Mongolia Train Types

For all domestic trains in Mongolia or international trains passing through the country, they are almost in similar condition. Some call it ordinary train but some others call it express train. 

Mongolia is an important destination and also it is the main connecting station for Trains-Siberia trains. Thus, the styles and standards varies for Russian, Mongolia and China trains, and also the facilities of each Mongolia train type are better on some newer trains. But no one knows in advance which train will be operator on the day, either the new one or the old one. 

Generally, there are two class seats on the train, the first class and the second class. The first class is available on the international trains, and the second class is the best available for the domestic trains in Mongolia. 

Trans-Siberia Trains

The First Class

The first class is actually soft sleeper bunk including 1/2 cabin and 1/4 cabins, they are available for the Trans-Siberia to China, Mongolia and Moscow. 

1/2 cabin, in this kind of cabin, two passengers share a cabin, and the door can be locked from inside. This cabin is good for a 2-person party who want to keep their privacy. This type is also called the deluxe soft sleeper. In most cases, there are two lower bunks in the cabin with a small table in between, but in some cases, one lower and one upper bunks are placed in one cabin with a small sofa in the corner. 

1/4 cabin, 4 bunks are placed in this cabin, two lowers and two uppers are in both side of the cabin, also the door can be locked. One carriage has only one toilet in the end of each carriage. This kind of cabins are available in first carriage. For the first 1/4 cabin, the space is larger and the bunk is slightly width than that of the second class 2/4. 

2/4 cabin, it is called the second class in Mongolia and hard sleeper in China, there are 4 bunks in each cabin.

To make it clear, we would like to explain as the following: 

First Class , 2-bunk Cabin, equals to Deluxe soft sleeper
First Class, 4-bunk Cabin, equals to Normal soft sleeper 
Second Class, 4-bunk Cabin, equals to Hard sleeper 

Train Rossiya in Ulaanbaatar Station

Hard Sleeper on a Mongolia Train

How to Choose

Among the above Mongolia train types, 2-bunk cabin is the best with no doubt, but the price is really high. Two cabins share a toilet. And it is less crowded and safer, the passengers are generally better off than the average.

For 1/4 cabins, the price for soft sleeper is somewhat double of that of the hard sleeper 2/4 cabins, but comparatively speaking, the 2/4 cabin is more practical since the facilities of 1/4 cabin is not that good to meet its price. 

The best sceneries are along the road, no double that all passengers in one cabin will sit on the lower bunk to take photos or enjoy males on the small table within the cabin. So, for a 2-person group, the best is to have one lower and one upper or two lower bunks. 

Domestic Mongolia Train Types

The best seat class is the second class. It is divided to hard sleeper and hard seat. The corridor is in the middle of the carriage, the other side is the hard sleeper bunks, and the other side is two hard seats facing each other with a small table in between. If fortunately no one occupy another hard seat, then the small table can be turned over to connect with the two seats and then formed a bunk.