Booking a train ticket in Mongolia gave me a massive headache when I was planning my trip.
In this article, I’ll explain why it’s so hard to book a Mongolian train ticket by yourself—and the three main ways you can actually get it done.
Why Booking Mongolian Trains Online Is So Difficult
1. The official Mongolian Railway website is blocked outside Mongolia.
Even if you use a VPN (like NordVPN), as long as it is a virtual server, it won’t work. You need to be physically in Mongolia to be able to access it.
2. The website have English version, but only partially translates the site.
Seat classes, addresses, and booking instructions are still in Mongolian, making it difficult to navigate.
3. International credit cards are not accepted.
Only Mongolian-issued cards work for online purchases.
✅ So How Can You Book a Mongolian Train Ticket?
Despite all this, there are ways to get your train ticket. Here are three options:
1. Buy It in Person at the Train Station
This is the most direct (but risky) option.
You can go to any major train station in Mongolia and buy a ticket at the counter.
✅Pros: You can pay by credit card and there are no extra booking fees.
🚫Cons: Availability is not guaranteed. If it’s peak season or a popular route, tickets may sell out.
Other tips to remembers:
Staff often don’t speak English, so communication can be tricky.
Use Google Translate or bring a screenshot of your destination/date.
For your reference, this is the official website: eticket.ubtz.mn/search
2. Ask Your Hotel or Hostel to Book for You
This is a great option if you’re already in Mongolia.
Many hotels and hostels offer train and bus booking services for guests.
In my case, my hostel helped me book a train ticket with no extra fee.
Pro tip: Always ask at check-in if they offer this kind of help—most are happy to assist.
3. Book Through an Online Travel Agency
Yes, if you already click in this article you would probably think that this is your last resort.
But if you’re planning in advance from outside Mongolia, this is your safest option.
This Mongolian travel agencies specialize in train ticket bookings for foreigners.
While they charge a service fee, they offer:
- English booking interface
- Transparent seat availability
- Payment with international cards
While I didn’t use them personally, this agency has the clearest booking platform I’ve found online, and I would recommend it based on that.
You might be also interested in some of my other articles:
- Know this before you go to Mongolia
- How to travel cheap in Mongolia in 2025
- Must-try Food in Mongolia
