Airlines serving Mongolia are Korean Air, Aeroflot Russian Airlines, Air China and Mongolian Airlines (MIAT). AeroMongolia also flies to Irkutsk (Russia), Höh Hot (China) and Cheongjyu (South Korea).
There is comprehensive and updated information about flights to/from Mongolia at www.airtrans.mn
Travelers out of Europe frequently use flights to Ulaanbaatar via Moscow or Beijing. The cheapest airfare is always offered by Aeroflot via Moscow, almost always resulting in an overnight stop on the return at the airport hotel at Moscow Sheremeteyvo airport. Air China has offered very competitive through fares via Beijing since 2003. Many carriers fly to Beijing and from there to Ulaanbaatar where there is a choice of Air China and Mongolian Airlines. Air China has introduced add-on fares to their Beijing flights for 2009. which means that travelers out of Scandinavia (perhaps also from elsewhere) may add a return Mongolia flight at a cost of approximately USD 50 if using Air China.
For North Americans, Korean Air via Seoul Incheon airport is a very convenient alternative. If you live on the US east coast, you could also check options with Finnair to Moscow and then to Ulaanbaatar via Mongolian Airlines or Aeroflot.
For travelers out of North America, it might be useful to know that United Airlines (UA) has a General Sales Agent in Ulaanbaatar which is Air Trans (www.airtrans.mn) whose offices are next door to Nomadic Journeys. As Air China now is a member of Star Alliance it is now possible to travel to Mongolia on frequent flyer miles. Booking class is Q class on Air China.
For Australians and Kiwis, Air China seems to offer the best alternatives via Beijing. Or there is also Korean Air via Seoul.
Please note that the allowance for luggage on Mongolian domestic flights is 15kg per ticket. It is possible to pay excess baggage, which costs around USD 1 to 2 depending on the distance flown. A new private airline has entered the Mongolian domestic market, which is Eznis Airways. They currently allow 25 kg weight on the outbound flight and 20kg on the return flight. Nomadic Journeys book Eznis Airways as the first option.
You can travel on direct trains to Ulaanbaatar from Moscow, Irkutsk (daily), Ulan-Ude (daily), Höh Hot and Beijing. Train schedules are not frequent. Usually once or twice a week, with the exception of Irkutsk and Ulan-Ude which has daily trains in both directions. Nomadic Journeys is a consolidator for Mongolian Railways, and we make reservations and issue tickets for trains that originate in Ulaanbaatar. We cannot assist with ticketing and reservations for trains that originate outside Mongolia.
