond. We spend 2 days there.
Local Altai people get to know us and treat us to various tasty things.
Attempt No. 2
We leave Kosh-Agach quite quickly. Again to Zhan-Aul.
Kazakhs live near the border with Mongolia and also in the western part of Mongolia, and these Kazakhs picked us up another 20 minutes later and invited us to visit them.
We didn't refuse because it was very interesting.
They live in a small house with one room. They have a herd of horses: they eat them, drink horse milk and make cheese, cottage cheese, kumiss, etc.
We were treated to food, a simple table was set, and we, for our part, treated the little one to sweets.
We talked and finally they gave us flatbread and a liter of kumiss.
The entire time we were talking, the woman was pounding oil in a bucket, I don’t know, but it was about an hour. And we were told that we need to do this for 3-4 hours.
Hard physical work.
In addition to refreshments and interesting conversation, they decide to give us a lift to the very border.
And here we are in the already familiar Tashanta. It was evening, there were no cars at all and the border was closing, but we still couldn’t leave.
Again a room, but this time we bargained and rented for $8. The owners already know us and even seem to be happy. J Of course.
Let’s be honest: it’s August, there’s a strong wind, one of the poles in our tent is broken—the last thing I want to do is set up and spend the night in it.
We think with fear and sadness what will happen in Mongolia.
While we are settling in, we see two elderly Germans on motorcycles, who are looking in confusion at the closed border and are trying to find housing.
We help them spend the night and treat them to kumiss. According to them, it’s terrible and they haven’t tried anything worse. Probably they haven’t been to China.
We chat about travel, life and relaxation. We are preparing mentally for the second assault on the border.
In the morning the line of cars is a little longer than the first time. We number about 30. J We decide to ask for each one or offer to pay money. I want to leave, the wait is becoming unbearable.
We ask everyone, but no one takes it. There is one bus from Kazakhstan in the queue, but it is packed to capacity.
We can barely negotiate with foreigners (a couple from Spain), but they have one free place. We decide that I will go with them.
Andrey negotiates with the Kazakhs that he will go for money - 200 rubles ($3). There is one free place for him.
My car with the Spaniards is at the front of the line, after 20 minutes they start to let everyone in and repeat the procedure that we have already gone through.
The border guards recognize me, I show my invitation and they let me out of the country again without questions. A Spanish car is checked faster than a German car.
Then I notice that Andrei is looking out from the next car (and this is an ambulance with Danish license plates) and shows me with signs that everything is cool.
He fit into the car with the cheerful guys who are taking part in the Mongol Rally.
In short, the Mongol Rally is a competition: you need to get from London to Ulaanbaatar in any car (but not a jeep) or motorcycle, at your own expense, and within 60 days.
The route can be any, the main thing is to get there first.
Andrey ends up with these guys (and agrees to travel with them to Ulaanbaatar!).
So, we are back at the Mongolian border guards.
I get there first and they recognize me.
The woman border guard, taking the invitation and my passport, gives all the documents to another person and says that they must check it all. And in general, the invitation and attention are not what they should be.
That is, when they told us that it was possible by hand, etc., they were jokes :).
Okay, I go to the big boss’s office, where he asks me how and where I got this invitation. I tell about the travel agency, the route, show the address of the travel agency, and also say when we plan to leave the country.
He makes a phone call and has a long conversation with someone. All this time he has my documents, I stand in the office, and he looks at me.
Mongolia turns out to be harsher than I thought.
I logically suggest that he call the travel agency.
I have never had such control and inspection at any border.
He's calling somewhere again. Then he says okay! They are ready to let me through, but I need to write a handwritten note explaining why I am going to Mongolia and what my route is.
At that moment, I really don’t understand what to write in this note, since I had already stopped wanting to go to Mongolia. 🙂
How much cash do I have? It's good that I had them. I say I have 600 dollars. Great, because I need to take a photo of me with them, and this explanatory note will be pinned to this photo.
So they say they absolve themselves of responsibility if a tourist disappears somewhere.
This is the first time I’ve been photographed with bucks at the border.
And I'm very glad that I have cash and not just cards.
About an hour later, he lets me go and they give me an entry stamp into Mongolia.
Another hour later I am standing in a dusty area where there are no roads, dirty children are playing with a dirty ball. And they look at me like I’m an alien.
I am absolutely alone, Andrey is awaiting the same procedure (he was also forced to write a note + a photo was taken with the money).
But bad luck, the Mongols didn’t like something about the Danes’ car, and so I’ve been waiting for their car for four whole hours.
It gets dark when they drive out of the gate and I jump into the car.
This is how our Mongolia begins.
About the country, hitchhiking to Ulaanbaatar and general impression already in the next article. 🙂
About in Altai.
There are 8 road crossings and two railway crossings open on the Russian-Mongolian border, operating all year round. For citizens of third countries, crossing is possible only at the road checkpoints Tashanta - Tsagan-Nur (Altai), Kyakhta - Altanbulag (Buryatia) and at the railway crossing: Naushki - Sukhbaatar (Buryatia). If, for example, the group includes citizens of former Soviet republics, they will not be allowed to cross the border as citizens of third countries. The passage of third-country citizens at this crossing is planned to be opened only after the reconstruction of the Mondy-Khankh checkpoint.
For Russian citizens, it is also possible to cross through road checkpoints: Mondy - Khankh, Solovyovsk - Erentsav, Khandagayty - Borsho, Tsagan-Dogorod - Arts-Sura, Shara-Sur - Tes, Verkhniy Ulkhun - Ulkhun and by railway - Solovyovsk - Erentsav.
Local taxes apply when crossing the border. At the Kyakhta-Altanbulag automobile checkpoint, the Russian side charges money for processing documents when leaving Russia and sanitizing cars upon entry. The Mongolian side charges a transport tax of about $10 and car insurance of $20–25.
It takes from 2 to 4 hours to cross the border, even if there is no queue, but usually, due to queues at the border, crossing by car, for example in Kyakhta, takes the whole day.
VEHICLE CROSSINGS AT THE RUSSIA-MONGOLIA BORDER
Checkpoint Tashanta – Tsagan-Nur (Altai)
The automobile checkpoint in Altai in Tashanta is located in the mountains. Between the Russian and Mongolian checkpoints there are more than 20 km of dirt road and the Durbet-Daba pass with a height of 2400 m. There is a rule here: no one should remain in the neutral zone. This section must be passed before the Mongolian checkpoint closes. Checkpoints operate from 9am to 6pm.
Checkpoint Kyakhta - Altanbulag (Buryatia)
Checkpoint 24/7!
At the Kyakhta - Altanbulag automobile checkpoint, the Russian side charges money for paperwork (about 90 rubles) when leaving Russia and sanitary processing of cars $5-7 upon entry. The Mongolian side charges a transport tax - about $10 and car insurance - $20-25.
It takes from 2 to 4 hours to cross the border, even if there is no queue, but usually, due to queues at the border, crossing by car, for example in Kyakhta, takes the whole day. The modern terminal is designed to handle up to 500 cars per day, but in practice, even if you arrive early in the morning, this does not mean crossing the border before lunch.
Checkpoint: Mondy – Hankh
- Mondy-Khankh automobile checkpoint(302 km from Irkutsk) located on the pass Mungiin-Daba (1830 m.) Has double-sided status. This means that today only citizens of Mongolia and Russia can cross the border here. Open in summer from April 15 to September 15 - from 10:00 to 18:00, in winter - from 10:00 to 17:00. Closed on weekends and holidays.
There is quite a decent asphalt road leading to the border from the Russian side. From the village of Mondy, a good quality road constantly goes up. Mungiin Daba Pass and at the same time a border. After passing the border, a standard Mongolian dirt road begins. The forest has disappeared - there is a steppe all around, with groves on the slopes of the mountains. From the border, the road goes with a general decline. Before reaching the village of Khankh, you must pay an entry fee Khuvsgul National Park.
Since 2010, the Federal Agency for the Development of the State Border of the Russian Federation has been working on the issue of changing the status of the international automobile checkpoint (MACP) Mondy-Khankh from bilateral to multilateral. A positive conclusion to this project was given by Rosgranitsa. However, to date the issue has not been resolved.
Crossing the border by citizens of third countries at the Mondy-Khankh checkpoint (Lake Khubsugul) is not provided for by the intergovernmental agreement between Russia and Mongolia and is only possible for residents of Mongolia and Russia.
Checkpoint Solovyovsk - Erentsav
Open 7 days a week from 9 to 18 with a lunch break from 14:00 to 15:00 Chita time.
Checkpoint Khandagaity – Borsho
The Khandagaity-Borshoo border checkpoint on the Russian-Mongolian border will soon be equipped to practically transfer its status from bilateral to multilateral. Rosgranitsa is allocating 15 million rubles for these purposes. Reconstruction of the border checkpoint on the Tuvan section of the Russian-Mongolian border will double the capacity of passing people and vehicles.
Consul General of Mongolia in Kyzyl Bazarsad announced the decision taken by the Mongolian leadership to open this checkpoint up to 3-4 times a month for the passage of representatives of third countries even before the completion of reconstruction, which usually lasts for several years.
In the meantime, the Khandagaity-Borshoo checkpoint operates in a two-way mode and is open to citizens and legal entities of Russia and Mongolia. Numerous foreigners arriving in Tuva cannot cross the state border on the Tuvan section and are forced to use the Kyakhta checkpoint in Buryatia or Tashanta in the Altai Republic.
Checkpoint Tsagan-Dogorod – Arts-Sura
Checkpoint Shara-Sur - Tes
Checkpoint Verkhniy Ulkhun - Ulkhun
ENTRY TO MONGOLIA BY PERSONAL VEHICLE
To enter the territory of Mongolia with your own car, an international driver’s license alone is enough; no other permits from the Russian traffic police or replacement of Russian license plates with Mongolian plates is required.
You cannot drive across the border in a car driven by a simple written power of attorney - only valid notarized powers of attorney. When crossing the border, the vehicle data is entered into the customs declaration by the owner and recorded in the computer database of the Mongolian customs.
There are no prohibitions when traveling by car within the territory of Mongolia. The only restriction that motorists may encounter is being in the border zone and in specially protected natural areas. Movement in the border zone with China requires special permission. The border zone is considered to be a 30 km strip of land along the state border of Mongolia. For example, to visit the caves on the Darganga plateau, you must have approval from the border guards, since the entrance to the caves is located in the border zone. In the territories of nature reserves, national parks a paid regime has been introduced for the stay of tourists and the entry of cars. It is legally established at 1,000 tugriks per car, and 3,000 tugriks per person for up to a week of stay in specially protected areas.
On roads when crossing the administrative boundaries of aimags, local tolls are collected, most often 1000 tugriks (for a passenger car), but more expensive for a minibus. Some aimags charge money for crossing wooden bridges. You also need to pay for the use of ferries.
To transport pets across the border, an international veterinary certificate is required.
The use of car radios (27 MHz), satellite phones and GPS is not prohibited (there is no law on the use of civilian radio stations in Mongolia) - importing them into Mongolia and working with them is permitted. The problems begin at Russian customs - permission is needed for radio stations installed on cars. According to current instructions, GPS devices are prohibited from import into Russia. Therefore, when leaving Russia, you MUST include GPS devices in the customs declaration, indicate its serial number, and have a copy of the certificate issued in the store upon purchase.
The purpose of the route is to cross Mongolia from west to east, getting to know this wonderful country in such a way as to get from Altai to Lake Baikal. There was only a week to do everything, so it was decided to take the easiest route – the Southern one.
- 6 days
- length ~2000 km
- photo report and story about the route -
The goal of the route was to cross Mongolia from west to east, getting to know this wonderful country in such a way as to get from Altai to Lake Baikal. There was only a week to do everything, so it was decided to take the easiest route – the Southern one.
Border Russia - Mongolia
This route involves entering Mongolia across the border in the village of Tashanta Republic of Altai, and departure from the village of Kyakhta Republic of Buryatia. You can travel in reverse order, and there are also a number of other border points between the two countries.
Operating mode Each point is different and may change, so to plan your trip it is better to check the times and days of operation of the points. To do this you can search last news on the Russian Border website by entering “Tashanta” or another checkpoint in the search. The point in Kyakhta operates without breaks or weekends, but changes are possible there too; just in case, it’s also worth checking on the website rosgranitsa.ru. The point in Tashanta is often closed for several days due to holidays on the Mongolian side, be careful when planning your trip.
Documentation necessary to cross the border: for Russian citizens one is enough foreign passport, no other documents or visas are required for a period of up to 30 days. Citizens of other countries, including the CIS, need a visa. People are allowed to cross the border only by transport. The driver must have a registration certificate with him vehicle and a driver’s license, and a simple Russian license will do; in Mongolia, at the time of writing (2016), an international driver’s license was not required. You won’t need Russian vehicle insurance in Mongolia; there you will have to pay their own (RUB 1,500 in 2016), plus transport tax (RUB 500) - both will be persistently sold to you immediately after crossing the border. At the border checkpoint in Mongolia they will charge you another 50 rubles. for sanitary treatment, which, by the way, may not be done at all, simply by issuing a receipt.
Our impressions of crossing the border
Since the line at the border in Tashanta was occupied on Sunday evening, the border was crossed quickly. Both sides took about 4 hours in total. On our side they work clearly, everything is intuitive, if you get confused, they will always tell you where to go and what to do. They didn’t check things too much, we took several bags and put them through an X-ray; we didn’t move all the other things (the whole car, including the roof rack), we just examined the car, asking them to open everything that could be opened. The main thing is to answer questions normally and do what they say, then no problems other than waiting in lines will arise. On the Mongolian side it’s more difficult to figure out what’s what, and it’s harder to ask - their Russian language is not so good, sometimes it’s better to speak English. But even there, if you are attentive, everything goes quite quickly, do not hesitate to ask where to go and what to do. The border in Kyakhta is much more elaborate on the Mongolian side, and the round-the-clock operation makes it possible to cross the border at night when there are practically no people. On our side, we, as Russian citizens, were allowed to skip the line.
Roads of Mongolia
The southern route is one of three main highways running from west to east, and it is the southern route that is considered the most paved. Of the 2000 km, about 1100 km are asphalt, as of 2016. Roads are being built in large sections. But nevertheless, this is Mongolia, and often the main route is a dozen roads along the steppe, especially if you turn off the main highway. The country roads are in different conditions: some are relatively good, you can drive fast, but most of them are so-called ridged - it’s not very pleasant to drive along them, but there is a choice, and you can often find a good track, the main thing is not to stray from the right direction, as some branches lead to distant yurts or to completely different valleys.
It is very difficult to navigate by the signs; it is better to use a navigator and maps. There are fords on the Southern Route; in July they presented absolutely no difficulty, even for passenger cars, but it is clear that the rivers overflow considerably during floods. The new asphalt in the western part is very good, but the one closer to Ulaanbaatar is quite treacherous: every now and then there are decent-sized potholes in the middle of the road, you should always be on alert. Most asphalt roads are tolled; there are checkpoints at the exit from cities, usually charging 1,000 tugriks.
Traffic is relatively lively on the main highway; you can hope for help if necessary. Mongols living far from Ulaanbaatar most often drive prepared Kruzaks and, I must say, drive recklessly, carrying 4 spare wheels with them. But if you drive a little further from the main road, you may not see a single car at all for a long time.
Asphalt sections on the Southern Route, Mongolia as of 2016
Navigation
Throughout the journey we used the maps.me mobile application. All the necessary maps were downloaded in advance, so the phone worked in airplane mode, without roaming issues. The application is convenient, fast, and navigated correctly even to addresses in Ulaanbaatar - in general, there are no complaints, we were satisfied. We planned to purchase a paper map, but found it only in Ulaanbaatar, when there was no longer a need. We went the whole way with only one application on our smartphone.
Nutrition
- Water. On the Southern Route, we recommend stocking up on water whenever possible. There will be lakes, but many of them are salty and access to them is not always easy, and the rivers are mostly dirty. A couple of times we tried to collect water from rare wells where local nomads get water, but we used it only for cooking on gas and for technical purposes - it’s still better to get used to this water (there is a fine suspension and an unusual smell). For drinking on the road, we used only purchased bottled water, which, by the way, becomes more expensive as you move into drier areas.
- Food. Of course, there are quite decent shops in the cities of Mongolia; there are even supermarkets. But we, as true fans of autonomy, bought food back in Russia according to the principle of a tourist layout for 2 weeks + a supply of “goodies”. This way we didn’t have to waste time in stuffy cities looking for provisions, and we could stop to eat anywhere whenever we wanted. The only thing we really lacked was fresh vegetables and fruits - they are very rarely available in stores or are very expensive. Next time we will safely take a few kilos of tomatoes and cucumbers with us - the border guards do not find fault with this. As for local cuisine, it is there; along the road there are cafes and yurts with signs in Mongolian, but you shouldn’t expect good service anywhere other than Ulaanbaatar.
- Gas. Again, in the southern direction there are no trees, so there is no firewood, which means you can’t count on an evening with a fire at all. We rely only on gas or gasoline burners and take fuel in reserve; again, there were no problems with it at the border.
Overnight stays
A tent or car is the most popular and often the only option for spending the night in Mongolia. Of course, there are guest yurts where you can ask to go, and in the towns there are something like hotels, but the amenities there are questionable (with the exception of Ulaanbaatar), so it is much more pleasant and interesting to spend the night in the endless Mongolian steppes. The main thing is to stock up on water, food and fuel for cooking, so you can leave the well-worn road at any time and set up camp. We really liked to drive up some mountain to make the view more interesting.
Money
Money in Mongolia is Tugrik. Currency, as we read, can be changed in every city. But it turns out that not every bank deals with exchange. And, frankly, for us this task turned into a real quest: in the city of Ulgii the doors of the treasured bank were closed right in front of our noses, and in Khovd we spent more than 2 hours walking from bank to bank. In general, it would probably be worth exchanging at least some of the cash at the border with annoying money changers, so that you would have money at least for gasoline, since rubles are not accepted.
Language
Mongols don't speak Russian. Sometimes we were lucky with school English. We often had to explain ourselves in sign language.
Fuel
There are enough gas stations on the Southern Route; we refueled on average through half a tank. The cost of gasoline is 2 times more expensive than in Russia. I had a spare canister with me, but it was never used. At gas stations there are mainly 92 and diesel, with 95, and even more so 98, there is a problem, it is only available in Ulaanbaatar. We refueled at Petrovis gas stations, chose it because it looked civilized, the gasoline was normal, and it was decided to refuel only at stations of this brand. Probably other gas stations are also normal, since local, by the way, expensive cars were also refueled at them. The procedure for refueling is slightly different: an employee came to us, poured gasoline himself, and we paid with the same person in cash.
Preparing the car for Mongolia
Puncture wheels- a common thing on Mongolian roads, so a spare tire is required, but two are more reliable. Owners of road tires with a narrow profile need to be ready for adventure. IN populated areas You can fix a puncture, local tire shops are hiding under the sign “arc zasvar.”
Before your trip, carefully inspect your car’s suspension, or better yet, undergo good maintenance at some trusted car service center.
Another feature that should be taken into account is dust. When traveling on the roads of Mongolia, be prepared for dust to be everywhere. Therefore, it would not be superfluous to provide for the possibility of closing the cabin air intakes and other possible cracks in the car.
In general, there is nothing supernatural about traveling around Mongolia by car, if you know your car and its weak points at least at a basic level. For example, my Suzuki's weak link is the engine drive belt, and it was the one that whistled towards the end of the trip, but knowing about the problem, I had a spare belt with me. By the way, this was the only additional part I took with me on the trip, but next time I will take a couple more parts with me for greater confidence, which I recommend to you.
A snorkel, winch, power bumpers and all other off-road attributes are completely optional on this particular route. All this can be useful if you are going to travel, for example, deep into northern Mongolia away from the main highways. If you wish, you can drive along the southern path in any car.
RUSSIAN-MONGOLIAN BORDER
CHECKPOINTS
Friendly border relations between Mongolia and Russia have a long history. The current border between Mongolia and Russia was established on the basis of the agreement “On the state border between the Mongolia and the USSR” of 1958 and 1976. The Border Service of Mongolia works jointly with the Border Service of the FSB of the Russian Federation on the basis of the Agreement between the governments of Mongolia and the Russian Federation on cooperation on border issues from 1994 in the field of state border protection, exchange of information and experience, as well as training of professional personnel.
FIGURES AND FACTS
The total length of Mongolia's borders is 8162 kilometers (of which 3543 kilometers are with Russia).
On land 2863 km, water areas - 680 kilometers.
The Russian-Mongolian state border is marked on the ground with 1925 border markers (main - 964, intermediate - 961).
On average, 526,074 passengers and 232,282 vehicles cross the Russian-Mongolian border per year.
Checkpoint on the Russian-Mongolian border
There are 29 checkpoints on the Russian-Mongolian border. (This is according to information from the official website of the Mongolian Embassy in Russia). Of them:
International: Tsagaannuur, Borshoo, Altanbulag, Sukhebator, Ereentsav
Double-sided, permanent: Tes, Arts uur, Khankh, Biga-Ilenkh, Zelter, Agatsyn Gol, Ulkhan, Ereentsav
Seasonal checkpoints: Bayanzurkh, Heegt, Shishged gol, Khongor ovoo, Tsagaan aral, Khutag-Ondor, Khuder, Togtor, Yamalkhyn gol.
Transit: Asgatyn gol, Kharigy gol, Boh moron, Teel, Handgait, davst, Tes.
There are 8 road crossings and two railway crossings open on the Russian-Mongolian border, operating all year round. For citizens of third countries, crossing is possible only at the road checkpoints Tashanta - Tsagan-Nur (Altai), Kyakhta - Altanbulag (Buryatia) and at the railway crossing: Naushki - Sukhbaatar (Buryatia). If, for example, the group includes citizens of former Soviet republics, they will not be allowed to cross the border as citizens of third countries. The passage of third-country citizens at this crossing is planned to be opened only after the reconstruction of the Mondy-Khankh checkpoint.
For Russian citizens, it is also possible to cross through road checkpoints: Mondy - Khankh, Solovyovsk - Erentsav, Khandagayty - Borsho, Tsagan-Dogorod - Arts-Sura, Shara-Sur - Tes, Verkhniy Ulkhun - Ulkhun and by railway - Solovyovsk - Erentsav.
For residents of border areas, a simplified border crossing without visas has been established, using a passport with local registration. So residents of the Tunka Valley can travel to Mongolia, to Lake Khubsugul without obtaining a visa.
Local taxes apply when crossing the border. At the Kyakhta-Altanbulag automobile checkpoint, the Russian side charges money for processing documents when leaving Russia and sanitizing cars upon entry. The Mongolian side charges a transport tax of about $10 and car insurance of $20–25.
It takes from 2 to 4 hours to cross the border, even if there is no queue, but usually, due to queues at the border, crossing by car, for example in Kyakhta, takes the whole day.
VEHICLE CROSSINGS AT THE RUSSIA-MONGOLIA BORDER
Checkpoint Tashanta – Tsagan-Nur (Altai)
The automobile checkpoint in Altai in Tashanta is located in the mountains. Between the Russian and Mongolian checkpoints there are more than 20 km of dirt road and the Durbet-Daba pass with a height of 2400 m. There is a rule here: no one should remain in the neutral zone. This section must be passed before the Mongolian checkpoint closes. Checkpoints are open from 9 am to 6 pm.
Checkpoint Kyakhta - Altanbulag (Buryatia)
At the Kyakhta - Altanbulag automobile checkpoint, the Russian side charges money for paperwork (about 90 rubles) when leaving Russia and sanitary processing of cars $5-7 upon entry. The Mongolian side charges a transport tax - about $10 and car insurance - $20-25.
It takes from 2 to 4 hours to cross the border, even if there is no queue, but usually, due to queues at the border, crossing by car, for example in Kyakhta, takes the whole day. The modern terminal is designed to handle up to 500 cars per day, but in practice, even if you arrive early in the morning, this does not mean crossing the border before lunch.
Checkpoint: Mondy – Hankh
- Mondy-Khankh automobile checkpoint(302 km from Irkutsk) located on the pass Mungiin-Daba (1830 m.) Has double-sided status. This means that today only citizens of Mongolia and Russia can cross the border here. Open in summer from April 15 to September 15 - from 10:00 to 18:00, in winter - from 10:00 to 17:00. Closed on weekends and holidays.
There is quite a decent asphalt road leading to the border from the Russian side. From the village of Mondy, a good quality road constantly goes up. Mungiin Daba Pass and at the same time a border. After passing the border, a standard Mongolian dirt road begins. The forest has disappeared - there is a steppe all around, with groves on the slopes of the mountains. From the border, the road goes with a general decline. Before reaching the village of Khankh, you must pay an entry fee Khuvsgul National Park.
Currently, the Federal Agency for the Development of the State Border of the Russian Federation is considering the issue of changing the status of the international automobile checkpoint (MACP) Mondy-Khankh from bilateral to multilateral. Already in 2010, reconstruction of the Mondy automobile checkpoint will begin. A positive conclusion to this project was given by Rosgranitsa. It is planned that design and estimate documentation will be completed in 2010, and the reconstruction itself will begin a year later. (According to other sources, the project documentation is already ready).
Crossing the border by citizens of third countries at the Mondy-Khankh checkpoint (Lake Khubsugul) is not provided for by the intergovernmental agreement between Russia and Mongolia and is only possible for residents of Mongolia and Russia.
Checkpoint Solovyovsk - Erentsav
Open 7 days a week from 9 to 18 with a lunch break from 14:00 to 15:00 Chita time.
Checkpoint Khandagaity – Borsho
The Khandagaity-Borshoo border checkpoint on the Russian-Mongolian border will soon be equipped to practically transfer its status from bilateral to multilateral. Rosgranitsa is allocating 15 million rubles for these purposes. Reconstruction of the border checkpoint on the Tuvan section of the Russian-Mongolian border will double the capacity of passing people and vehicles.
Consul General of Mongolia in Kyzyl Bazarsad announced the decision taken by the Mongolian leadership to open this checkpoint up to 3-4 times a month for the passage of representatives of third countries even before the completion of reconstruction, which usually lasts for several years.
In the meantime, the Khandagaity-Borshoo checkpoint operates in a two-way mode and is open to citizens and legal entities of Russia and Mongolia. Numerous foreigners arriving in Tuva cannot cross the state border on the Tuvan section and are forced to use the Kyakhta checkpoint in Buryatia or Tashanta in the Altai Republic.
